Understanding Buyer Psychology With Web Conversion
People love to know when they’re getting a good deal. If possible, show your price compared to that of your biggest competitors. Offer a price match guarantee or discount.
People buy based on emotion, but they rationalize their purchase, too. Make sure you remind them of their smart decision and why it was such a good idea.
Aim for Satisficing. Web users don’t prefer optimal ways to find the information they’re looking for. They aren’t interested in the most reasonable and sound solution to their problem. Instead, they permanently scan for quick’n’dirty-solutions which are “good enough”. Applied to Web, satisficing describes exactly this approach: users settle with a solution to a problem that is “good enough” — even if alternative solutions can better fulfill their requirements in the long run.
Baby Duck Syndrome describes the tendency for visitors to stick to the first design they learn and judge other designs by their similarity to that first design. The result is that users generally prefer systems similar to those they learned on and dislike unfamiliar systems. This results in the usability problems most re-designs have: users, get used with previous designs, feel uncomfortable with new site structure they have to find their way through.
Banner-Blindness – Web users tend to ignore everything that looks like an advertisement and, what is interesting, they’re pretty good at it. Although the advertisement is noticed, it is almost always ignored. Since users have constructed web-related schemata for different tasks on the Web, when searching for specific information on a website, they focus only on the parts of the page where they would assume the relevant information could be, i.e. small text and hyperlinks. Large colorful or animated banners and other graphics are in this case ignored.”
“Cliffhanger-Effect (Zeigarnik-Effect) – Human beings can’t stand uncertainty. We tend to find answers to unanswered questions we are interested in as soon as possible. Cliffhanger-effects are based upon this fact; movies, articles, and plots with Cliffhanger-effect have an abrupt ending, often leaving with a sudden shock revelation or difficult situation. The effect is often used in the advertisement: asking the visitors unanswered and provocative questions advertisers often tend to force them to read the ad, click on the banner or follow a link.
Found out by Bluma W. Zeigarnik in 1927, this effect establishes an emotional connection with readers and is extremely effective in terms of marketing. Visitors can better remember what the ad is about and even the smallest details are stored more clearly and precisely. In Web writing the Cliffhanger-effect is also used to bound the visitors to a web-site (e.g. “Grab our RSS-Feed to ensure you don’t miss the second part of the article!”).”
“Eye-Tracking – Eye tracking is the process of measuring either the point of gaze (“where we are looking”) or the motion of an eye relative to the head. eye tracking monitor records every eye movement and highlights the most active areas on the site visually. Eye-tracking studies can help to estimate how comfortable web users are with the website they’re browsing through and how quickly they can understand the structure and system behind it. “Too many options often leads to decision paralysis and frustration.
Customers really do read your terms of service and privacy policy. How can you simplify the legalese and reassure them while protecting yourself?
Answer the question that’s on your customer’s mind, which is “Why should I buy from you instead of a competitor?”
Go beyond your Unique Selling Proposition (USP) by asking “Why should customers buy from me versus doing nothing at all?”
Test different payment terms to see which converts best. Buy now, pay later? A 20% discount if paid in full? Billed in installments? Buy 1 get 1 free?
People often make decisions based on what others have done. Include that social push in your product, as in “83% of moms would recommend this product to others”
Remember, one of the first things a visitor asks when they land on your page is “Am I in the right place?” followed by “How long is this going to take?”
Let visitors participate in your page. Have them fill out a simple “quiz” with a result, and recommend products accordingly. Interactivity can boost conversions by 30%!
Can you personalize your site based on what the user searched for, where they came from or other factors? A more personal approach breeds comfort and familiarity.
Everyone knows about the benefit of upselling, but what about downgrading? Can you offer a lower-priced or “lite” alternative?
Restate your guarantee. Try “we’ll buy it back from you!” or “if it doesn’t work, we’ll pay you!” If you’re confident in your product, your guarantee should be rock-solid.
Pre-qualify your users with questions upfront – questions that they’re likely to answer YES to based on the “personas” you create for each of your target audience members.
Remind your prospect of how painful, difficult or discouraging it can be not to take action at all, or to continue doing things the same way they always have.
For holiday shopping, notice trends on visitor shopping by the time of day, day of the week, and how many days are left until the holiday. Maximize offer exposure accordingly.
Killing a feature that you designed, fought for, and launched is hard. But your product needs to maintain focus in order to maintain value.
Increasing Conversion With Images
Instead of an ordinary image of your product, test an image of your product actually being used by a customer.
Instead of a plain product image, consider adding an image of what the successful outcome or finished product looks like.
“Use high-quality images.
Using generic, tacky stock photos can send the wrong message about your brand. Use professional-quality photos where possible.”
Importance Of Call To Action In Your Web Conversion
Place your call to action up front – ideally above the fold and so that it stands out among any other buttons on your page.
If you’re using long copy, add multiple calls-to-action throughout the copy. One above the fold, one at the end and others in logical places throughout the body text.
What happens after your user clicks the Call to Action button? Make sure the entire process flows smoothly and they know exactly what to expect.
“Use CTA buttons rather than links.
Buttons are more obvious and more clickable, particularly when viewed on mobile devices.”
“Include a headshot.
Don’t be afraid to include a personal photo in your sidebar or near your CTAs. It can reduce the sense of risk by showing that there’s a real person behind the brand.”
“Make your call to action bigger.
In most of my testing, I’ve found that the bigger the CTA, the better the conversion rates. Many companies I’ve worked with have simply made their call to action button a bit bigger and watched their conversion rates grow by 10 percent to 25 percent. That’s significant. According to Fitt’s law, the bigger and closer your CTA button, the easier and more likely people are to click on it.”
Test your Call to Action text. Try “Order Now” instead of “Buy Now” or “Checkout”.
Test the shape, color, size, and wording of your Call to Action Button.
Draw attention to important information with hand-drawn arrows, underlines, and asterisks. Don’t overuse this effect to the point where it’s distracting though!
Increasing Conversion With Checkout
Don’t require shoppers to register in order to checkout. Forcing them to create an account before they complete their order is just an additional stumbling block.
If you have several steps in your checkout process, show a progress indicator so the user knows exactly what steps they need to take.
Include shipping prices which update automatically in the cart as the user adds more items or adjusts quantity. Free shipping can have a huge effect on conversions.
Let customers know an approximate delivery time before they check out. Include tracking numbers if possible.
In your confirmation email, including information on how users can modify their order before it’s shipped.
Allow visitors to zoom in on a product to see its detail, as well as the possibility to see the product from different angles.
Include a video of your product to see how the item is being served.
Test putting your order form on the same page as your sales letter, so that customers don’t have to click to another page to buy.
Including miniature thumbnail pictures in your shopping cart reduces the likelihood of shopping cart abandonment (probably because it makes products seem more tangible).
Put your refunds/return policy or guarantee below your checkout button instead of on a separate page or on a customer service page.
Can you recommend other products that would complement what the customer just ordered? Cross-selling can be highly effective before an order is fully placed.
How else can people order on your website? By phone? Fax? Catalog? Not everyone has (or wants to use) Paypal.
Summarize the benefits of your product or service as bullet points before you ask for the order.
“Offer bonus discounts at checkout.
Offer free shipping or a percent-off discount to customers on their next purchase.”
Importance Of Call To Action In Your Web Conversion
Place your call to action up front – ideally above the fold and so that it stands out among any other buttons on your page.
If you’re using long copy, add multiple calls-to-action throughout the copy. One above the fold, one at the end and others in logical places throughout the body text.
What happens after your user clicks the Call to Action button? Make sure the entire process flows smoothly and they know exactly what to expect.
“Use CTA buttons rather than links.
Buttons are more obvious and more clickable, particularly when viewed on mobile devices.”
“Include a headshot.
Don’t be afraid to include a personal photo in your sidebar or near your CTAs. It can reduce the sense of risk by showing that there’s a real person behind the brand.”
“Make your call to action bigger.
In most of my testing, I’ve found that the bigger the CTA, the better the conversion rates. Many companies I’ve worked with have simply made their call to action button a bit bigger and watched their conversion rates grow by 10 percent to 25 percent. That’s significant. According to Fitt’s law, the bigger and closer your CTA button, the easier and more likely people are to click on it.”
Test your Call to Action text. Try “Order Now” instead of “Buy Now” or “Checkout”.
Test the shape, color, size, and wording of your Call to Action Button.
Draw attention to important information with hand-drawn arrows, underlines, and asterisks. Don’t overuse this effect to the point where it’s distracting though!
Optimize Conversion Through Customer Service
“Include consumer reviews.
There’s no doubt that consumer reviews are extremely influential in helping people make purchase decisions. In fact, according to a study by Zendesk, 88 percent of respondents said their buying decisions were influenced by positive and negative reviews.”
“Consider adding a Live Chat option that is staffed during normal business hours. You may attract customers who wouldn’t ordinarily take the time to contact you.
Offer live chat to help answer questions and alleviate any concerns potential customers may have.”
If you have a substantial number of email inquiries, consider adding a “Click to Call” option so that visitors can have you call them at their convenience.
Think about including your contact form into the sidebar of your website rather than forcing users to click a “Contact” link.
Your reputation can’t be bought. Make sure to address any customer complaints or bad reviews head-on. The online community is always talking.
Check-in with the customer after they order. A quick, friendly email along the lines of “How is (product) working out for you? Is there anything I can help with?” can go a long way.
Increasing Conversion Via Landing Page
Eliminate links that don’t serve a specific purpose from your landing pages. Make the objective clear and obvious to avoid distracting the customer.
Does your headline include some reference as to where the visitor clicked from previously? Tie in your landing page with your ad or the user’s search for seamless engagement.
Give your customer an incentive to fill out additional form information by placing it on the “Thank You” page and offering a freebie for their participation.
Use a P.S. to throw in an enticing bonus or a reward for taking action within the specific timeframe. People often read headlines first, then read P.S.’s second.
It should go without saying, but don’t direct your PPC or ad traffic directly to your homepage. Create landing pages based around actual searches.
Have a link to your coupon or current promotion right on the landing page. Better yet, automatically fill in the “coupon code” at checkout if possible.
Keep the look and feel of your landing pages consistent with your ads and main website. No one wants a mental disconnect from clicking an ad to visiting the actual site.
Don’t ask too many questions on your landing page. Instead, let the visitor click the call-to-action first. Even then, limit how much you ask for up front.
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