Website Goals: Convert Traffic to Sales!
August 31st, 2010 by
What is the function of your website? Do you use your website as an information tool? Do you use it as an arm of your sales team? Why not have your website do both? Too often small business owners focus on creating a flashy, aesthetically pleasing website. Instead, they should focus on a website that produces results.
The Web Analytics Association defines conversion as a “percentage of a visitor type who complete a multistep conversion process with a defined beginning and end within 30 minutes, whether it be signing up for a newsletter, buying a product online or some other desired outcome.”
Turn this into cash!
How can you turn your website into more conversions? Below are a few pointers:
Call to Action
Think about it. How are you supposed to create conversions without a call to action? Each page of your site should include one or more of the following: a form to request more information, your phone number prominently displayed, somewhere to sign up for a newsletter, or a purchasing option.
Create Goals
Define what type of conversion you want from your website and what a conversion means to your business. Many business owners have not identified what conversion means for their site. Each business is unique and every website has different objectives. It is imperative that you properly define a conversion. In order to be considered a conversion, the site visitor must take some form of action. This can include completing an online form, signing up for a newsletter, or picking up the phone and calling.
Track your Goals
Once you have defined what you classify as a conversion, track it. Use tools like Google Analytics to discover where your conversions are coming from and focus your marketing efforts on these areas.
Provide Information that Helps Consumers Make Purchasing Decisions
Most consumers are on your site looking for a reason to purchase your product. They are not looking for a flashy picture or video that lacks quality information. Provide the consumer with a reason to purchase your product or service.
Having people visit your site is great, but having people visit your site and purchase your product or service is better. Your site can be more than a flashy information tool; it can make you money!
You like money, don't you?
We (a law firm) are in the process of revamping our website. These are great ideas. I’m passing them on to the person in charge of our website.
It’s amazing how many commercial websites out there still ignore these fundamentals.