Article Originally published in the Capital Region Business Journal - September 2008 - (note that the September 2008 - December 2008 issues of CRBJ were not posted online - this link will take you to their main page)
 

Title: 9 Ways to get Web Site Visitors to Take Action

By: Jonny Buroker

INCREASING THE CONVERSION RATE OF YOUR SITE IS A VALUABLE PROSPECT

Last month we introduced the concept and value of increasing the conversion rate for visitors to your web site and how a small increase in your conversion rate could literally double or triple your online revenues.  In this month’s article we’d like to provide you with several additional methods for increasing your conversion rate. Consider each suggestion individually or, better yet, as part of a larger Conversion strategy.

NINE METHODS TO INCREASE YOUR CONVERSION RATE

1. Remove the clutter on your site: a common mistake of many sites is to have too much clutter on the pages. Don’t try to cram too much information onto a page. Remove useless and distracting images, charts and text. Make it clear what the purpose of each page is. Remember, less is more.
2. Write good sales copy: having strong sales copy is a must. For example, you need more than a simple description for expensive products and services. Explain why the customer needs the product and needs it NOW!
3. Offer Sales, Promotions & Free Items: many retail practices don’t work online, but running sales is one that does. Customers love a sale! Experiment with different promotions, calls to action and wording to see the impact on your sales.
4. Implement stronger calls to action: your sales copy may be great, but if you don’t tell customers what to do, you’re wasting your efforts. Imply a sense of urgency, like “Place your order Now”, “Get your free report Today”, etc.
5. Provide expert reviews: sometimes a product description by itself is not enough. Offer fit and feel analysis, care tips, how to use the product, performance information, and customer testimonials and reviews.
6. Disclose shipping costs upfront: the cost of shipping is important to your customers as it can be a deterrent to buying online. Be open and honest with your customers and disclose your shipping policies and costs on the shopping cart page before the customer clicks “checkout”.
7. Offer multiple payment options: if you sell online, it’s recommended that you take 2-3 forms of payment. Accepting credit cards is obviously the first choice, but good alternatives include PayPal, eBillme (this service gives the merchant the money immediately at rates that are half of what the credit card giants charge) and BillMeLater.
8. Share your reliability indicators: people are leery of online shopping, so include brand-recognized logos “above the fold” (the visible part of page when it opens) like HackerSafe and Better Business Bureau, assuming, of course, that you join these organizations.  Also include information about security and encryption policies.
9. Test, measure, and modify: this takes time but is worth the effort. Unless you’re comfortable with multivariate analysis, try changing different variables, one at a time, so you know what change made what effect. Disclaimer – if your web site is paying your mortgage, don’t dive into this head first. Make changes slowly and roll out changes one by one.

 
With time, discipline and a good conversion strategy you’ll find your conversion rate increasing dramatically.