Your organisation is unique. You have your own story, vision, product or service and with it your own unique website. However, most websites have one thing in common: their purpose. With your website, you too want to effectively address your target audience, inform them, enthuse them and incite them to action. We call that action a conversion. A conversion can be contact, a request for a quotation, registration, purchase or any other desired action that is important for you to be able to grow as an organisation.
To achieve this desired result, you have created landing pages where you introduce your potential customer to a particular product. The goal: to turn this potential customer into a real paying customer. But how do you make sure you achieve this goal and effectively steer your website visitor in the right direction on your landing page: towards that all-important conversion button?
By answering the following 12 critical questions, you will turn every landing page into a real conversion machine
1. Is the visitor's desire central to your website content?
The desire - the needs and wishes - of your target group are also the most important thing for you. After all, it is your target group's desires that give you 'something' to respond to with your product or service. Your target group's desire is the reason you exist as an organisation. Without desire, no product or service.
Putting this desire at the centre of your website is therefore priority number one; only then comes your product and vision. Make sure your target audience immediately recognises itself in the problem or desire you describe. Only then will they read on and discover that you offer them exactly what they need: a product or service that answers their desire or solves their problem.
2. Is the visitor addressed personally in dialogue form?
What better way to bind someone to you than by having a good conversation - a dialogue? Just as you engage in a conversation in a shop or on the street with a salesperson - who asks about your needs, indicates they understand your needs and tactfully responds with the right selling points - you should do the same on your website.
Ask questions, showing that you understand your website visitor's problem and desires. Keep paragraphs short, so that the dialogue is easily digestible and your website visitor does not immediately continue surfing when seeing your page. Avoid long pieces of text with which you perform a monologue, always write in dialogue form.
3. Are the texts short and sweet, without long sentences?
A story is most powerful when it is to-the-point and unnecessary details are left out. A website visitor only wants to know what is important to him or her and wants this to be presented as simply as possible - with simple language and short sentences.
Keep your text short and concise and communicate only what needs to be communicated. All other information away from what is important: the core message. Use simple and short sentences so that you make reading as easy as possible for your website visitor.
4. Are the headlines catchy, do they play on feelings, emotions and/or issues?
You only get one chance to make a first impression and grab attention, for which a catchy headline provides the perfect opportunity. Do you make a bad impression or completely miss the mark with an empty statement? Then your website visitor will be gone before his or her eyes have even reached your subheader.
Make your website visitor feel immediately addressed by your headline. Appeal to feelings and emotions. Grab attention by immediately focusing on the desire or problem. Be creative and make your headline witty and playful. Make sure your website visitor starts the rest of your content with confidence and interest.
5. Is there a sales-oriented video or image present?
"A picture says more than 1,000 words", as the saying goes. Just imagine what you can bring about with a good sales video. Every day, your prospect is exposed to an overkill of information, which consciously and unconsciously results in a selective screening process.
Make sure your website content tactically cuts through that screening process. Make it easy for your website visitors and surprise them with convincing images or a fun and catchy video, which directly addresses their desire and provides a solution: your product or service.
6. Do you show the important elements above the fold?
"Above the fold is gold", it is said, not without reason. Everything above the 'fold' - the information and elements - is what a visitor sees first and determines whether or not he or she will scroll further. Make sure these elements are 'gold'.
Choose your words and imagery carefully. Consider what is gold in your unique case and what will cause your website visitor to scroll on. This could be a catchy header or a good offer. Set aside extra time to determine what information and elements will ensure that you grab attention, hold it and motivate your visitor to scroll further.
7. Are the features, benefits and USPs well presented? What does the customer gain?
For a customer, it is important to know what benefits he or she will experience when becoming a customer. A prospect gets to choose from an infinite number of providers online. To come to an informed decision, a potential customer wants to know what there is to 'gain'.
So make sure you clearly communicate what your USPs are - what there is to gain - what benefits someone will experience when they become a customer with YOU. It is vital to communicate or present this clearly on your website so that you stand out from the rest and ensure that your conversion rate skyrockets, not your competitor's.
8. Is the text written sales-oriented? Are you clearly selling your product or service?
Without a strong sales pitch, there are no - or at least a lot fewer - conversions. A good story - which understands the customer's need, provides a solution and drives action - is an absolute must to optimise your conversion rate.
Within your website, adhere to a few effective and simple steps - AIDA. Attract Attention, by creating recognition of the customer's problem. Next, arouse Interest by painting an ideal picture followed by Desire, suggesting the perfect solution: your product or service. Then it's time for Action and you should simply explain how your prospect can arrive at this solution, such as making an enquiry, making a purchase or requesting a quotation.
9. Do you use elements of trust, such as customer logos, certificates or awards won in your web design?
Within a good customer relationship, trust is central, which also starts it. Without generating trust, you won't win customers. It's as simple as that. Whereas you normally inspire trust with a friendly smile, a nice suit and a firm handshake, a beautiful shop window or a professional office space, you need to use other means on your website.
Make use of various trust elements on your website to show your potential customer that you are a trustworthy party. You can do this by showing logos of companies you have worked with before. Showing what awards or certificates you have won or simply showing your 'face' yourself with a photo and a short introduction.
10. Is there social on the website? Such as customer experiences or case studies?
Creating a professional-looking website is not an impossible task these days. But to show that you are actually professional, you need to come up with proof: social proof. This is how you show your potential customers what you have to offer and that you are the perfect party to work with.
Collect social proof, with which you can show that you have offered the right solution to various parties in the past. Ask clients to write a review that you can put on your website or write a number of cases - practical examples - that show what you have been able to do for a client and what results you have achieved.
11. Are there clear and eye-catching Call to Action buttons present?
The not Having clear Call to Actions is like having a shop without cash registers and staff. You can set up your shop perfectly and tactically send your customers to the checkout with their purchases, but that checkout - or a helpful salesperson - has to be there. The same goes for your Call to Actions buttons.
On your landing pages, make sure you strategically position different and targeted Call to Actions. Give your website visitors - if applicable - several options to take action. Think Call to Action buttons to request a brochure or quote, to contact them directly or to register. Test different shapes and positions to determine the effectiveness of your buttons and adjust them if necessary.
13. Is the potential for distraction or disruption minimised?
Clear communication is step one in getting a message across effectively. Just like in a conversation, a radio broadcast or TV programme, on your website it is important that the information reaches the reader without disruption, noise or distracting elements, in order to effectively convey your message and prompt action.
On your website, avoid using unnecessary links, images that don't add anything or unimportant buttons. Keep your website 'clean', well-organised and free of unnecessary obstacles that can block the way to the final destination: your important Call to Action. Determine the conversion orientation of your website using the 12 questions above and turn your landing pages into real conversion machines!
Want to learn more about conversion targeting and have a non-binding conversation Have a chat with one of our conversion specialists?
