Best Practices For Conversion Rate Optimization

Conversion rate optimization. It is enough to drive you nuts. At the same time, mastering this part of your business could boost revenue and profit to new heights. How does that sound?

Many people think conversion rate optimization is all about one thing: content. While this is a big part of your website, you cannot afford to overlook the importance of design.

The wrong web design elements can hold your site back from achieving great success. Conversely, making a few changes may be all it takes to reach your goals.

Enough about the importance of conversion rate optimization. Let’s examine five aspects of your site’s design that are killing your conversion rate:

1. Choose your Color Scheme Wisely

Believe it or not, color can make or break your conversion rate. This infographic details how colors affect conversions, detailing everything from the best color for a call to action button to which colors to use for targeting men and women.

Blue is the color of choice for both men and women (keep this in mind when creating your website). On the flipside, orange is the worst color to use when targeting women. Brown is the worst color for targeting men.

Remember this: what you find visually appealing may harm your conversion rate. Don’t let your personal tastes get in the way of making the right decision.

2. Remove Clutter Above the Fold

People are lazy. They aren’t going to scroll the entire length of your homepage unless you give them a reason to do so. This is why it is essential to provide as much value as possible above the fold, without any clutter.

For example, your first call to action should always be above the fold, as this will give somebody who doesn’t scroll a single centimeter the ability to move onto the next phase of the buying process.

3. A Well Planned Navigation System

There are websites that have a killer navigation system, as well as those that miss the mark. Which group do you want to belong to?

It doesn’t matter what you are selling. It doesn’t matter how much content, images, and video you have. You cannot miss the mark when it comes to your navigation system.

There is a fine line between providing enough navigation and too much. You want to make it easy for your visitors to find what they are looking for, all without giving them too many options.

A top navigation bar that is easy to find, yet separate from the primary content, is a good place to start.

4. Add a Personal Touch

One of the primary pitfalls of selling online is the inability to connect with consumers on a personal level. There are ways to combat this, however.

Here are some of the things you can do to add a personal touch to your website:

• Include testimonials and reviews
• Use video explaining a particular aspect of your company (or your company as a whole)
• Ask users to shoot a video in which they provide a personal view of your product or service

By implementing one or more of these strategies, you are adding a personal touch to your website. You do have two challenges:

• Compiling the appropriate information, such as user videos
• Making this work with the rest of your design

Don’t be afraid to experiment with multiple layouts, searching for the one that gives your visitors that “warm and fuzzy” personal feeling.

Note: Unbounce does it the right way.

5. Plan Your Visual Hierarchy

This sounds complicated. This sounds like something you want to avoid. But you can’t. The conversion rate of your website depends on having a strong visual hierarchy.

You want the visitor’s eyes to naturally flow from one part of your website to the next.

As noted above, the real estate above the fold is most valuable. This doesn’t mean you can cram “10 pounds of potatoes into a five pound bag.”

Be selective with the content at the top of your page, all the while making sure your reader’s eyes are taken from one importance piece to the next.

Final Thoughts

It should go without saying, but here it is: test and track each and every change you make.

No matter how big or small, you need to know the final result. This is the only way to tweak your site’s design to guarantee the highest possible conversion rate.