Increase Website Conversion - chips from Shiftreset

Conversion is a key indicator of the performance of any online store or website. To increase it, you can use advertising or less obvious and costly tools. Tips and secrets for high conversion that not everyone knows about - we have.

For e-commerce, conversion rates and revenue are interconnected, and targeted actions of visitors increase the profitability of a store or website. To increase conversion, you can attract more users through advertising or optimize the resource itself. And if with the first method everything is relatively simple - we invest more in advertising = higher conversion, then not everyone knows how to optimize the site. Below are a few tips that will help visitors take the desired action, and the project to raise revenues.

So 46 irreplaceable ways to increase conversion on the site

To more effectively retain regular customers and more actively attract new ones, upgrade your site / store using the following chips:

Offer users a bonus for the desired action

The easiest way to trigger an action is to offer something in return. This can be bonus money in your internal account, promotional codes, free shipping or gifts. Receiving the benefit, the buyer agrees to e-mail newsletter, will follow the publications in the Facebook group or buy certain products at a certain time. In addition, regular promotions and a bonus account tie the customer to the store, because you don't want to lose the benefits.

Add a conversion form to your site sidebar

As a rule, a field is added to the sidebar for quick registration or subscription to updates, less often they place announcements of promotions and sales. Publishers note a low block conversion in sidebars (0.3% on average), but an unobtrusive newsletter subscription and registration form can complement the overall look of the page and make it more informative.

Add a conversion topbar

The site header is always in front of the visitor's eyes and attracts attention, because there are important elements of the interface such as the search bar or the shopping cart. A discount offer or a sale announcement posted here will not go unnoticed, which will also increase conversions. The main thing is that the conversion block does not annoy or interfere with interacting with the buttons and header tools, so it is important to choose the size, color scheme and animation.

Add a social widget to your sidebar

Social widgets are a good alternative to the follow button because provide the user with a visual image and enhance the overall alternatives of the page. If instead of the “follow in Twitter” button, you display the site's feed on Twitter, then the chances to interest the client are greater. Although, you should not use the social widget as the main tool for attracting followers or subscribers.

Moving widgets to the sidebar when they are informative helps not to distract the visitor from the targeted content. The sidebar attracts less attention than the topbar and usually fits seamlessly into the page design.

Add a function; Track price

If the buyer is not satisfied with the current price and there is reason to expect a profitable discount or promotion in the near future (planned or seasonal sale), then it can be retained by means of a notification of a decrease in value. Firstly, he will remember about your store, expecting a discount, and secondly, you will receive an e-mail for future mailing.

Enter a block of offers of similar products

At the same time, the offered goods should be with similar characteristics, but at different prices, so that the buyer can choose products for his budget. This block can be disguised as “recommended to you” or “based on your views” so that the client feels important and personalized.

Use quality visual content

A picture is the only way to directly perceive a product in online stores, so it must be in good resolution and from several angles. Many sites offer a 360 ° panorama or even a short video demonstrating product functions. Visualization increases the salesability of even those products for which technical characteristics are more important than appearance - components, consumables, etc.

Create a membership card that gets free shipping

Such an offer can be found, for example, in the Rosette store. It allows you to kill two birds with one stone:

• Provide the buyer with an additional benefit - free shipping (more on this later);
• Link him with a membership card, which he will remember when he needs to buy something online.

Privileges “for insiders” are used by both online and offline stores, offering accumulative, discount and club cards. In addition, when issuing a card, the service usually receives data about the buyer, which can be used for mailings and individualization of offers.

Add links to the pages of the products mentioned in the text in the blog materials

Most stores run thematic blogs to attract users from search engines. At the same time, the visitor initially enters the blog and does not always reach the catalog, having received the necessary information. Links in the text of the post help fix this problem and turn the user into a buyer by linking useful information to a specific product.

By linking to product cards, you can promote specific categories or even product models using your blog, getting leads from the search.

Specify prices for goods and services

Online stores without price tags are now difficult to find, but companies that provide services and sell them via the Internet often do not indicate the exact cost, referring to the fact that prices can be obtained from a consultant. The mistake is that without even having a general idea of the cost, the client cannot compare the service with competitors or be sure of what will be invested in the budget.

It is better to indicate prices for goods directly on the product page, and for services you can use price lists, cost calculators or approximate tariffs “from x UAH”. If a competitor attaches a price list in a conspicuous place, and yours will be available only after a call, then the client will choose a competitor.

Offer a discount coupon for taking an action

Discounts are one of the most effective ways to increase conversions. They can be used both to promote a product or store in general, and for a call to action. This action can be the purchase of products of a certain brand, two units of goods instead of one, or for example a top offer landing page.

Discount coupons can also be offered for subsequent purchases - for example, when buying this laptop, a visitor gets a 10% discount on their next purchase.

Offer your site visitors valuable downloadable content for the desired action

Many products or services are accompanied by additional content that usually needs to be purchased separately. You can increase the conversion by giving this content as a gift when you buy the main product. The most common example is a licensed Windows 10 along with a laptop or six months of free TV with a new plasma.

Add a button to the product page; Add to wishlist;

The wishlist contains products that the user already wants to buy, but not yet enough to add them to the cart. Perhaps he plans to order some items later or compare the characteristics of the same type of goods (especially if there is no separate tool for comparison).

It is recommended to implement the wishlist in two forms:

• temporary - for unregistered users, it is saved for the period of the current visit;
• permanent - for registered customers, which is linked to an account and available at any time.

Enter the possibility of purchasing goods on credit or by installments

Installment when buying is relevant for stores selling high-value goods (electronics, industrial equipment, household appliances). This is one of the obvious ways to increase conversions, and therefore it is used on many sites. The installment purchase button should be present on the product page, as well as in the basket, and it is better to display the credit conditions in a separate section in the header or footer of the page.

Add share buttons to product photos

Research has shown that by sharing an image or card of a product, a customer expresses their intention to buy it. Buttons for quick sharing through instant messengers or social networks will help the user in cases when he needs to find out the opinion of a friend or followers. It's faster and more convenient than copying a link. In addition, the store can track the popularity of a particular product or the number of expected purchases through the number of sharing sessions.

It is not difficult to add sharing to the site, but do not forget to configure the buttons of the necessary applications and social networks so that instead of Telegram, the user is not offered a second-rate forum.

Connect online chat. And don't forget to reply to your clients through it)))

There are a lot of plugins for quick communication with a customer and it is not difficult to install them. Here it is important not to use low-quality bots and phrases of the same type that create the feeling of a “bot”. Also, a qualified consultant should work with the chat, who will help you quickly find out the necessary information and save the buyer from the need to re-read specifications, technical documents or clarify data via mail or phone.

Offer users a trial period of using the program

Research by the Journal of Marketing Research has shown that trial users behave differently than those who pay straight away. They value the service less than those who paid for it, but are more receptive to the marketing proposal, which allows them to increase sales through e-mail newsletters and personalized communication.

In addition, trial periods allow the client to evaluate the functionality of the product, and the company to detect possible shortcomings or factors influencing the decision to purchase the program. By offering a trial, you at least don't let the potential buyer leave right away.

Use provocative animation to get the action you want

Animation grabs attention faster than a static image and allows you to better demonstrate the benefits and appearance of the product. With the help of animation, you can also “program” the user for a certain action - for example, animate the process of pressing the “buy” button to explain how to quickly place an order.

Here's an example of how Amazon encourages a user to visit the women's clothing section using animation: https://youtu.be/TTqdbLOBb_Q

Test different options for conversion elements

You can use completely different conversion units - from a list of recommended products to promotional banners, animations and pop-ups. However, before adding any element, check how it affects the overall usability of the site and how regular and new customers react to it. Size, shape, color, placement, number of appearances - everything matters.

Enter the ability to subscribe to a specific author or section

Relevant for large information resources with an extensive topic of posts. By subscribing, you give the visitor the opportunity to independently formulate their "feed" of records, without catching the necessary material in the general chaos of publications. The user views interesting information and receives it quickly, so he will log in regularly and spend more time surfing.

Add a button - Read Later

“Read later” is an analogue of the “favorites” function for content projects. The user cannot constantly follow your news feed or blog, so even if he found an interesting post, but now he does not have time to read, he will not finish reading it later simply because he needs to be found in the already updated feed.

The "read later" button will save the content in just two clicks and will help assess the interest of users in a particular post. Moreover, you can offer to send the text of the article to the user's e-mail, thereby receiving his contact details.

Increase the size of your conversion buttons. Use testing to select the optimal color

The size and color of buttons and conversion blocks affect the perception of information and decision-making, but which one is difficult to predict. It depends on the overall design of the site, the color combination of several elements, or the presence of a “corporate” store color. Test several options to determine the best. In any case, the buttons should stand out against the general background of the page, be clickable and easily accessible.

Use the material style of button design developed by Google

Firstly, the effectiveness of smooth transitions and simple understandable layouts has been tested at least by Google developers. And secondly, material design is used in many mobile and computer applications, so users are accustomed to it and the site interface will be simpler, more organic and visually pleasing for them.

Transfer conversion elements and the bottom right of the page

Eye tracking shows that users finish studying information in this part of the screen, so adding a button or conversion block will be the logical conclusion of the product page. The buyer first examines the type and properties of the product, and then takes an action to which the button will push him.

Create separate landing pages for top products

It is better to display exclusive promotions, discounts or products on a separate landing page. This allows you to convey more information about the offer without overloading the product page or a short description of the promotion in the store itself. In addition, landing pages attract more attention than news posts and increase the value of the offer in the eyes of the buyer.

Use zoomed images

This simple function will allow the buyer to better evaluate the appearance of the product, the importance of which we have already mentioned above. Zoom photos should be in high resolution and show all the details of the subject. One zoom image can replace several photos taken at different distances, which will speed up the loading of the product card.

Online Pickers

Pickers are similar to filters, but they are more fun and easier to use. At the entrance, the user specifies the desired characteristics, and at the exit he receives the desired product. The selection process should be accompanied by a visual demonstration, possibly interactive elements, while the selection criteria are more general and intuitive than in the filter (for example, who will use the product).

Hang a promise not to spam next to the subscription form

Intrusive email marketing is the main reason customers are reluctant to send email to stores. Explain that the mail is not needed for spam, but for contacting support, recovering lost account information, and occasionally for notification of great deals, from which you can easily unsubscribe.

Implement Smart Site Search

The search bar should be prominently displayed and easily accessible, and the search itself should not be reduced to semantic. When a buyer enters a category name, he most likely does not yet know what kind of product he needs, so it is important that the search engine itself offers several models. This solution simplifies the search process and increases the marketability of the proposed options.

Remove unnecessary pseudo-selling texts

When choosing a product, especially an expensive one, the buyer will evaluate it primarily by technical characteristics and images, rather than descriptive texts. It is better to fill in all the points of the product card than to add blurry and unreadable seo text to the page, which many users do not even pay attention to. Descriptive texts are additional costs and should only be left for top-selling items.

Demonstration of the amount of savings

When offering discounts or promotional products, the old price is often crossed out and a new one is prescribed, but to increase conversion it is worth adding the saved amount to this. The buyer will not burden himself with mathematical calculations to determine the difference between "before" and "after", which will make surfing more comfortable. Plus, adding a saving line is easy and inexpensive.

Product comparison tool

Especially useful in electronics stores or other high-tech goods stores. For the correct operation of the tool, the characteristics in the cards of the same type of product must be filled as much as possible.

When comparing, the buyer should be able to add and remove products, as well as filter characteristics (all, common, different). Also, do not forget about the cost and the button to buy right in the comparison window.

This point should be considered even when starting the site. the cost of creating an online store depends on it , and in addition, the integration of a comparison on an already running service can cause the need to edit dozens and hundreds of unfilled product cards, which can be avoided at the very beginning.

Implement a bonus program

Bonuses are another thread for customer retention. Add a few bonus hryvnias to his “account” and the unwillingness to lose them will be an incentive for a new purchase. You can even enter an accumulative system with a minimum threshold for payment or add promotional products for which you can only pay with bonuses.

Decorate the conversion element as a button, and the opt-out element as a link

According to AWeber research, buttons are 30% more effective than links. The button additionally highlights the desired action and it is perceived as a priority, therefore, the absence of a button for refusal works more efficiently than its repulsive color or negative wording such as “I wish to remain in the dark”. This technique can be used, for example, when offering a mailing list.

Guideline for content projects: publish a post with an error

The user's desire to correct it will turn into a comment. If the error turns out to be subjective, then opponents will even appear under the post and arrange a holivar, increasing interest in the content and the number of views.

Reception will practically not affect the reputation, tk. you can at any time admit the mistake and make a correction.

Add information on the number of copies of the product sold to the product card

This parameter is similar in functionality to likes in social networks - it allows the buyer to assess the popularity and demand for the product, which can push them to make a purchase decision. Plus, this data is collected by the store anyway to estimate sales, so it's easy to add it.

Add a section to the site.

After reading the "appeal", the site will cease to be for the user something abstract, remote and will be associated with a specific person and concept (therefore, it is desirable that a photo is attached to the appeal). This increases the credibility of the store or project, which in turn has a positive effect on conversion.

Show alternative offers on the sold out page

Seeing the phrase “out of stock”, the buyer is disappointed and the need to continue searching, which can completely discourage the desire to buy. By offering similar products, you can solve this problem, keep the user on the site and increase the chance of a purchase.

Make sure that only what is in stock is included in similar products. If a customer goes to the page of sold products 2-3 times, they will most likely go to look for an item in another store.

Remove the slider from the site

Sliders slow down page loading and are poorly optimized for mobile devices. This element also reminds users of an ad unit, so it's often avoided. In any case, it is worth checking the number of slider clicks before making a decision.

Offer favorable terms of delivery

Shipping costs are often perceived as “extra,” unwanted costs for online purchases and better shipping terms can lead the customer to make decisions in your favor. Thus, according to Walker Sands data for 2016, 88% of users named the availability of free shipping as a decisive factor in their purchase.

A store might, for example, offer free shipping for a certain amount of money, free courier shipping, product insurance, or no surcharge for COD return shipping.

Sell Gift Cards

Gift cards and certificates allow you to increase sales and popularize your store. They are both a product and a tool for attracting new customers. You can offer:

• nominal cards - with a purchase for a specific amount;
• discount cards - with a certain discount on the total purchase amount.

They can be distributed both in plastic form and via mail in the form of an electronic code. In the second case, the store also receives the customer's e-mail.

Create a section; Gift ideas;

Choosing a gift is a challenge for many people. When a customer visits a website, he does not always know what he will be gifting, so having a section with suitable products can be a lifesaver. The section can be seasonal (for a certain holiday) or with a built-in picker, which we wrote about above.

As a gift, you can offer both single products and whole gift sets. Sales of the latter can be increased by adding a discount and demonstration of the benefits of buying a kit compared to a “piece” order of component products.

Create sections; Elite Offers and Sales;

The first is designed for hunters for "exclusive" - limited quantities, rare models or individual purchase conditions increase the demand and a sense of self-importance from the buyer. Well, the second section is more widespread and attracts discount hunters who want to buy expensive goods cheaply.

Create a smart filter system

If the buyer is looking for a specific product, then he will do it through a filter, so it is important that this tool is functional and convenient. It is recommended to think over the filter at the stage of website creation and introduce frequently used selection criteria (color, material, price, etc.).

In addition, filters help to get new customers through search engines due to low-frequency queries. To do this, for each filtering result, it is enough to create a small text with a key, and then the user after the request “buy a green knitted hat” will be taken to the selection of the necessary goods, and not the entire assortment, and the chances of making a purchase will increase. Although for effective promotion in this way, you will need to do a seo audit of the site , collect the most complete semantic core and cluster it. Only then will it become clear which pages need to be optimized first.

Delivery information in a conspicuous place

Delivery methods and costs often play a decisive role in making a purchase decision, so the user should be able to familiarize himself with them at any time. To do this, the appropriate section is added to the header and footer of the site, the conditions can also be duplicated in the description text so that the buyer does not leave the product page.

Cross-selling block

This block is needed to offer products related to the main purchase from other categories. For example, if a person orders a smartphone, then most likely he needs headphones, fast wireless charging and a case for it. In this way, you can increase sales of complementary products that the user planned to order later or only intended to search.

These are important and effective ways to increase conversions, but not all. More user acquisition tools and promotion tips on the Shiftreset blog.