How can I improve conversion rate on my website?
If you work in marketing or sales, you’ll presumably know all about conversion rate and how important it is. The conversion part of the sales funnel is where a user turns into a customer and this should not be overlooked on your site. There are many parts of your website that can affect a user’s decision to purchase your product, sign up for your email or fill in your application from.
In short, conversion rate is the percentage of users who take a required action. This required action will vary for each company, depending on your company goals and your industry. The most common conversion actions include purchasing e-commerce products, joining a mailing list and filling out application forms. The usability, design, page speed, call to actions and quality of customer service all affect your customer’s decision to convert on your site.
Refused Car Finance is a car finance provider who specialises in bad credit car finance. They get the majority of their applications from their website through an application form. For Refused Car Finance, their main goal is to increase the number of people who apply for car finance through their online application form, therefore, the conversion rate is really important! In this article, they look at the different ways you can easily increase your conversion rate to increase sales and provide a better user experience and how this has benefitted them.
How can I improve the conversion rate?
Analyse your current conversion rate
If you don’t know where you stand now then how can you improve it? The first thing you should do is analyse your current conversion rates on your target pages. See where people are dropping off and what they don’t like. Google Analytics is great to see the conversion rate of different pages, the conversion rate in Google Analytics is based on all goals that you have set up. Tools such as Crazy Egg or Hotjar allow you to see a snapshot of different user journeys on your website and give you a visual representation of their clicks, taps and scrolling behaviour. Tools like this can help you identify what your customers don’t like and their reasons for not converting.
Reduce the number of fields required
If your main goal is to increase the number of applications you receive then you should take a closer look at the application form itself. Forms often become a standstill for users. As a company, it’s important you get all the information you require to speed up the application or sign up process. However, does this speed up the customer journey? Review your form and get rid of any unnecessary fields, enable autofill and opt for checkboxes where possible. This creates a more seamless experience for users who are more likely to convert. Take a look at your competitor’s forms too. You might offer the same products and services as your competitors but their form maybe 5 minutes shorter than yours! This is where you might be losing a lot of conversions.
Use testimonials and reviews
Testimonials are a great way to build trust in your brand. According to BigCommerce, 72% of people trust a product or service if they have positive reviews. Having testimonials on your site reduces risk for the user and encourages them to convert. If you’re selling a specific product, place your reviews on the same page. This way if a user is unsure it gives them a little added piece of mind.
Don’t be scared of white space
It can be really tempting to fill your homepage with all your products and services. However, from a user’s point of view they are being bombarded by sales as soon as the click on your site. White or negative space is the empty space on a webpage that highlights a specific element. We’re not saying have a boring website, it can still have a beautiful design and get your sale across without being cluttered. White space can increase readability, improve focus and enhance the user experience.
Test out your Call to Actions (CTAs)
You call to actions may be holding you back. If it’s not in the optimum position or your wording isn’t strong enough, you may be missing out on many potential conversions. Experiment with the placement of your buttons, colours of buttons and the language used. When creating a CTA you should be specific and personal. You could also trial using first-person language to encourage conversions such as ‘I want to apply for car finance’. For the user, this reduces the feeling of ‘being talked at’ rather than ‘being talked to’.
Money back guarantee
If you’re selling a product, a money back guarantee may be a great way to increased your conversion rate! Money retailers offer a 100% money back guarantee if you are not completely satisfied with their product. Many brands are now so confident in their product that they are even offering double money back guarantees! Users like money back guarantees as they reduce the risk of being ripped off and is an easy way to build trust in your brand!
Improve website speed
There’s no real guideline on how fast your website should be but basically the faster, the better! If you’re in a competitive market, it can be hard to keep users on your site but having a slow website can dramatically reduce the quality of user experience and cause them to drop off.
Add a chat box
A chat box is a great way to improve your conversions. For Refused Car Finance, their online chat is used to answer any customer questions. Their site is littered with bad credit keywords but you’d be surprised how many people ask, ‘can I get car finance with bad credit?’ on their chat. Use your chat box to encourage and inform, sometimes users just need that little extra push to make a commitment to a purchase or service.