Guess what small business owners can’t afford? To have a website that is just sitting their dorment. Costing you money, showing old products or services, and not bringing in you any revenue at all. Sounds horrific right?
Well according to my experience. Nearly all of my new clients that I deal with (bar a few) don’t update their content, don’t update their images, and worst of all, don’t put their website content and updates as a priority. You know why? Because their website isn’t making them money.
Think of it like a sales team you have hired. The person that is making the most sales gets the most attention right? What about Bob, who hasn’t made a sale in months? No one gives a shit about what Bob do they? Well a website works the same way. If it’s not a money spinner for your business, you don’t give a shit about it. Like Bob.
You need to change your thinking, and give your website some love. No scrap that, lot’s of love.
Why? So we can turn Bob. Your shitty salesperson, into your number one lead source and sales closer! How do we do this with your website? By transforming it into a high-converting website!
Let’s look at a few things first:
1. What is a High-Converting Website?
A high-converting website is one that encourages visitors to DO SOMETHING. What? Well it could be give you a call, fill in a quote request, buy a product, or sign up to a newsletter. You aren’t going to win them all (just like traditional sales), but you want to have a great conversion rate on your site.
For businesses, especially small ones, focusing on your conversions is essential. Because every visitor has the potential to turn into a paying customer. So visitors are great. The numbers are exciting to see, and are a great sign. But just like social media likes, it can be a bit of a vanity metric. What’s a vanity metric? A stat that makes you feel warm and fuzzy, but doesn’t pay the bills.
2. The Key Elements to a High-Converting Website
There are a few must haves for a website that truly converts:
Clear Value Proposition
Why should someone choose your business over a competitor? How can you help them? Solve their problem? This is THE MOST important thing website visitors are looking for. I understand you can’t put everything here, but in two seconds (that’s all you get) I need to know the following:
- Who you are (logo)
- What do you do? (hero text – the first thing you read on the homepage)
- What do I do next? (Call to Action)
Simple, Easy Navigation
If visitors can’t find what they’re looking for quickly, they are leaving quickly. Keep your navigation clean and simple. It’s exciting to have it animate from behind you like a Marvel movie intro, but people don’t want that. They want to navigate your website, and they don’t have time to screw around.
Effect Call to Actions (CTAs)
You know what’s frustrating? Not knowing how to take the next step when you really want something. Have you ever been on a website and you just want to find a phone number to call, or find out what you should do next? Annoying as hell right? Well a CTA will prevent that. You’ll tell them EXACTLY what the next step is. They should be on every page and really obvious to find.
Mobile Ready
This should go without saying in 2024. If your website doesn’t work on mobile, what the hell are you doing?
Fast Loading Speed
Nobody likes a slow website. And that video loading in the background might look cool when you are designing it, but if it doesn’t load fast then people will bounce (Hit the back button after your website loads)
3. Website Design Best Practices for Conversion
Clean, User-Friendly Layout
Less is always more when it comes to web design. Don’t believe me? Check out Apple’s website. They are so minimalist and straight to the point, that’s it’s hard not to find what you are looking for. You can still have plenty of information, but you can see they want you to get to the product you are looking for quickly.
Optimised Visuals
High-quality images and graphics are important. But make sure that they aren’t bogging your website down too much. Compress those images so they load quickly, and only use visuals that support your message. Stock photos are ok to start with, but as soon as you can get some updated ones.
Consistent Branding
When people are on your website, they should know that it’s yours. That’s what makes it hard to stand out of Social Media. All posts look the same.
Once you have nailed down a design and style, keep it consistent across the website. Don’t think a page should be pink if it’s not in your branding.
Frictionless User Experience
The easier it is for visitors to interact with your site, the more likely they are to convert. Simple. Make sure that every action they need to do, from calling your phone, to filling out a form is easy to do, and they know exactly what will happen when they click a link or fill in a form.
4. Write Copy that Sells
Crafting Compelling Headlines
The first thing people read is your headline, so it needs to grab attention. It should be clear, benefit-driven, and straight to the point. For example, instead of “We Sell Widgets,” try “Boost Your Business with Our Premium Widgets.”
Benefits Over Features
Your website copy should focus on how your products or services will benefit the customer, not just what they do. Instead of saying, “Our software has 10 features,” explain how those features will save the customer time or money.
Social Proof and Testimonials
People trust people. By showcasing testimonials, case studies, or reviews from happy customers, you build trust with new visitors. This can be a big factor in converting leads.
5. Using SEO to Drive Traffic and Generate Leads
Basic SEO Practices
Search engine optimisation (SEO) is key to getting more eyes on your website. Make sure you’re using relevant keywords, writing great meta descriptions, and optimising your images. This helps your site rank higher on search engines, which brings in more visitors.
Local SEO
If your small business operates in a specific area, local SEO is a must. This means optimising your site to show up when people in your area search for services like yours. Think “best plumber in Gold Coast” or “IT support for small businesses in Queensland.”
Optimising Content for Conversions
SEO is great for driving traffic, but you also need to optimise your content to turn that traffic into leads. Make sure your content has clear CTAs and offers visitors value, whether it’s a free resource, consultation, or product demo.
6. Tools to Help You Convert Visitors into Leads
Lead Magnets
A lead magnet is something valuable you offer visitors in exchange for their contact info. This could be a free guide, a checklist, or an eBook. The key is offering something that’s helpful enough for people to willingly share their email.
Contact Forms
Keep your contact forms simple. The fewer fields people have to fill out, the more likely they are to complete the form. Ask for only the essentials, like name and email, and leave the detailed info for later.
Live Chat & Chatbots
Adding a live chat or chatbot to your website can dramatically increase your chances of converting visitors into leads. These tools let visitors get answers to their questions instantly, without waiting for an email response. Make sure you capture everything you can incase they run off though!
7. Tracking and Optimising Performance
Google Analytics
To know what’s working (and what’s not), you need to track your website’s performance. Google Analytics is a free tool that helps you understand how visitors interact with your site. You can see which pages people visit the most and which ones lead to conversions.
A/B Testing
A/B testing is all about experimenting with different versions of your site to see which performs better. Try changing headlines, CTAs, or even colours to see what leads to more conversions.
Heatmaps
A heatmap shows you how visitors interact with your site. You can see where they click, how far they scroll, and what they’re ignoring. This insight helps you make tweaks to boost conversions.
Start Small and Tweak
Building a high-converting website doesn’t have to be complicated. By focusing on the right elements—like clear CTAs, simple design, and optimised content—you can turn your small business website into a lead-generating machine. Now, it’s time to put these tips into action and watch your website do the hard work for you!
