Design for conversion - web design to get results

Design for (or how to kick your website into action) conversion www.credos.com.au

Why conversion should matter to web designers

You’re NOT delivering websites…

You’re delivering results.

What do web designers

design for?

Design for…

…art’s sake

My beautiful website

✗ �

Design for…

…technology’s sake

Let’s have lots of bells

and whistles!

✗ �

Design for…

…clients’ egos

The Emperor’s new clothes look

great on him, don’t they?

✗ �

Design for…

…a quick buck ✗ �

Design for…

…keeping up with the Joneses

I want a cool new website!

Their website is cooler than

ours Maybe ours will win an award

Me too!

✗ �

Design for…

…conversion ✓ �(achieving website goals)

Design for conversion involves…

Attracting the right people

Engaging their interest

Converting interest into action

Achieving results ✔ �

Calculating results

x Web traffic Conversion rate = Success rate

SEO & conversion: basic maths

X Conversion rate = Web

traffic Success

rate

X X

0 100%

100 0

0 0

= =

Improving success rate

X

What’s easier – doubling web traffic, or increasing conversion by 5%?

Conversion rate = Web

traffic Success

rate

X X X

5%

10%

5 %

1000 1000 2000

50 100 100

= = =

SEO & conversion: both matter

Web traffic (SEO effort)

Conversion rate (design effort)

• Takes time • Always changing • Needs constant

attention

• Easy to do • Can give quick

results • Small wins count

design for conversion

How to

• Increase market share/turnover/profit • Attract higher value business • Cross-sell related services • Increase customer loyalty • Reduce support costs • Boost brand reputation • Launch a new product or service

Start by asking “Why?” Identify business objectives, for example…

What role will the website play?

What do we really want to achieve?

What’s the business case?

• Streamline processes, cut costs • Raise the organisation’s profile • Attract members/sponsors/donations • Provide timely information/services, etc

Start by asking “Why?” Non-commercial organisations have objectives too

How can the website help?

What are the priorities?

How will we justify the time/cost?

• Sales transactions • Number/type of enquiries • User registrations • Sharing via social networks • Contributions (comments/info) • Viewing specific pages/media

Turn objectives into goals What can you measure? Some examples…

• Google Analytics – set goals • Bounce rate • Landing pages • Exit pages • Page visits/pathways • Sales/e-marketing data

Measuring goals

Design for conversion involves…





First, decide what you are REALLY selling Attracting the right people

A 5mm drill bit?

Or a 5mm hole?

People don’t buy products & services. They buy solutions to their needs

Hunger Security Shelter

Convenience Relaxation Adventure

So, what are YOU selling?

• Identify which needs you solve • Turn your product/service into a proposition

that answers a need • Turn features into benefits • Think like a customer • Identify what they’re searching for • Find keywords relevant to your audience • Broaden your market reach

An example…

Client: EzyLifter Product: Floorboard lifting tool www.ezylifter.com

What’s the proposition?

Selling a means to: • Pull up decking & timber boards easily • Reduce cost of home renovations • Save time on demolition work • Reduce back strain/injury • Meet health & safety regulations • Re-use or recycle timber

The needs it answers: An easier life

Saving money

Business profit

Health

Security

Environmental concern

Keyword research (using Google Adwords Keyword Tool)

Keyword statistics for the website (using Google Analytics)

www.ezylifter.com

0. Don’t have a need 1. Recognise a need 2. Aware solutions exist 3. Know of your solution 4. See your benefits 5. Are convinced to buy

Where is your audience on the awareness scale?

5 4

3 2

1 0

0. Not relevant/concerned 1. Need to save time, reduce

back strain, recycle flooring 2. Aware there are tools 3. Have heard of Ezy-Lifter 4. See benefits of Ezy-Lifter 5. Are convinced to buy

Using the awareness scale

5 4 3

2

1

0 Ezy-Lifter target audience: builders, demolition contractors, home renovators, decking specialists, hardware stores

(segmenting the target audience)

The usual linear approach

Home

✓ �buy

Products

benefits

FAQs Customer feedback

videos features info gallery

Disadvantage of the linear approach

(one size fits all)

The concentric approach 1

2

1

1 2

2

3

2

2

3

3

4

1

1

1

1

✓ �Home

Landing page

Explain need

Answer need

Push benefits

Convert

Design for conversion…





Getting their attention

• Address your audience’s needs personally

• Confirm they are where they want to be

• Give them reasons to keep going

(use the right headline)

What’s in it for ME?

I’m in the right place

This sounds interesting

Getting their attention

The easy way to pull up floorboards & decking

(use the right headline)

Renovate your deck in half the time

No more back-breaking work

Product information ✗ �✓ �✓ �✓ �

Which headlines engage interest?

You’ll save SO much time (and your back will thank you too!) With Ezy-Lifter you can remove floor boards and timber decking in less than half the time.

Its patented ergonomic design means no more bending and straining, less chance of doing your back in, and more time to sit and enjoy your new floor or deck.

Getting their attention (it’s about YOU, not us)

Tell me more » More info »

Floorboard lifting tool Pull up old boards and decking

Ezy-Lifter is our patented board lifting device to help remove floor boards and timber decking.

Our tool reduces the back-breaking work of pulling up boards, giving time and money savings while reducing risk of back injuries.

(us) (you)

Getting their attention (emotion before logic)

Make your job easier – you deserve a break Recycle timber – the planet will thank you for it! Your clients will love you for saving them money Are you putting your staff’s safety at risk? Get ahead of the game - be the first to own one

Example headlines…

Getting their attention (design to be noticed)

• Size • Contrast • Boldness • Colour • Position • Space • 3D effects • Movement

www.ezylifter.com

Factors affecting noticeability of each page element:

Getting their attention (design to be noticed)

Try the squint test – what stands out?

• Size • Contrast • Boldness • Colour • Position • Space • 3D effects • Movement

Factors affecting noticeability of each page element:

Keeping them engaged

Affirm positive messages

Provide calls to action

Back up claims

Provide reassurance

Anticipate next steps

Address the audience’s perspective

Reinforce brand values

Use active language

Segment and layer the content

www.rockpeople.com

Keeping them engaged

Be clear about the offering

Address concerns

Don’t be shy

Provide easy routes to goals

Reinforce brand values

Shout about successes

www.rockpeople.com






Convert them.

Introduce a sense of urgency

(provide clear calls to action)

Provide clear choices to remove potential barriers

Buy NOW (not later)

Repeat action calls within the copy Use simple, active language Make it easy to find the phone number

Convert them. (designing call to action links)

• Use active verbs • Be clear & direct • Say what will happen • Imply urgency • Include benefits • Address it to “you” • Command (nicely)

rather than asking

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Contact our team now and see how we can save you money

Try it for yourself - FREE

Limited offer – buy now

Download the full article

Yes, send me updates

Convert them.

Yes, I’m ordering the right product

That helps - I can see how to order the right amount

www.quilterscloth.co.uk

Good, I know it’s in stock

I’m glad they explained the terminology

I can see what I’ve ordered

Great, they deliver overseas

I can see the delivery cost

(anticipate resistance points, address concerns)

I won’t have to wait too long

Convert them. (factors that affect conversion rates)

• Entry path – relevance of site content to user need • Audience awareness of need/solution • Perception of brand – trust & credibility • Language & tone of voice • Quality of information • Delivering right information, right time • Page layout & design (clarity, usability, style) • Hard evidence (or visual evidence, like videos) • User ratings/reviews






✓ �

Achieving results (a tactical checklist)

Have multiple landing pages, targeted at audiences according to place on awareness scale

Ensure inbound links relate to audience needs Make sure every page has a clear next step/action Strip out all content that doesn’t achieve goals Use “squeeze pages” to force people to action Convert the converted – reward goal scorers

(post-sales offers, up-sell, send to friend) Test & improve – A/B split or multivariate testing

Further reading • “Convert!” by Ben Hunt: http://amzn.to/o4UXA9

• Goal-oriented web design: http://bit.ly/nblFxW

• Optimizing Conversion Rates: It’s All About Usability (Smashing Mag) http://bit.ly/oeiQ9i

• Increasing Conversion with Web Design: http://bit.ly/nO96tf

• A/B Testing: Usability From A to B: http://bit.ly/ndLkMg

• How Hyundai increased requests for test drive by 62% using multivariate testing: http://bit.ly/nhYahw

This presentation: http://www.slideshare.net/cazazz All the above links: http://bitly.com/bundles/cazazz/1

http://amzn.to/o4UXA9�

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http://bit.ly/ndLkMg�

http://bit.ly/nhYahw�

http://www.slideshare.net/cazazz�

http://bitly.com/bundles/cazazz/1�

Carolyn King | web www.credos.com.au | twitter @CredosAssoc