Difference between revisions of "Learn/Design-Your-Website-for-Conversion"

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Turn visitors into customers

Websites used to be little more than online corporate brochures. That’s no longer the case. Your website is more like a virtual employee, your ever-present point of contact with potential customers. Every time a visitor comes to your site, you have an opportunity to build a relationship with that person.
If you consciously design your site to turn these visitors into customers, you can dramatically increase the number of visitors who 'convert' – that is, make a purchase or perform some other action you desire. That will contribute directly to your bottom line.

Design your site to convert

Know your goal
Lead visitors to the goal
Speak to their emotions
Make your site persuasive
Use a strong call to action

Know Your Goal

What is the primary action you want visitors to take? If you don’t design with a primary goal, you’ll end up pulling your visitors in several different directions, and won’t make much progress in any one of them.

Examples of primary actions are:

Purchase your product
Subscribe to your newsletter
Follow you on Twitter
Download your demo or free introductory product

Design all interactions on your site with your primary goal in mind.

Lead Them to the Goal

Make it obvious where the focus should be on your site. Use design and wording to emphasize that focus. You have just seconds to catch someone's attention, so you want to pull their eyes immediately to the most important thing on your site.

Here are some ways to draw attention to your goal:

Color
Size: Make it big
Position: Our eyes go naturally to the upper left of the page
Contrast: light, dark, different shapes
Images: Especially of people, or people interacting with your product
Arrows and other directional cues
Whitespace: To lead the eye
Headlines and bold text

Your eyes can’t help but go to the download button:

Speak to Their Emotions

Your visitor's mindset is, "What's in it for me?"

Don't make the mistake of talking about your company or your product's features. People are concerned with their own needs and emotions, so that’s where you should focus. It's not about you. It's about them.

Put yourself into your customers’ shoes, and think about why they are looking for your product or service. Show them how your product's features will bring them benefit.

Show site visitors that:

You can solve their problem
You can make their lives better
Your product can make them feel: safe, proud, happy, attractive, clever, or something equally positive

Show visitors why they should care:

Make Your Site Persuasive

Use these psychological touchstones on your site:

Social Proof

We look to others to tell us what’s valuable. Testimonials, reviews, and other evidence of group approval – perhaps numbers such as sales figures or Twitter followers – all help people feel more comfortable making a decision.

Reciprocity

We all have a powerful need to repay favors. Give your visitors something first, and they will be more likely to respond to you. Here are some ways to give first:

Useful information
Free tools
Product samples.

Authority

We give more credit to figures of authority. Press coverage, endorsements from experts in the field or well-respected companies – even a display of familiar logos – can all lend your site greater stature.

Great use of persuasive elements:

Use a Strong Call to Action

Once you have your visitors’ attention, get them to take the desired action by asking them. It’s really that simple, but people often overlook the “ask.”

Make a strong call to action by telling visitors specifically what you want them to do, and why. "Get our free report instantly" or ‘’Try now’’ are much stronger calls than “Click here.”

Strong calls to action:

Other Tips

Poll your site visitors, ask them to test your site, and solicit their feedback in other ways. Find out what they are trying to achieve, what they like and dislike, and what problems they’re having with your site. Not only are you getting great information, you’re also engaging them in a deeper relationship with you and your brand.

Keep testing and improving. There is no such thing as a perfect design, and you should test and refine your site to improve conversion. Use a tool like Google Website Optimizer to test different designs.

Track conversions. You must measure conversion if you want to improve it. Use analytics packages like Google Analytics to track visitors and conversions.

Check out how your home page looks to search engines and people with the free Home Page Analysis. Want a deeper look at all your site's pages? Try an AboutUs Site Report.

@@ Line 1: / Line 1: @@
-Boogie Board India
+{{ArticleTemplate2
+| Writer = Ethan_Tan
+| Name = Ethan Tan
+| Header = Design%20Your%Website%20for%20Conversion
+| Subhead = Turn visitors into customers
+| Bitly = http://bit.ly/Design4Conversion
+| Date = October 26, 2010
+}}
+==Turn visitors into customers==
+----
+{{SiteReportMedRecAd}}Websites used to be little more than online corporate brochures. That’s no longer the case. Your website is more like a virtual employee, your ever-present point of contact with potential customers. Every time a visitor comes to your site, you have an opportunity to build a relationship with that person.
+<br />
+If you consciously design your site to turn these visitors into customers, you can dramatically increase the number of visitors who 'convert' – that is, make a purchase or perform some other action you desire. That will contribute directly to your bottom line.
-You've probably never heard of a Boogie Board LCD Writing Tablet. That's because it's brand new - the first ever LCD writing tablet. Not only is the Boogie Board Tablet new, it's revolutionary! The Boogie Board tablet is the tree-friendly electronic alternative to paper, pencils, and pens. With Boogie Board users of all ages will truly say goodbye to paper forever - and it's just as easy to use! Simply press on the surface with the included stylus or other suitable writing instrument (even your finger) to create an image and then erase with the push of a button. With the Boogie Board LCD writing tablet, you'll never be without a memo pad again. No pen or pencil, no problem!
+==Design your site to convert==
+----
+* Know your goal
+* Lead visitors to the goal
+* Speak to their emotions
+* Make your site persuasive
+* Use a strong call to action
-Keep one by the home phone and by your computer at work to jot down memos, make to do lists, leave messages for others, capture your next big idea, and more. Keep one in your car, and you'll never be caught again looking for a piece of paper and pen to write important to-do's to get from the grocery store on the way home. But the Boogie Board tablet is more than just a memo pad.  Students will find it's the perfect tool for practicing handwriting/arithmetic, drawing pictures and playing games (especially young and developmentally challenged students). If you're a coach, you can even use the Boogie Board tablet to diagram the winning play. Say goodbye to dry erase boards with smelly, dried up markers.
+== Know Your Goal==
+----
+What is the primary action you want visitors to take?  If you don’t design with a primary goal, you’ll end up pulling your visitors in several different directions, and won’t make much progress in any one of them.
-The reason why this Boogie Board is cool is that a single Boogie Board can handle up to 50,000 reuses. That means it’s about 1/16th the cost of paper – assuming you pay about 1 cent for a sheet. The Boogie Board’s Reflex LCD is highly responsive to variable amounts of pressure, meaning that it’s comparable to the experience of using a pencil on a sheet of paper. The Boogie Board tablet's pressure-sensitive LCD writing surface creates lines of different thickness based on how hard you push - just like paper and pen!
+Examples of primary actions are:
+* Purchase your product
+* Subscribe to your newsletter
+* Follow you on Twitter
+* Download your demo or free introductory product
-Write or draw with the included stainless steel, telescoping stylus or any other suitable instrument - even your finger! You’ll never need to search for a pen or pencil again! Draw with just about any tool* to create different textures and patterns! The case and LCD are made from durable plastic materials. Safe for school use and all around the house, office and car. Boogie Board is like a digital notepad. Erase your image with the touch of a button - and a friendly flash from the liquid crystal display - COOL!
+Design all interactions on your site with your primary goal in mind.
-* writing tools that will mark or scratch the LCD, such as pens or pencils, are not recommended.
+== Lead Them to the Goal==
-Product Features:
+----
-Paperless LCD writing tablet
+Make it obvious where the focus should be on your site. Use design and wording to emphasize that focus. You have just seconds to catch someone's attention, so you want to pull their eyes immediately to the most important thing on your site.
-Write or doodle with the stainless steel, telescopic stylus
-Use any non-scratchy tool to write: finger, pen cap, plastic compass, stiff brush
+Here are some ways to draw attention to your goal:
-Pressure-sensitive surface allows you to vary line weight
+* Color
-About as much writing space as a half sheet of letter sized paper
+* Size: Make it big
-LCD display lasts for approximately 50,000 uses
+* Position: Our eyes go naturally to the upper left of the page
-The battery will last 6 years if screen is erased 20 times a day
+* Contrast: light, dark, different shapes
-Ultra portable: Only 3mm thick and 120g
+* Images: Especially of people, or people interacting with your product
-Erase with the touch of a button (and a cool flash from the display)
+* Arrows and other directional cues
-Durable materials will withstand years of use and abuse
+* Whitespace: To lead the eye
-Dimensions:
+* Headlines and bold text
-Measures approximately 22cm(H) x 14cm(W) x 0.6cm(D)
+<center>'''Your eyes can’t help but go to the download button:'''
+[[Image:MozillaDesign2.jpg|400px]]
+</center>
+== Speak to Their Emotions==
+----
+Your visitor's mindset is, "What's in it for me?"
+Don't make the mistake of talking about your company or your product's features. People are concerned with their own needs and emotions, so that’s where you should focus. It's not about you. It's about them.
+Put yourself into your customers’ shoes, and think about ''why'' they are looking for your product or service. Show them how your product's features will bring them benefit.
+Show site visitors that:
+* You can solve their problem
+* You can make their lives better
+* Your product can make them feel: safe, proud, happy, attractive, clever, or something equally positive
+: <center>'''Show visitors why they should care:'''</center>
+: <center>[[Image:PhotoPitch.png|350px]]</center>
+: <center>[[Image:TomsPlanner.png|500px]]</center>
+== Make Your Site Persuasive==
+----
+Use these psychological touchstones on your site:
+; Social Proof
+We look to others to tell us what’s valuable. Testimonials, reviews, and other evidence of group approval – perhaps numbers such as sales figures or Twitter followers – all help people feel more comfortable making a decision.
+; Reciprocity
+We all have a powerful need to repay favors. Give your visitors something first, and they will be more likely to respond to you. Here are some ways to give first:
+* Useful information
+* Free tools
+* Product samples.
+; Authority
+We give more credit to figures of authority. Press coverage, endorsements from experts in the field or well-respected companies – even a display of familiar logos – can all lend your site greater stature.
+: <center>'''Great use of persuasive elements:'''</center>
+: <center>[[Image:Basecamp.jpg|500px]]</center>
+==Use a Strong Call to Action==
+----
+Once you have your visitors’ attention, get them to take the desired action by asking them. It’s really that simple, but people often overlook the “ask.”
+Make a strong call to action by telling visitors specifically what you want them to do, and why. "Get our free report instantly" or ‘’Try now’’ are much stronger calls than “Click here.”
+: <center>'''Strong calls to action:'''</center>
+: <center>[[Image:CallToAction.jpg]]</center>
+==Other Tips==
+----
+* Poll your site visitors, ask them to test your site, and solicit their feedback in other ways. Find out what they are trying to achieve, what they like and dislike, and what problems they’re having with your site. Not only are you getting great information, you’re also engaging them in a deeper relationship with you and your brand.
+* Keep testing and improving. There is no such thing as a perfect design, and you should test and refine your site to improve conversion. Use a tool like Google Website Optimizer to test different designs.
+* Track conversions. You must measure conversion if you want to improve it. Use analytics packages like [[Crash Course in Google Analytics|Google Analytics]] to track visitors and conversions.
+----
+'''''Check out how your home page looks to search engines and people with the free [[Home Page Analysis]]. Want a deeper look at all your site's pages? Try an [http://www.aboutus.org/site-report/buy  AboutUs Site Report].
+----
+{{LearnBottomBio
+| Writer = Ethan_Tan
+| Name = Ethan Tan
+| Image = Image:3122w2.jpg
+| AuthorWebsite = MyPhoneDeals.co.uk
+| ShortBio = Ethan is an entrepreneur and marketer who has been making a living online since 2006. Ethan lives in the United Kingdom, and is the founder of [[MyPhoneDeals.co.uk]] and [[Emobilephonedeals.co.uk]], mobile phone comparison sites that help UK customers easily find and choose the best handsets and deals available. The sites also feature industry news, phone reviews and tips for saving on phone contracts.
+}}