You see a website for the first time. It loads almost instantly. How long does it take you to make up your mind that this is a good place to be? 50 milliseconds (0.05 seconds) * is the accepted answer. It takes 2.6 seconds for eyes to settle on key areas of a web page **.
We really are talking about moments to appeal, answer the visitor’s main question (“What’s in it for me?”) and offer confirmation that they are in the right place.
The Mental Shopping List
Everyone has a mental shopping list when visiting a website. You can segment that shopping list by customer persona (buying avatars) to personalise further and attract more action.
The Visitor List:
- Am I in the right place?
- Can this business help me?
- Do I trust them?
- Is it worth spending more time here?
If the answer to any of those questions is “I’m not sure”, visitors leave.
We review websites where the website fails to communicate the value of the business instantly.
The Online Value Proposition (OVP)
This is what you do and what makes you different from your competitors and must be summed up in as few words as possible. This can be in the Masthead, so it appears on all your pages (not all visitors land on your home page).
Visual Hierarchy (Logical Menu)
Simplicity is key. Visitors will scan and pick out interesting elements, graphics, tables, videos etc.
Trust
Trust is critical. Testimonials, reviews, client logos, industry accreditations and case studies all help reassure visitors that your business is credible.
Social Proof
This is not for every type of business as it means highlighting your content on social platforms, usually Instagram as it is so visual. Some visitors want to know more about how you operate.
What do I do Next?
What would you like the visitor do next. The classic is signup to a newsletter for a percentage off, done as a slide-in. Is this the best thing to do? Well, growing your email list is vital. I would certainly test this to see the signup rate v time on page v return visits.
Make choices obvious, remember you will have visitors at different stages of purchasing. We are now in the Consideration Phase. What should they consider, more info’, a knowledge base, an FAQs, category pages that align with their needs and ambition? Straight to purchase or create a lead? All depends on your type of business.
Too many websites overwhelm visitors with multiple competing calls to action.
The Paradox of Choice
Give someone too many options and they choose none (like me in an empty car park).
Look at the website through the eyes of a first-time visitor or consider using Panel Data.
Sometimes the biggest improvements in website performance come from attracting come from making a first impression.
Finally for Conversion
Don’t forget once this is in place that the biggest difference in conversion comes from copywriting,
*[source stanford.edu & Google]
**[source: Missouri S&T]
[image: Elena Mozhvilo, unsplash.com]
About Conversion Detectives
Conversion Detectives is a full-service digital marketing agency in Hertfordshire.
We find the best quality traffic for your website and convert more of that traffic into sales or sales leads.
Services
Digital Marketing Strategy | Creative Content Marketing | Email Marketing |
Lead Generation | Content Strategy | Social Media Marketing |
Video Marketing | SEO (Basics) | SEM | Shopify Marketing |
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