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The conversion process

This article deals with the conversion process: getting your web visitor to carry out the transaction that you have singled out as your main objective.  Its structure is:

1. Identify the objectives
2. Basic conversion concepts
3. Website texts
4. Credibility factors
5. Final advice

1. Identify the objectives:

To measure the evolution of a website you must first identify its objectives, the achievement of which will be the measure of success.  The objectives are turned into goals, into actions to be effected.  By establishing these goals or targets you will have taken a great step forward.

The purpose is often not obvious and considerable effort is required to obtain a clear definition of it.  Depending on your main objective, the message to be communicated by the website will vary.

Both the design and the texts of your website must be subordinate to this main focus.  For good measure you should establish one principal objective and one or two secondary ones.

For example, the principal objective of the Calitae website is to achieve an increased level of subscribers to the electronic newsletter, and the secondary objective is to achieve commercial contacts which will result in the sale of projects.

It is not the other way round, as the provision of an internet project service requires that you first carve out a reputation as an expert and establish a solid bond of confidence with the client.
 
If a subscriber regularly receives information of value from us which helps him to improve his business, it is very possible that he will rely on us when he requires an internet solution: a new website, an internet marketing campaign or an advanced metric analysis service.

2. Basic conversion concepts:

The fundamental concepts of conversion analysis are:

• A conversion happens when a visitor completes a transaction that you want him to do.  Examples are subscribing to a newsletter, requesting a DVD which better explains the product/service or buying online
• The conversion rate is the number of conversions divided by the total number of visitors
• The cost per visitor: result of the total website cost (structure and advertising) divided by the number of visitors
• The cost per conversion of your website: the total website cost divided by the total number of conversions

Once we have the conversion ratios, cost per visitor and cost per conversion, we can set ourselves targets to improve each of these.
 
The way to achieve better results is to go about changing our website in an evolutionary way, whereby the changes that achieve good results are maintained and those that do not are dispensed with.  Two fundamental areas for improvement are website texts and credibility factors.

3. Website texts:

We must clearly differentiate between the "copy" (persuasion) and the "content"(information).

To improve the conversion rate, the content must address the user’s problem, answer his questions and incite him to take one more step in the process.   "Copy" and "content" must be synchronised: the former must be very persuasive and the latter very attractive and interesting.

An important concept is that a web page is not a physical location, it is a step on the conversion process, and this must be reflected in the texts.
 
The majority of people do not read on websites, they scan the text.  Due to this, the text of the pages must be created for this type of reading:

• Highlight keywords in bold, change of colour, variation of font type or hyperlinks
• The page headings must make clear and significant sense
• One idea per paragraph
• Use the inverted pyramid style: begin with the conclusion and develop the theme backwards
• Reduce texts (to half of what they would be on paper)
• The width of the text must be minimal, avoid horizontal width

Within two or three seconds, the user gets an idea of what is on the website and decides whether to remain.  If he does so, within eight seconds you must have captured his whole attention.  In this brief interval of time, the text must clearly convey what benefits will accrue to the user if he continues reading and browsing the website.
 
Answer these readers’ questions: What is there here for me?  Who are you and what credibility do you bring?
 
The value of your proposal must be clearly defined, advantages for the user must be clear and he must be strongly motivated to carry out the transactions you propose.

4. Credibility factors:

It must be borne in mind that all the clues upon which people would normally base their decisions on whether to trust and choose do not exist on the Internet.
 
There is no taste, touch, no recognisable physical presence and rarely is there anything audible.  For this reason, elements which bring credibility to the website and whoever is behind it are very necessary.  The most important ones are:

• Relevant and quality graphics
• Well written texts with correct grammar and spelling
• Use of links to relevant external websites
• Avoid messages that are too blatantly advertising
• Use of your photograph and getting to know who you are
• Present testimonials from satisfied customers

5. Final advice:

Make use of texts which incite action and limit the options to choose from, offer them three at a time.

Mark a clear navigational route, where the intelligent option is always indicated, which will in turn lead to the next step in your conversion process.

The process of conversion improvement must be continuous. The pages must change day to day and the effects of these changes measured.

Each website is different, so it is experience and the application of knowledge that drives a successful website and thereby achieves the best results from your investment in the internet.

I hope that this article on the conversion process helps you to greatly improve the results you achieve from your investment in the Internet.

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