The success of our business all boils down to how well we are converting visitors into sales. We can drive all the traffic in the world but if no one makes a purchase then we can’t expect to last long. Instead of working hard to survive, we want to thrive and grow a business with successful results.
We can do this by implementing powerful, proven web design practices to increase our conversation rate optimization. Design plays a pivotal role in the customer experience and Buyer’s Journey. By using the right methods, you can help increase conversions today.
Below are a few ways you can optimize conversion through effective design. For additional eCommerce website tips, check out this resource on successful eCommerce web development.
Optimize Your Call-to-Action
Is that design? Absolutely. A call-to-action is more than a few words of copy asking for the sale. It’s the button, the location, and the surrounding elements that encourage visitors to take action.
If the call-to-action is difficult to find, distracting, or placed in a less-effective location, you will lose sales. For example, if a company sees a high bounce rate and wants to increase clicks on their purchase button, they need to review where it is. If people have to scroll down to find it, that’s another barrier that can prevent a conversion. That company can place it front and center so that those who want to quickly act are equipped to do so.
Try using A/B testing and see what works best in your design. Test different placements. Test the size of the button, its design, and its colors. See what works best and optimize.
You can also utilize directional cues. For example, if your banner has a person in the image, they should be pointing to or encouraging people to see the call to action. That can be as simple as the direction of their eyes, their posture, and other methods. You can do this with your headings and structure within the site.
Limit Choices
Be clear, be clear, be clear.
- Napoleon Bonaparte
The biggest mistake companies make with their website is making it too confusing, usually caused by too many choices.
Imagine you are driving on a single road and it’s backed up with traffic. Everyone arrives at a strange intersection with a dozen routes to take. The signs are small and hard to see. This particular road is full of people who want to go to an amusement park. You can imagine the confusion or unnecessary friction people would have to go through.
When someone visits your site, they go for a reason. If your goal is maximum conversions, you should target that. Hick’s Law states that the more decisions you place in front of people, the longer it takes for them to decide. On the internet, time is fleeting.
Make your home page for one action. Your menu can have other venues depending on current customers or people wanting to learn about the product, but it should be minimal and simple.
You are directing traffic and the success depends on the conductor organizing it. Show people where to go through the design and minimalistic practices.
Test for Colors and Behavior
The design puts a lot of weight on colors. We see how much it can affect a person, their mood, and decisions. Some cause calm and others cause stress. The spectrum of emotions color can cause is incredible and should be taken seriously.
That’s why we see people use blue for calm, peace, and stability. Green points to refreshment, life, security. Pick a color for your brand that communicates what you want your customers to feel. Implement it in your design and see what works. Perhaps white space in one area and your brand color in the menu; these are things you want to test.
Find out how customers behave and what works. You can test with heat maps, Google Analytics, Shopify, or similar platforms that integrate with tools, and more. Try split testing or A/B testing and tweaking your design for optimal results.
Another thing to consider is the style and industry you are a part of. What resonates with your target audience? If you cater to surfers, you want to see what colors and styles they use with clothing and boards. If you target middle-aged surfers, then their style will look different from younger ones. Study these things and implement them in the characteristics of your design.
Make it Simple
The definition of genius is taking the complex and making it simple.
- Albert Einstein
As Hick’s Law implies, too many decisions make things more complicated. This also extends to design in general. There’s a difference between great, quality design and design that’s too noisy.
We all want our website to look amazing and have all the bells and whistles. But if they decrease our conversion, then it defeats the purpose. It’s important to intentionally implement effective design only. Each element, from the font style to the size of containers, should have a purpose.
Simplifying your site is the hardest thing to do. Your user experience needs to be pleasant and clear. Have others test it out and give an honest opinion (or send out a survey). See how people naturally navigate the site. Then determine what you want people to do when they visit and eliminate anything that can cause unnecessary distractions.
Your site should cater to non-customers first. It should point to one action. You can add options in the footer or a last section in the menu for customers wanting to manage an account etc. Since they are intentionally looking for it and are accustomed to the site, you serve them while also putting appropriate attention to conversions by eliminating confusion.
Use Responsive Design for Better Conversions
As the years go by, more people use their phones for the internet. It’s slowly taking over and the desktop is becoming a novelty. Not only are phones eating up the share, but so are alternative devices like tablets and soon smart voice devices.
Responsive design is a modern approach to website creation that makes pages easy for scrolling and communication. When you implement it on your website, you optimize for a pleasant experience, especially on the phone.
The easier you make it for someone to become a customer, the more sales you will get. Mobile optimization helps you get there. So many companies lose sales because it was difficult for a client to interact on a phone. By serving the needs of your leads and customers, you make it easy for them to do business with you.
These are effective web design practices for conversion rate optimization you can start implementing today. See yourself as the customer and imagine you are visiting for the first time. Ask yourself, how can I make it impossible for someone not to make a decision on my website?
Eventige is a website development company that can help create the perfect eCommerce site for your brand. Contact us today to see how we can develop a high performing website for your growing brand.
