Why Are Your Website Visitors Not Converting Into Customers?
Your website is getting a lot of traffic – great news! But, upon closer inspection of your website analytics, you notice that your conversions are still relatively low in comparison to the number of users seeing your site.
This doesn’t sound right to you.
What is going on? Why aren’t your website visitors converting into customers?
Does this sound like a familiar scenario? Not to worry, we have some common explanations, but more importantly, some practical solutions for you.
Let’s start with the most important: why your website isn’t turning visitors into conversions.
3 Reasons Why Your Website Isn’t Converting
So, you’ve got the clicks, but little to no conversions. Why exactly is your site not converting? Here are 3 reasons why your website visits aren’t turning into conversions:
- Lack of, or unclear conversion funnel
- Web design and the way it’s built
- You need to get to know your audience more
Let’s take a look at each of these points in more detail.
1. You lack or have an unclear, conversion funnel
A conversion funnel also referred to as a sales funnel, is a way of visualising each stage in the buying process. Typically, a website conversion funnel follows this process:
Awareness > Interest > Desire > Action
If your website lacks a clear conversion funnel, then it’s time to take a look at your website’s user flow and its usability. Ask yourself these questions and follow up with research:
- How do users navigate through your site?
- Is there a clear direction or user flow?
- Do users follow a set journey on your website, or do they jump around sporadically?
By taking a look into your website’s user flow and how your website is used will help you gain a better understanding of how users navigate through the buying process on your website.
What do we mean by ‘website user flow’?
This is the path taken by a prototypical user to complete a task.
When looking at your user flow, ask yourself these questions: what is the user’s entry point? What steps do they take from entry and where do they leave your site? Was their visit successful? Did it end with a final desired action, such as purchasing a product or submitting an enquiry form?
You may have desired actions, also known as micro and macro conversions that you wish users to complete as they navigate through your website.
What are micro and macro conversions?
A macro conversion is a primary conversion on your website, for example, a completed sale, or the completion of an enquiry form. Whereas a micro conversion is a smaller engagement on your website, for example, a newsletter sign up, or a user watching a product video.
2. The way your site is built
Depending on how your site is built and how it looks and operates, this can have a huge impact on how visitors move through it.
Website design can and does affect conversion rates. So what makes a good website design? Here are three great indicators of great website design:
- Drives visitors along a specific path
Much like a well carved out road, a fantastic website design will guide users along a specific path. Ideally, one that ties in with your website’s user flow.
The perfect path will begin with a thorough understanding of the function of each page on your website, and what the user intent is. This will allow you to then direct users through your website and the most suitable page for them to visit next.
For example, on your homepage you’ll want to drive users towards your product/ service pages for them to browse, from there, it’s a great idea to showcase glowing reviews and social proof, the final step would then be directly contacting you via submitting an enquiry or making a purchase.
- Put everything where users will see it
Another great element of fantastic website design is that everything the user expects to see (e.g. a header with menu navigation, a footer with your contact info and page links, etc) is easy to see and find.
- Gives users reasons to trust
Another fantastic example of great user experience and website design is that it immediately gives users reasons to trust the business. For example, there are clear and transparent testimonials and reviews, as well as case studies, an FAQ section, accreditations and certificates and lots of photos of their products and services.
- Clear USPs
Your website should clearly focus on your USPs and what makes you stand out from your competitors, as this is a great way to boost conversions. It instills trust when people know what the benefits of purchasing from you are right from the get-go, as well as why they should choose you specifically. Make your USPs clear, and highlight what makes you different, you can’t really go wrong.
- Lots of useful information – such as an FAQ page
Great website design includes covering all the bases and knowing your customers well. By adding an FAQ page and answering any questions relating to your products and services, you can help boost conversions. Not only does it show users that you understand where any confusion or pain points come from, but you can demonstrate that you know what they’re looking for.
To accompany this, you can also implement several other features to help cut down on losing traffic to a lack of information on your website. This can be as simple as implementing a ‘Chat Now’ button, including more credentials and awards, adding social proof and using natural language.
3. You don’t know enough about your audience/ target customers
Another reason why your website isn’t converting users into customers is due to the pure and simple fact that you just don’t know enough about your customers.
If this is the case, then you should start by creating personas that are more than just basic generalities. To do this, you should conduct market research on specific features of your product or service. By gaining a better understanding of what your customers value about your product or service, you can refine the targeting and create content that resonates with potential customers.
Other reasons why your website is not generating conversions
- Your keywords are acquiring the wrong audience and the search intent is incorrect
- Your keywords are informational and not conversion-based
- You aren’t nurturing your leads with email marketing, social media, or PPC campaigns
- Your offer isn’t compelling enough
- There are errors with your website – site speed, complex navigation, poor site maintenance, error messages or more
Common terms for each stage in the buying journey:
- Awareness: (Issue / Opportunity) troubleshoot, issue, resolve, risks, upgrade, improve, optimise, prevent
- Consideration: (Solution) solution, provider, service, supplier, tool, device, software, appliance
- Decision: (Comparison / review) compare, versus, vs., comparison, pros and cons, benchmarks, review, test
How To Fix It: Creating A Website That Converts
Wondering how you can convert leads to customers, take a look at our helpful tips below.
- Analyse Google Analytics or use a heatmap tool: Where do (or don’t) users click on the site?|
Use either of these tools to see where people do and don’t click after they’ve reached your landing page. Are people clicking somewhere that doesn’t have a link? Fix that! Are you finding some links that aren’t getting any clicks at all? Fix that by switching up the wording.
- Analyse User Behaviour: Where are users dropping off?
Using analytics, take a look at where users are dropping off on the landing page or on your website. Wherever they drop off, think about shortening the page if the content is too much, and perhaps stick a CTA (Call-To-Action) at that spot instead. It is also worth conducting thorough research, analysis and watching real user behaviour on your website. Observe where users go and what draws people into (and out of) your funnel. Where do they try to go? Learn as much as possible about their natural inclinations.
- Test, Test and More Testing
It is always advisable to run A/B testing to fix any problems on your website that you discover. However, you can also test out different content options, headline variations and CTA placement on your landing page.
Contact Active Internet Marketing (UK)
Here at Active, we’re committed to keeping up-to-date with everything going on in the industry so we can carry on innovating what we do and implementing the best strategies for businesses across the UK. With popular services such as SEO, content marketing, and CRO (Conversion Rate Optimisation), we pride ourselves on a personal and transparent approach to digital marketing with your goals firmly at the forefront of everything we do. To learn more or receive a FREE website audit, please get in touch with us today at 01604 765 796 through our online form.
