If you sell online there’s a good chance you will keep a close eye on conversion rates. Your conversion rate can always be higher and there’s always something you can do to achieve this. Below are three things you should think about when it comes to converting visits into sales.
Enclosed Checkout
An enclosed checkout is a very useful and often underrated conversion tool. The idea is that all unneeded navigation is removed as it acts only as a distraction. Enclosed checkouts are proven to reduce abandonment rates. Customers are forced to think only about taking the steps to completing their purchase.
ASOS use an enclosed checkout
Keep a link to the homepage, links in the footer to delivery information and clearly display contact information. This is everything the customer needs to see at the final stages. Open all links in a pop-up window in order to keep customers on the checkout page. The absolute worst thing you can do is link away from the checkout.
Keeping the entire checkout on one page is also fantastic for conversion. As customers are less likely to become bored or frustrated with going through multiple stages.
It’s best not to force customers to register for an account or as a user prior to purchase as this is a major factor when it comes to abandonment. The best approach is to use the details customers have already entered when completing the purchase and give them an option to enter a password to create an account.
Reassurance
Reassuring visitors is vital. The more reasons you give them to buy from you the better. Clearly display any industry awards, organisations that you belong to, and other benefits that you can boast. One major area that requires constant reassurance is how secure your site is, the payment process in particular. Clearly display all secure checkout badges you have and all payment options you accept. Having a link in the footer to a secure payment page that explains everything is also advised.
Delivery often falls under the umbrella term ‘reassurance’ and it goes without saying that the better your delivery options (free, next day, nominated day etc) the more likely your site is to convert. One of the main reasons people choose to shop online is the convenience, and delivery is very much a part of this. If people can get the same products elsewhere at a similar price but with better delivery options, they will leave your site.
Mobile Site/Responsive Design
Internet browsing from mobile devices, such as tablets and smartphones is only going in one direction. Google has recently stated that it will favour sites that are mobile friendly i.e. have specific mobile versions or are designed to be responsive.
Responsive design will cover all devices
Mobile sites are completely different versions of sites that are designed specifically for display on mobile devices. Responsively designed sites react and change in accordance with the device a customer is using. If your site does not accommodate mobile devices you will miss out on valuable sales. Visiting a non-mobile site from a mobile device can be an extremely frustrating experience as navigation is compromised and certain assets may not load properly.
Ongoing Work
There’s a correlation between conversion rate and the amount of work you put in. Moreover its not simply the case of doing the work and letting it run. You have to do a lot of maintenance and ongoing work to keep conversion at a rate that is acceptable.
