86 Ways to Increase Conversion: Part 2

This is part two of six posts that will tell our experience in conversion improvement. As more and more consumers shop online and rely on Web-based transactions to manage their busy lives, it is imperative that websites to do a better job of servicing their users and helping them find what they are looking for as quickly and easily as possible.

For website operators, this means that conversion ratio is one of the main factors that determines a site’s success. Since online consumers don’t have the ability to try out a product, interact with the staff or get to know a store’s reputation over time, the site’s content, design and user interface must work together to successfully guide a visitor through the transaction process.

The six posts will describe the following focus areas:

Security

Security is a critical issue for customers considering an online purchase. If your website cannot make a customer trust your site and feel comfortable doing business with you, they will never feel confident enough to submit the personal and financial information required to complete a transaction.

Tip 6: Trust seals

Boosting customer confidence is the key to sales in any online business. Personal information pertaining to email addresses, credit cards, debit cards and any financial accounts needs to be protected. You should have your website certified for security by third-party organizations like VeriSign and then display their certification seals so your visitors know their information is safe.

Tip 7 : Use your credentials

The more you can do to make your customers comfortable, the more likely they are to transact through your site. Obtain and display safe-shopping logos such as McAfee and Better Business Bureau to get the best conversion rates.

Tip 8: SSL: Electronic data security

Security is of paramount concern in a customer’s mind. To increase conversions, assure your visitors of the security precautions you have in place on your website. Getting your business website secured by SSL technology or 128 bit encryption (like a bank’s website) will help put to rest any concerns about data security. Display this information prominently on your website.

Tip 9: Physical address

Many websites neglect to display their physical addresses or phone number. On such sites, even if they have a fair amount of traffic, there are very few conversions because their visitors do not trust them. Displaying a physical address always boosts visitor confidence and leads to more conversions.

Tip 10: Include “points of reassurance” by every “point of action”

Always make sure that each aspect of your information requirement is complete and reassuring. For example, if you are requesting that a visitor should provide you with an email address, clearly state that their privacy is important to you and you will not share that information with any other companies.Customer service has long been important for a successful business in the offline world. This definitely holds true for the online world also. It is one of the first things that a visitor will notice about your site and it’s a good way to immediately start building trust, which eventually leads to more transactions.