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The average website conversion rate is 2.35% with only top 25% companies converting at a rate of 5.31% or higher. Unfortunately, most businesses only concentrate on generating visitors, not realizing the importance of turning visitors into buyers. It’s a given that anyone who lands on your website has some sort of interest in what you have to offer. However, not everyone would visit a site with an intention to buy.
Some users might be interested in only gaining information, and not making a purchase, which is why your conversion rate can never be a perfect 100%. But if you’re lucky enough, you might be able to enter the top 10% with a conversion rate of 12% or higher.
“It’s all about turning your potential customers into customers,” says Michael Lazar, Executive Director of Marketing at ReadyCloud, a tool aimed at improving relationships with your customers. With Black Friday 2016 breaking previous records, it’s obvious that the e-commerce industry is growing at a rapid pace. However, not all businesses are doing such good numbers as some report poor conversion rates.
Here’s six reasons why your business may be doing below its potential.
Visitors Are Not Asked To Buy
“You need to tell your visitors what to do,” says Lazar highlighting the importance to have a solid call to action on your site. Sometimes, all a visitor needs is a push or a reminder to make a purchase, and he would do it. “Have a clear CTA without sounding too salesy. Concentrate on the benefit of your product asking people to try it. But make sure you do not force your product down their throats,” suggests Lazar.
I cannot tell you how important this is, especially the “without sounding too salesy” as per Lazar. Inform. Educate. Tell a story. Let them know you have a solution to their problem and your product will sell itself.
The Buying Process Is Complex
According to reports, around 70% users abandon a purchase due to the buying process being very complex. One of the main culprits is the need to have an account.
“Customers do not like to waste time on setting up an account to make a purchase. They find it cumbersome and would rather visit another store than make an account to purchase from your e-commerce store,” says Lazar. He suggests allowing guest logins and getting rid of this problem for good. “Also, refrain for collecting personal details from your users as it deters them.”
Translation? Just apply the K.I.S.S. method and be done with it.
There Is Nobody To Answer Their Questions
Online shopping can be troublesome especially if a buyer faces a problem with no apparent solution. This is one of the biggest drawbacks of online shopping as there is nobody in front of you to solve your problem, unlike in physical stores where you have a salesperson helping you in the process.
“Businesses can overcome this issue by having a detailed frequently asked question section,” suggests Lazar. He also suggests to introduce live chat feature to allow visitors to get their questions answered on the spot without having to wait for long hours or pick a phone to make a call.
They Do Not Find What They Need
One of the leading causes of low conversion rates is visitors’ failure to find what they’re looking for. “Provide a search feature with an ability to look for a product based on gender, size, price etc.” advises Lazar.
Users prefer to shop online due to ease. If they’re not able to find what they’re looking for, they’ll be disappointed and abandon the purchase.
“Your marketing strategy should be clever as well. Do not promote what you do not sell,” recommends Lazar. This point is very important considering many businesses use keywords only to attract customers, even when they do not have that specific product for sale.
Again, as was the case in #2, just keep it simple already for crying out loud.
Your Website Isn’t Secure Enough
The buying process includes sharing personal information such as credit card details, names and addresses. Many users are not comfortable in giving such details online due to a fear of data breach.
You must make your site secure to ensure visitors are not apprehensive of providing their details. “It is as important to let people know your website is secure as it is to actually have a secure website,” emphasizes Lazar. He continues, “Use third-party trusted payment processors, enable HTTPS:// and also clearly mention your site’s security level on every page.”
Being transparent and creating a relationship built on trust can greatly help improve sales. Yeah, I know that sounds obvious but we all know the obvious is also the overlooked sometimes.
You’re Targeting Wrong People
You will continue to have low conversion rates unless you begin to target people who actually want to buy your product. “Know your demographics well,” says Lazar. “It is important to know your target audience’s age, gender, location, income level and taste to ensure good results.”
This may be the most obvious of everything. With the incredible amount of data available on pretty much all of us, there is simply no reason not to know your prospects. Far too many brands still rely on archaic strategies which involve batching and blasting… and praying and hoping that someone bites.
This is 2017 kids. Just thought I remind you in case you forgot.
This article originally appeared on Forbes.
