The old saying is that a picture says a thousand words.
That’s true, but don’t underestimate the power of words especially when it comes to your website.
Your website’s ability to convert visitors to paying customers is obviously critical to your success. When you make an improvement in your conversion rate you not only get more customers, but you also allow your company to invest more in the channels that are bringing traffic to your website.
Better conversion rates means you can invest more in content marketing, online advertising, offline advertising, branding and more and more.
Many tips about conversion discuss colors and images and those are very important, but sometimes changing the words on your website can have a major impact on conversion.
Here are some of the important ways that words can impact your website’s conversion.
1. More Specific Call To Action
What does your call to action ask visitors to do?
A vague call to action can leave visitors confused about the next step. And if visitors are confused they’re going to likely leave your site and move on with their day. Being specific with your call to actions throughout your website ensure that visitors know exactly what they should do next.
How do you keep calls to action specific yet simple?
Think of the most basic call to action that you see often: Exit.
We see exit signs all the time. It’s simple, but specific.
And it’s usually the last step in the process when you’re leaving a store.
Your website is kind of like a store. And your calls to action are like signs. In stores, some signs are bigger than others to grab attention, but they all kind of lead you through the store so you buy things while also feeling like you have options.
On your website, use specific calls to action to offer visitors a way to find what they need while you kind of coax them where you want them to go. And be specific with each call to action.
A parting example. Many businesses have a “Contact” call to action. But you can contact businesses in different ways. Have it say “Email” or “Call” to be more specific.
2. Overcome Objections
Your website is your online salesperson. When your regular salespeople are talking with customers they have all the knowledge to answer any question or objection that a potential customer may have.
Your website needs to have the same information. Know the main objections your prospects ask. Talk to your sales team about the objections. Also ask how the salespeople answer and overcome those objections.
Then add that information to your website.
3. Connecting Personally (Small Talk)
Your salespeople also engage in small talk with prospects. They ask questions about the prospect like what they do for fun, where they’re from, etc. There is give and take with small talk so that the two people can get to know each other a little bit.
It’s a little harder to do this with your website, but what is very common is for visitors to visit the about page on a website. The reason for this is that the visitors wants to know the company on a personal level. They want to know where the office is located. They want to know a little about the personal lives of the team members.
It’s the same questions a customer would ask if they were talking to someone from your company in person. You want to make sure your about page answers the personal questions that your customers have. It’s nothing too personal, but it’s important to have the basics.
4. Social Proof
Social proof is something most people want to see before making a purchase.
When we buy a consumer product we often wait to see what others think of the product. There are only a few early adopters for every new product.
For B2Cs, social proof comes in the form of reviews. For B2Bs, social proof comes from testimonials, but also from case studies.
The more in-depth and believable your case studies are the more likely you are to convert visitors into paying customers. People want to see that you will do what you say you will do. Make sure you have the social proof that they’re looking for on your website.
5. Simplify The Message
Sometimes the words on your website are just confusing. A tendency is to try to make sure you fit every single thought on the website and the result is that your message gets lost.
Focus on the very core of what your business does. Use that as the main heading on your website. Then ease into describing the features or services. Stick to the wording that your customers will understand. It’s easy for business owners to use words and phrases that the customer doesn’t understand. It’s not that the customers is dumb or anything like that, but when you’re not involved in the industry you get confused by industry-speak.
Conclusion
Sometimes a word or two on your website can be worth quite a bit. You want your website to have a good design that will convert visitors, but don’t overlook the importance of the words. Make sure that visitors understand what you can do for them and make sure the site guides them through the sales process answering all of their questions all the way to the point where they’re ready to convert. Use the tips above to tweak your website and you’ll be in good shape.
