When it comes to increasing conversion rates, many small businesses may not have the budget to hire copywriters or conversion rate optimization specialists. However, there are several strategies that can help boost conversion rates without spending extra money on specialists. By making small tweaks to various factors that influence customer actions, you can see significant improvements in conversion rates. In internet marketing, increasing conversion rates means optimizing a page for higher response, whether it’s getting more clicks for Facebook Ads, more sales for landing pages, more subscribers for email lists, or more sales for Shopify stores. It’s important to prioritize conversion rates as they directly impact sales, unlike web traffic which is merely a vanity metric. Even for low-traffic websites, good conversion rates can be a goldmine for small businesses.
To boost conversions on low-traffic websites, one effective strategy is to create a sales page centered around specific long-tail transactional keywords. As someone who has worked with small tech businesses, I’ve seen that many of them have great products but struggle to generate sales even with significant traffic. However, focusing on increasing conversion rates rather than solely relying on more traffic is key. If you can’t convert 1 out of 100 visitors, you won’t magically be able to convert 10 out of 1,000. Many startups make the mistake of misfiring their marketing efforts, resulting in little to no results and ultimately giving up. However, with good conversion rates, even a low-traffic website can be highly profitable. As a freelancer, I’ve personally achieved an 8% conversion rate on my site, which is low for a free eBook download. However, compared to B2B sites with 0.01% conversion rates, I’m 800 times ahead. While this may not directly generate income since the eBook is free, it serves as a vote of confidence to scale my marketing efforts with a larger budget.
Small businesses that heavily rely on social media must focus on increasing conversion rates at all stages of their funnel. By improving conversion rates by 1.4X on Google Ads and 1.10X on landing pages, businesses can achieve a 1.51X increase in conversion rate and ultimately sales. When running ads on platforms like Google, Instagram, or YouTube, it’s important to understand that customers are looking for information and people, not ads. Therefore, the best approach is to make your ad resemble an informational piece, also known as an advertorial. On YouTube, infomercials and influencer partnerships work well, while on Facebook, infomercials and viral-type ads are effective. If advertising in a trade publication, a corporate style is recommended. The key is to blend with the platform to capture attention and avoid being ignored. Additionally, it’s important to focus on self-interest in headlines and add curiosity to engage users.
Designing websites that convert is another crucial aspect of increasing conversion rates, particularly for low-traffic and new sites. Key considerations include messaging, with a focus on solving urgent problems and making big, believable promises, as well as providing credibility and proof elements to back up claims. Clear calls to action and irresistible offers are essential to drive conversions. For eCommerce businesses, product pages should be graphic-rich and utilize direct response design tips. Images should showcase the fulfillment of promises rather than highlighting problems. User experience is also vital, with a focus on fast loading times, a streamlined checkout process, and various techniques such as up-selling, down-selling, cross-selling, and customization. Utilizing notifications, countdown timers, and scarcity plugins can also create a sense of urgency.
Unlike SEO, conversion rate optimization principles remain timeless. The key is to present a solution to customers’ problems with utmost trust and clarity, just like a caring friend. By following these strategies, even small businesses with limited budgets can significantly increase their conversion rates and drive sales.
