What is Website Conversion and How to Improve It in 5 Actionable Steps

What is Website Conversion?

Website conversion refers to the successful completion of a desired action by a visitor on a website. This action varies depending on the website's objectives and can include a range of activities such as making a purchase, signing up for a newsletter, downloading a white paper, registering for a webinar, or filling out a contact form.

The specific action is known as a conversion goal, and it is a critical metric for evaluating the effectiveness of a website and its content in achieving business objectives.

Use this template

The conversion rate is a key performance indicator that measures the percentage of visitors who take the desired action out of the total number of visitors. To improve conversion rates, website owners often employ conversion rate optimization (CRO) strategies.

These strategies involve understanding user behavior, leveraging analytics, and making data-driven changes to website design, content, and user experience to make it more conducive for visitors to complete the conversion goal.

A high conversion rate indicates that the website is well-designed, with compelling content and a clear value proposition that resonates with its target audience.

On the other hand, a low conversion rate may suggest that there are barriers to conversion, such as unclear navigation, poor website performance, or a lack of compelling calls to action.

By focusing on optimizing for conversions, businesses can more effectively turn their website traffic into valuable actions that contribute to their overall success.

5 Ways to Improve Website Conversions

Here’s how to improve your conversion rate in five actionable steps.

1. Optimize User Experience (UX)

A seamless and intuitive user experience is fundamental for keeping visitors engaged and guiding them towards conversion.

This includes a clean design, fast loading times, and easy navigation.

Make sure your website is mobile-friendly, as a significant portion of users browse on mobile devices.

Simplify forms, reduce the number of steps needed to complete a transaction, and ensure clear calls-to-action (CTAs) are present. Regularly conduct UX audits to identify friction points and use feedback to make user-centric improvements.

You can find out a lot about your user experience by adding surveys such as this one to your website:

Use this template

2. Leverage Social Proof

Social proof, such as customer testimonials, reviews, and case studies, can significantly boost trust and credibility.

Displaying these elements prominently on your site can reassure potential customers that others have had positive experiences with your brand. Including trust badges, such as security certifications or awards, can also enhance trustworthiness.

Try to incorporate real-time social proof, like notifications of recent purchases or sign-ups, to create a sense of urgency and popularity around your offerings.

3. Implement A/B Testing

A/B testing, or split testing, involves comparing two versions of a web page to see which one performs better in terms of conversions. Test different elements such as headlines, CTA buttons, images, page layouts, and content placement to determine what resonates most with your audience.

By making data-driven decisions based on test results, you can incrementally improve the user's journey and increase the likelihood of conversion.

4. Create Compelling Content

Content is a powerful tool for engaging visitors and encouraging conversions. Ensure your content is informative, relevant, and addresses the needs and pain points of your target audience.

Use persuasive language, compelling value propositions, and clear benefits to showcase your offerings. Incorporate multimedia elements like videos and infographics to make content more engaging.

Regularly update your blog or resources section to establish authority and keep users coming back for more.

If you’re not sure what kind of content your audience likes to consume, simply ask them using a survey:

Use this template

5. Streamline the Checkout Process

For e-commerce sites, a complicated or lengthy checkout process can lead to cart abandonment. To improve conversions, streamline the checkout process by minimizing the number of steps and asking only for essential information.

Offer multiple payment options to cater to different preferences and include a guest checkout option to accommodate users who don't wish to create an account.

Clearly display security badges and return policies to reassure customers that their transactions are safe and risk-free.

Use this template

Why Should You Measure Conversion Rate?

Measuring conversion rate is crucial for several reasons.

Performance Evaluation

Conversion rates provide a clear metric to evaluate how well your website turns visitors into customers or leads. It helps in assessing the effectiveness of your website design, content, and user experience.

Return on Investment (ROI)

By tracking conversions, you can determine the ROI of your marketing efforts. Understanding which channels and campaigns lead to conversions can help you allocate your budget more effectively to maximize ROI.

Customer Insights

Analyzing conversion patterns can offer insights into customer behavior and preferences, enabling you to tailor your offerings and communications to better meet the needs of your target audience.

Optimization Opportunities

Measuring conversion rates can highlight areas of your website that may require optimization. Whether it's improving the checkout process, enhancing landing pages, or refining your call-to-action (CTA), data on conversions can guide your optimization strategies.

Use this template

Benchmarking

Conversion rates allow you to set benchmarks and goals for your business. You can compare your performance against industry standards or your own historical data to track progress and set targets for growth.

Testing and Improvement

Through A/B testing and other conversion rate optimization techniques, you can experiment with different elements of your website to see what resonates with your audience. Measuring conversion rates before and after these tests can show you what changes lead to better results.

What are Some Examples of Website Conversions?

Website conversions can take many forms, depending on the objectives of the website and the nature of the business. Here are some common examples of website conversions:

E-commerce purchase
Form submission
Account creation
Newsletter sign-up
Content download
Membership subscription
Event registration
Social media engagement
Upgrades or add-ons

How to Calculate Your Website’s Conversion Rate

Calculating your website's conversion rate is a straightforward process. The basic formula to determine the conversion rate is:

Conversion Rate = (Number of Conversions / Total Number of Visitors) * 100

Here's a step-by-step guide to calculating your website's conversion rate:

Define a Conversion

First, you need to clearly define what a conversion means for your website. It could be any of the examples mentioned earlier, like a sale, a sign-up, a download, etc.

Gather Data

Collect the necessary data over a specific period. You need the total number of visitors to your website and the total number of conversions during that time. This data can typically be found using web analytics tools like Google Analytics.

Total Number of Visitors

This is the count of individual sessions or users who have visited your website during the time frame you are analyzing.

Number of Conversions

This is the count of the specific action you have defined as a conversion. Every time a user completes that action, it is tallied as one conversion.

Calculate

Divide the number of conversions by the total number of visitors to your website. Since conversion rates are usually a small percentage, multiply the result by 100 to convert it into a percentage.

For example, if your website had 15,000 visitors last month and 300 of those visitors made a purchase, your conversion rate would be:

Conversion Rate = (300 / 15,000) * 100 = 2%

This means that out of all the visitors to your site, 2% completed a purchase.

Remember to segment your data for more detailed insights. For instance, you might calculate conversion rates for different traffic sources, campaigns, or user demographics to understand where your website performs best and where there's room for improvement.

What is a Good Website Conversion Rate?

A "good" website conversion rate can vary widely depending on several factors, including industry, business model, target audience, traffic source, and the specific conversion action being measured.

However, across industries, a general benchmark for a decent conversion rate is often considered to be in the range of 2% to 5%.

To determine what a good conversion rate is for your website, it's best to:

Benchmark Against Industry Data: Look for industry reports or case studies that provide average conversion rates in your sector.

Analyze Historical Performance: Evaluate your own website's historical data to identify trends and set realistic goals for improvement.

Continuous Testing and Optimization: Utilize A/B testing and other CRO methods to find what works best for your audience and strive to improve your conversion rates over time.

Remember that while it's useful to understand averages and benchmarks, the best conversion rate for your website is one that is continually improving as you optimize your site and marketing efforts.

Start Improving Your Website Conversion with Survicate

Embarking on the journey of optimizing your website for conversion is a continuous process. Regularly analyze data, seek feedback, and adapt to changing trends. By understanding your audience, creating a seamless user experience, and instilling trust, you set the stage for a website that not only attracts but converts.

As you navigate the realm of website conversion, consider employing tools like Survicate to gather valuable feedback and insights from your visitors. Ready to supercharge your conversion efforts? Try Survicate for free for 10 days and unlock the potential to transform your website into a conversion powerhouse.

What is Website Conversion and How to Improve It in 5 Actionable Steps