How To Optimize Your Website for the Conversion Funnel
Imagine if you went to a store and found everything backwards! The shopping carts were at the back of the store, clothes were in the food section, you could barely find the checkout registers because they were nowhere near the way out. That would be frustrating, right?
That is the same feeling that customer have when navigating a website that hasn't been developed into a smooth flow for the online user.
A conversion funnel is simply translated into the steps in a buyer's journey from finding a product online to finalizing a purchase on your website. the top of the funnel is where customer awareness of the product/service begins. Traveling down the funnel there is the interest in your product/service, which is when a customer is researching to learn more about what you're offering. The third piece of the funnel is consideration, that simply means they are considering whether or not to purchase your product and are comparing any other products from your competitors. And last but not least, the end of the funnel is the conversion, where the purchase is finally completed.
So how do you get customers to navigate your conversion funnel within your website?
Most people will start off their search for a particular product or service by looking on search engines. The first step in your conversion funnel is to direct people to your website from their search. From there, you need to ensure people experience an efficient and user-friendly path through the rest of the funnel, to try to secure the conversion. There are some special things to remember that will help move a lead into a buyer:
Landing Page: This is a lead's first impression of your website, brand and product or service. Whether they got here through another website or a search engine result, this is where you make your landing page with eye-catching headline and relevant content to your audience. Without high quality content here, you will possibly lose a potential customer before they even get started.
Call-to-Action: This is a very important step. Make use of a strong Call-to-Action button, clearly telling your visitors what to do, such as a free download, special trial offer or a discount coupon.
Lead Form: Once the user clicks on your Call-To-Action button, they are directed to your lead form. Totally customizable to your business goals, this is where you may ask for an email sign-up, their reason for visiting your site, their name and, possibly, where they work. Once the form is submitted, your lead then gets the offer you mentioned previously (free download, special trial offer or a discount coupon).
Thank You: Once a prospect completes the lead form, a thank you page or even a thank you email is a nice way to make your prospect aware that you've receive their request and suggest additional product/service information. This is your time to catch their attention with more details or to encourage a purchase.
Follow-Up Email: While your brand is still fresh in you prospect's mind, sending an email with a relevant subject line and additional content or links to other products/services they might be interested in is a great way for cross-selling.
Sales Page: Once a lead clicks for more information about your product/service, give them a well-designed product page with a clear option to click and buy.
Checkout Page: Make the checkout process as simple as possible. Be sure to send them a confirmation receipt via email. Keep your customer engaged with your brand and your website: include your social media links and ways to share what they've just received with others.
Creating a funnel that easily guides consumers from their initial search results to finalizing their purchase will definitely ensure they don't get lost along the way, and you will most likely earn the sale.