The 10 Defining Factors of Conversion Rate Optimisation: Part Two

In this concluding section of my general guide to conversion rate optimisation, I'll cover the final 5 points that I believe are the most significant factors in improving the rate of conversions.  Search engine optimisation and CRO are intrinsically linked because while one of the goals of SEO is to generate more traffic from the search engines, the aim of CRO is to ensure that the traffic converts while at the website. So, with that said, I'll get back to the writing:

6-10 Factors that can help you optimise your conversion rate:

6. Give important text a prominent position on the page Carrying on from the last point I made in my previous article, the benefit-orientated text you write needs to be placed on prominent positions on the webpage users where visitors have the most chance of reading it and absorbing it. As I discussed in an earlier blog, in an eye-tracking study conducted by Jakob Nielsen he found out that internet users always browse the computer screen in an F-shape pattern. This should be accounted for by the web development staff who decides how to place the text on-page. So, an optimised page might have the logo and slogan on the top left hand side of the screen, with a benefit-orientated headline or feature placed directly below it or to the right of the logo. Then you might want to include some more text detailing the benefits of the products or services you offer placed just below your headline. It's a fairly crude example, but it hopefully illustrates how something as subtle as text placement can positively influence conversion rates. The same principle applies to the placement of links, as well as text. The links that you think are the most significant, or the ones that the user might click the most should also be placed prominently on the webpage. There's no point having all links to pages where users can purchase one of your products stuffed down at the bottom of the page because they users might not even see it, let alone click it. 7. Include effective calls to action A call to actions is a phrase that will encourage the visitor to respond to take immediate action to the sales message that is being put across on the website. An effective call to action will encourage the reader to complete a conversion by becoming a microcosmic example of the six psychological factors of persuasion. The best calls to actions encourage users to act so: DOWNLOAD HERE Would become: CLICK HERE FOR YOUR FREE DOWNLOADABLE SEO TOOL 8. Use images to motivate and persuade The images you use on your website can play a huge part in how professional or credible site visitors deem your website to be. If you are selling a service then the logical option is to use images that show the benefit of the service you are offering, or if you sell a product then you show that product. It's also important to consider source credibility and how this can affect the users interpretation of a website. For example, if you are going to use an image to show a product, then that picture needs to be high quality and bespoke, not a stock photo or a picture that has been used elsewhere on the website. It needs to fit into the veneer of the rest of the website and encourage users that the company endorsing these images is credible, reliable and trustworthy, therefore making them more likely to complete a conversion. 9. Engage with site visitors where possible Interactive website components are a fantastic way to interact and engage with website visitors coming to your website. It has to be said that this section comes with a caveat; while you want to engage your users, you don't want it to be at the detriment of page load speed and you certainly wouldn't want interactive elements to become intrusive for the visitor. These interactive elements could include Flash, Audio or Video component on the website, but they become more engaging to the user than textual elements and this interaction can build confidence and trust with the user. These ways to engage with visitors doesn't have to stop with audio/visual components of the webpage. The two most established ways of engaging an audience is through the use or hosting of blogs and forums. These interactive chat rooms allow people visiting a website to engage directly businesses, which promotes a feeling of community and user satisfaction that is conducive to an improved rate of conversions. 10. Be prepared to experiment with various layouts When you are optimising the layout and text of your website to encourage as many conversions as possible, it is always a balancing act, and it could take a great deal of testing to blend the perfect text, with the best images and the most effective link placements. Naturally, this takes time, but using some of the tools that Google provides can help streamline the process, allowing you to experiment with numerous page layouts at the same time. That concludes my series of blog posts on conversion rate optimisation. So, I've covered source credibility, the six psychological influences of persuasion, and in these final couple I've rounded up everything in a nice user-friendly 'Top 10' list. If you have any further questions about conversion rate optimisation, or any other search marketing services we offer than please feel free to leave a comment.