So you’ve got your ecommerce site up and running, it’s bringing in a steady stream of sales and you’re pretty happy with your profits; but is your site performing at its best?

Today I want to share some tips to increase your profits by carrying out conversion rate optimization.

The starting reality is that even retail giants such as Next are unable to safely say that their website has been designed, tailored and optimised to ensure the highest possible number of visitors turn into sales. Your first thought might be that if a company like Next can’t get it right, what hope can the small time ecommerce site possibly have?

But the fact is you can have an advantage…

If your biggest competitors are getting it wrong (and as the link above attests, some of them are getting it very wrong), then by learning how to get it right you instantly give yourself at tremendous advantage.

What Is Conversion Rate Optimisation?

‘Conversion rate’ refers to the percentage of visitors to your site that turn into sales. Thus, conversion rate optimization alludes to adapting your site in certain ways so that more of your visitors leave having made a purchase, handed over their details or requested a call back – whatever the purpose of your site may be.

The reason so many ecommerce companies could benefit from conversion rate optimisation is that while they might have employed the most talented and creatively minded web design agency around – few web design firms understand how to create a site that will convert. They understand design, looks and to an extent, functionality, but when it comes to selling, few really ‘get it’.

Big Names Getting It Wrong

Head over to the website for UK home and garden giant Homebase and try searching for the popular item ‘patio heaters’. Strangely, you’re met with items that produce heat, but they’re certainly not patio heaters – they’re barbeques.

This is a rudimentary design mistake that could have been identified and fixed had the firm decided to put as much money into conversion rate optimisation as they have into web design.

Another example comes from Homebase competitor, B&Q.

Say I’m looking for a new kitchen worktop. Via their dropdown ‘rooms’ menu I head to the kitchen section, under which I find ‘worktops’.

The page I’m met with features a very large close up picture of a kitchen worktop. To the side of it is another menu, oddly headed ‘rooms’. Below that I can click on different types of worktops. Great. I decide I want a laminate worktop.

Assuming once the page refreshes my eyes head to the same section of the page as before ( a natural reaction) I’m now met with a somewhat odd menu that includes ‘worktops’ as well as ‘breakfast bars’ and ‘worktop trims’.

I’m now confused. I want to look at laminate worktops but all I can see is a huge picture and more seemingly unrelated menus.

The problem?

The information is there – but to find it I need to click a few more times or scroll down – a fact the very large picture does a good job of hiding. The real problem is: this site is just too busy. It looks quite good but there’s far too much going on; too many categories, too many links to other sections and far too much focus on those giant and completely unnecessary photos!

Keep it clear and keep it simple if you want to ensure your customers reach the pre-buying stage of the process – the product page.

Conversion Done Right

Let’s take a look at one of the world’s biggest ecommerce sites: Amazon. Why are they so successful? It’s not just to do with the size of their advertising budget. Amazon understands how to create a site that will convert.

Let’s take a look at their landing page for an Acer Aspire Netbook:

Amazon have hit every nail on the head with their product pages. Plenty of high resolution images, a free delivery option (a massive conversion factor), the ability to save the item for later, a clear call to action and the suggestion of a higher spec model (upselling).

Scrolling down the page will also reveal detailed product descriptions, customer reviews and suggestions of other items the customer might be interested in (cross selling).

Is Your Site Optimized To Convert The Maximum Number Of Sales?

The truth of it, is that no site is perfect and thus it is almost certain that with a few tweaks, whether it’s to your homepage, your category pages or your product pages, your site can and will start making you more money. Start analyzing your site today to find where change might be beneficial and qualify any potential adjustments with A/B testing using something like Google Analytics.

Guest Post by Amy Fowler of online marketing company and conversion rate optimisation specialists, Boom Online Marketing. Follow Boom on Twitter.

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