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The amount of traffic you generate doesn’t matter if you don’t manage to get part of that traffic to take a specific action, like generating sales, signing up for a newsletter or clicking on specific links. 

In other words, you should convert your traffic. 

A good conversion rate sits around 2% to 5%. Although this might not seem like much, note that most websites have a conversion rate of only about 0.2%. 

To calculate your conversion rate, simply divide the total number of conversions by the total number of your website’s visitors and multiply it by 100. 

If you happen to find yourself below the 2% mark, it might be time to consider conversion rate optimization.

With that said, let’s talk about some CRO tactics you need to know about.

1. Optimize loading speed 

Your website’s loading speed can play a major role in influencing its conversion rate. The slower your web pages are, the fewer people will convert. 

The first five seconds of your website’s loading time are the most important. Furthermore, each extra second will lower your conversion rate by around 4.4%. With that said, start by speed testing your website.

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If loading speed is a problem, one of the quickest ways to fix it is by compressing the images on your website. 

If compressing the images didn’t get the job done, you should consider getting in touch with a custom web development company as there are a lot more things that may be slowing down your website.

2. Display social proof 

Displaying social proof can improve your conversion rate noticeably. After all, nobody wants to be the first person to buy a product or a service from you. That’s because people often seek reassurance. 

In other words, visitors are more likely to trust you if they see that other people have already tried your products. 

Over 83% of consumers make their purchase decision based on recommendations from their peers. That’s one of the reasons why displaying social proof is so important. 

With that said, you can integrate a scoring system add a review section, or even display testimonials by getting in touch with previous customers. 

Displaying the logos of the companies you’re collaborating with is also a good idea, as that will let new visitors know that your business is legitimate straight away.

3. Remove unnecessary distractions 

Having a website filled with all sorts of buttons, flashy graphics, etc., will do nothing but disperse the users’ attention, ultimately driving them away from what’s really important, your call-to-action buttons. 

Your website needs to be clear and concise. Remember that you need to direct the users’ focus strictly towards the goal you are trying to achieve, like make them buy your products or getting them to sign up for your newsletter. 

With that said, when designing your website, prioritize headings and subheadings, highlight the benefits and features of your products/services, include testimonials or reviews, and add visual elements that show people what you’re offering.

After you’ve got all of that figured out, you can think about integrating some other features, like chat bots. These sophisticated computer programs can simulate human conversation, and you use that data to increase your conversion rates.

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4. Remove unnecessary form fields 

If your goal is to grow your email list, you should avoid adding too many form fields. 

Although lengthier forms might help you figure out which leads are actually worth pursuing, you may still be missing out on plenty of conversions. 

That’s because, by having too many form fields, you’re likely to scare most of your website’s visitors away. Keep the number of fields at a minimum to determine whether the leads you are getting are viable or not. 

Giving visitors some sort of incentive, like a free e-book, is also a good idea, as that will get you more leads.

5. Work on your CTAs 

Your call-to-action messages are very important when it comes to conversions. 

After all, CTAs are what get users to accomplish the goals you want them to. With that being said, you shouldn’t treat them as just an afterthought. 

Firstly, you’ll have to place them strategically. Now, at first glance, the top of the web page might seem like the most viewable position. 

However, a study conducted by Google has shown otherwise. The best placement for your CTAs is right above the fold, the part of the page a user sees before scrolling down. 

Secondly, the copy of your calls-to-action matter as well. Generic CTA copies, like “Sign-up” or “Start Trial,” won’t work as well because most people have already gotten used to them. 

Your calls to action need to stand out. Even small changes like “Sign-up for Free” or “Start Free Trial” will positively impact your conversions. 

Another trick you could use is starting with the word “Yes,” as it sheds a positive light on your offer, like “Yes, I want to Sign-up,” for example. 

And lastly, you’ll also have to think about the color of your CTA buttons. As we’ve previously mentioned, the CTAs need to catch the users’ eye. 

So, using a color that increases the contrast between your website’s background and its CTA will make it more visible. 

To make the most out of your call-to-action, you will need to do quite a bit of experimentation, which brings us to our next point.

6. A/B test constantly 

A/B testing is key for improving your website’s conversion rate as it will allow you to see which changes are effective and which ones aren’t. 

In short, during A/B testing, you would take two different versions of the same web page and see which one performs better.

For example, you could have a version with green CTAs and another with red ones. 

Now, when A/B testing, keep in mind to change only one thing at a time. Otherwise, you wouldn’t be able to figure out what changes have altered your website’s performance. 

7. Analyze your competition 

And finally, don’t forget to analyze your competition. Here’s the thing: people do their research before buying a product, meaning that they will also look at your competitors to see how you stack up against them. 

That’s why analyzing your competitors is important. To outperform them, you’ll first need to know their strengths and weaknesses and then use that information to get ahead of the curve. 

Final Words 

All in all, these have been some of the best tips that you can use to make the most out of your website’s traffic. 

Remember that often, less means more. The fewer distractions on your website and the less time it takes for it to load, the more conversions you will get. 

Author bio

Travis Dillard is a business consultant and an organizational psychologist based in Arlington, Texas. Passionate about marketing, social networks, and business in general. In his spare time, he writes a lot about new business strategies and digital marketing for DigitalStrategyOne.