Conversion Rate Optimization: 7 Golden Rules to Convert Visitors into Buyers

SEO is a difficult game. Attracting web traffic is a nightmare. Even more difficult is converting visitors into customers. Anyway, the purpose of the activity was always earning money from visitors. The process is long, tiring and not always successful.

As a search marketer, I am always trying to figure out the best ways to earn maximum dollars for my clients. Throughout my experience, I have tastes success and failures alike. What I have concluded is that converting a ‘visitor’ in to a ‘customer’ is a different game altogether.

First, What is Conversion Rate Optimization?

In basic terms, CRO aka Conversion rate optimization is concerned with encouraging maximum visitors to take up a service or product from your site. Interestingly, a converted customer could come from anywhere, be it your home page, blog or landing pages.

Most search marketers fail to understand the untapped opportunities in social media. In my view, there are numerous conversion opportunities in such outlets. Mark my word; everything you do in the digital marketing domain, conversion optimization is vital to your success.

How to Improve My Conversion Rate?

Once you’ve understood the real purpose behind conversion rate optimization, you’re ready to go. Now, I will talk about some ground rules to improve conversion rate. Have a glance:

Rule 1:

Write Content that Converts!

I want to start with the content of your pages. And no, I am not asking you to write a masterpiece. Remember that you’re only here to sell a product or service. So, make your purpose clear to the visitors/readers.

Here’re some points to help you out:

• Be clear about what you can offer to the visitor.
• Present all information about your offerings.
• Focus on your USP.
• If possible, show some testimonials.
• Of course, a visible call to action button is essential.

Rule 2:

Remove the Roadblocks:

Get rid of any roadblocks in your path. Think about anything that may discourage a visitor to buy your product. The difficult thing is finding that roadblock, hampering your growth. To worsen the situation, consumer psychology is a complex subject altogether. I am telling you guys, my profession is not an easy one.

Here are Some Tricks to eliminate such roadblocks:

A) Keep it simple..!

The first piece of advice is getting rid of complexities in your approach. Your customer is not in the mood to solve any riddle. He wants a simple interface. Plus, he does not have hours to spend on your site. You should help him have a swift and uncomplicated experience. Sadly most professionals do the opposite.

Let’s take an example. A portal requires a visitor to fill up a form (a pretty common method). And this form is too long. It’s obvious that the visitor will get irritated and leave the site. There are several similar situations that may confuse your prospective customer.

B) Do it in Style!

Not everyone likes an outdated marketing style. So, find out what hits with your targeted audience. So, you need to find out what appeals to your audience. Anyway, the internet is choked with similar-looking portals, with no personality of their own.

So, you need to adopt a cool persona and put a life in your site. Trust me; your visitors are clever enough to identity something new and more enthralling!

C) Learn to Value Visitors’ Time

The attention time span of a regular online user is too short. They don’t like to wait and expect quick results. So, prepare a funnel process that does not irritate your visitor. Another crucial aspect is page speed. Try to keep it fast!

Rule 3:

Design for Conversion!

During my experience, I’ve witnessed numerous clients vouching for a beautiful web design. What they miss out is practicality. Obviously I strive to explain it to my precious clients. Let’s see an example of one of the world’s biggest online retailer, Amazon.

Source: www.Amazon.com

It’s quite clear that Amazon may not have the most exciting design but they offer a convenient user experience. My point is that the design is very crucial in conversion optimization.

Here are some points to help you out a conversion-friendly site:

• Navigation should be easy. A natural and intuitive flow is the need of the hour.
• Infinite scrolling is not for everyone. So, use it only if you’re certain about it.
• I have a penchant for colors. You can also employ different color combinations in your site.
• Multimedia content is a great way to increase conversions.
• Page loading time should not be irritatingly long.
• The call to action button MUST stand out from others.
• Get rid of unnecessary clutter.

Rule 4:

Don’t Ask for Excessive Information:

There is already a panic-like environment in the world. Government snooping is already a highly debated issue. So, there’s no surprise that people are highly cautious about their personal information. So, beware of seeking information that may offend your prospective clients.

Anyway, it’s no hidden fact that intrusion of privacy is never appreciated. So, inquire for information that is necessary. Or just ask as little as possible. Period.

Rule 5:

Don’t be Afraid of Experiments:

I have always compared search marketers with scientists. Both professions require a lot of experiments to be done. Sometimes, the experiments go in the wrong direction. On several occasions, they get the right results. But you’ll never know until you have tried it out.

So, read a lot, ask questions and try different things. And most importantly, don’t be scared of failures. They are very important in your journey.

Rule 6:

Remove the Distractions!

Observe your site thoroughly. List all the distracting elements and remove them. A search marketer should be able to identify such stuff. Another important thing is to add elements that will improve your conversion rate.

Rule 7:

Offer Support after Conversions:

Most clients are anxious. In fact, they are battling several questions in their mind. Your task is to remove such anxieties from his mind. The task is not easy; in fact, you need to understand the basics of consumer psychology.

Once a visitor understands that a genuine post-conversion support mechanism is there, he will begin to trust you. Then, a visitor will turn into a lead, and possibly end up availing your services.

Final Words:

So, guys, I would like to conclude here. I hope that you will increase your revenues with more conversions. For your queries or suggestions, use the comments section box given below.