How to Design a Website that Converts

Originally published: August 06, 2019 12:32:34 PM, updated: November 19, 2022 12:00:00 AM

With the development of digital space in today’s words, increasing your online visibility has become easier. With a few steps you can create Google or Facebook campaign where you can target your audience, but this does not mean you will start generating leads.

A website can help you boost your brand awareness and increase sales, and to achieve that you definitely need a conversion-oriented website design. Creating a perfect landing page that converts is a big challenge for website designers, especially when they have basic knowledge in the field of user experience.

In this article, I will do my best to guide you step-by-step on how to design a website that converts.

Step 1: Create a click-worthy headline

The headline is an important element and the first thing a user sees when he lands on a web page. Flailing to attract user attention will lead to a high bounce rate. Therefore, when you create a headline make sure that it’s short and simple.

Step 2: Focus on benefits rather than features

To let website visitors engage with your content give them what they expect. According to research in user experience, the visitors take action with the content that focuses on benefits rather than features regardless of your products or services. Here is an example:

Step 3: Create an effective call-to-action

Call-to-action button is an important element where it should be well-placed on the landing page. Therefore, you need to carefully create CTA for each single web page keeping in mind the following:

• Avoid using boring words in CTA
• Make sure you are using the best color for CTA
• Use a rounded CTA button shape like the one found in the image above
• Avoid stretching the CTA button
• Create a sense of urgency in the CTA button
• Keep CTA button above the fold
• Use enticing words

Step 4: Use the right color scheme

Color plays an important role in designing your website. Therefore, when you start to define your services or products make sure to choose the right color that generates a positive impact. For example, if your business offers high-tech services, then the blue color will be the best choice.

If you have basic skills in the color game, you definitely need to hire a skilled website design company that can save your time.

Step 5: Include images and other multimedia

Including images with the content boosts users’ engagement and gets 94% total views compared to landing pages without. An image is worth a thousand words and a video is worth a thousand images. Therefore, a landing page that includes images and multimedia will lead to a high conversion rate.

Keep in mind that personalized images work better than stock images when it comes to optimizing conversion rate. Thus, make use of real images of your product or service if you want to convert your website visitors.

Step 6: Include social proof and other trust symbols

Including social proof in a landing page plays a major role in converting visitors. Studies show nearly 70% of online users look at product reviews prior to making a purchase. Therefore, if you want to win leads you definitely need to care about this element.

Here is a list of social proof types:

• Customers – social proof from your existing customers such as testimonials.
• Experts – social proof from experts in your industry.
• Celebrities – social proof from influencers who have bought your product.
• Crowds – large numbers of users who use your product (e.g. 100,000+ users use our app).
• Friends – social proof from friends of your website visitors or customers.
• Certifications – social proof from a third party that certifies that you are an expert in your field.

Similarly, trust symbols like SSL assure your website visitors that your landing page is safe and secure.

Step 7: Keep navigational links to the minimum

One of the factors that can help in reducing the bounce rate is the navigation system. Therefore, if your website does not resolve this, you will start losing customers.

Here are some tips in order to optimize your navigation system on your website

• Be descriptive
• Avoid format-based navigation
• Avoid dropdown menus
• Limit the number of menu items to seven
• The order of your website navigation is important
• Make website navigation responsive – work on all devices

Step 8: Make your form fields short

Having an optimized lead generation form will increase the chance to win leads. Here are the best practices for creating a form that converts:

• Add a privacy policy to tell your website visitors that their information will be safe
• Integrate the smart and easy CAPTCHA
• Use fewer form fields to encourage visitors to fill out the form

Step 9: Make use of A/B testing

A/B testing (also called split testing) is the process of comparing two elements of a specific web page to figure out the better-performing variation. On the web, if you search for A/B testing tools, you will find a wide range of them. But, Google Optimize is different and free.

Conclusion

Having a conversion-oriented website is essential if you are looking to make it a profit center. And to achieve that, you definitely need to hire experts. Visit top custom website design companies and top small business web design companies if you are searching for those experts.