Five elements of a highly converting website

Put simply, your website is an investment. Its main purpose is to generate returns in a way that’s meaningful for you - whether that’s more leads, more donations, more sales, or more brand awareness.

A highly converting website ensures that you’re getting the most out of that investment by following through on achieving your goals. By turning visitors into leads or customers, a website that converts, ultimately increases your revenue and profitability.

Every audience is different, but there are a few best practices that will help your website achieve the best results. Here are a few of them to get you started.

1. Clear and compelling CTA

On the surface, a call-to-action (CTA) button is a link that is highlighted on a page. It asks a visitor to your website to click on it and then to take the next step - to sign up to a service, to subscribe to an email list, to buy a product. Look a little deeper, and you’ll find a powerful catalyst for guiding visitors towards conversion. 

There are a few key elements to consider to make sure your CTAs are persuasive and driving the results you need:

• The position on the page
• The shape and colours used
• The language and wording

Making sure the design of your buttons nails these three things can help your CTA convince visitors to take the next step.

2. Strategic structure

We can’t overstate the importance of first impressions. When a visitor lands on your website, you don’t have long to grab their attention and show them that they’re in the right place. They’re likely to draw conclusions based on the first thing they see, so it’s up to you to make sure they’re seeing something convincing. A no-nonsense, concise summary of who you are and what you do is a good start. Putting some thought into where you place elements can also have a significant impact on the quality and quantity of your conversions.

For example, having a “sign up” button at the top of the page is great for quick, high-volume conversions; whereas placing the same button at the bottom is more likely to attract those who are genuinely interested in what you have to offer.

3. Highly responsive

The Need for Speed isn’t just a blockbuster film - it’s a key factor in the decision-making of visitors to your website. A website that loads quickly is crucial for retaining visitors and driving conversions. Why would a user wait around on a site that won’t load, when there are literally millions of other options available with one quick search? Think about what you can optimise on your website - like changing image sizes and resolutions, minimising content, and leveraging cookies. In the process, you’ll probably be making your website more sustainable by using less data. 

In particular, as the majority of internet traffic comes via mobile devices, having a mobile-responsive website is a necessity. Google uses page speed as a factor in ranking - so a website that adapts seamlessly to different screen sizes and devices not only enhances user experience but also boosts your search engine rankings, too.

4. Quality Content

Compelling content can make all the difference in converting visitors into leads or customers. There are lots of ways you can provide value to your audience, and in the process convince them to take action.

• Informative blog posts on relevant topics

• Thought leadership on current affairs in your sector

• Interesting product descriptions

• Videos that engage and excite

Combined with SEO best practices, copywriting is a powerful tool for crafting content that will resonate with your target audience. An audit of your current positioning is a good place to start to understand how you're doing with accuracy, emotion and impact - three pillars that are make-or-break as to the health of your digital identity.

5. Tap into emotion

For visitors to convert, they have to buy into what you have to say - and feelings have a lot to do with that. Think about the emotional state that you want your visitors to be in before the click on your CTA. The journey that they go on before they get to that point of conversion is a key factor as to whether they’ll take the plunge or not. Do you want to drum up enthusiasm for an exciting new product you have? Or do you want to inspire empathy for a campaign you’re running? The difference in how you gear your visitors up for conversion will differ drastically. Consider how the language, colours, and imagery you use will affect what visitors are thinking and feeling as they navigate your website. 

Still curious?

There are so many ways that you can optimise your website to convert beyond the five that we’ve mentioned here. Get in touch and let us help you with driving growth and making your website do its job.