Website not converting: how to improve your conversion rate
Your website gets visits but does not convert into leads? How to calculate your conversion rate, find where visitors drop off and decide what to fix first.
A website that is not converting receives visitors, but those visitors leave without asking for a quote, calling or buying. In that case, attracting more traffic solves nothing: you first need to understand where and why visitors drop off. Here is how to measure your conversion rate and improve it, step by step.
If your site gets very few visits, the problem lies elsewhere: start with our article on websites that do not generate leads.
What is a conversion?
A conversion is the action you expect from the visitor: a quote request, a call, a booking, a purchase. The conversion rate is simple to calculate:
number of conversions ÷ number of visits × 100
On a small business website, it is best to track two levels:
- the main conversion: the one that brings you a potential customer (form sent, call, order);
- the intermediate steps: a click on the phone number, the form being opened, a brochure download. They show the visitor's interest, even when they do not go all the way.
Measure before you change anything
You cannot improve what you do not measure. Before touching the site, check that your analytics tool (Google Analytics or an equivalent) really records every conversion: form submission, click on the phone number, click on the email address.
Then look at the conversion rate from three angles:
- by landing page: some pages convert, others drive people away;
- by source: visitors from Google, from advertising and from social networks do not behave the same way;
- by device: a clear gap between desktop and mobile almost always reveals a display problem on phones.
Do not compare yourself with an "average rate" found online: it varies too much with the sector, the price of the offer and the origin of the traffic. Your only useful benchmark is your own rate the month before.
Finding where visitors drop off
Rebuild the typical journey: landing page, service page, form, submission. At each step, how many visitors move on to the next?
- They leave the landing page straight away: the page does not match what they were looking for, or it takes too long to load.
- They read but do not click: the offer is unclear, or no action is offered.
- They open the form without sending it: it is too long, it asks an awkward question, or it shows an error.
Session recording and click map tools show what visitors actually do on a page. They set trackers: using them requires the visitor's consent.
Six levers to pull
1. Keep the promise of the ad or the Google result
The visitor clicked on a specific promise. If they land on a general home page, they have to search, and they leave. Every campaign and every important search deserves a page that answers exactly the question asked.
2. Offer a single action per page
A page that asks people to call, subscribe to the newsletter, download a guide and follow your social networks all at once gets nothing. Choose the main action, place it at the top of the page and repeat it at the bottom.
3. Put the proof next to the button
Client reviews, reference logos, results achieved: these reassure at the moment of decision. They are more useful beside the form than on a "Testimonials" page nobody visits.
4. Lighten the form
Every extra field loses enquiries. Keep the name, a way to reach the person, and what they need. Say what happens after sending: who replies, and how soon.
5. Speed up the site on mobile
Test your main pages with PageSpeed Insights, Google's free tool. Oversized images and unnecessary plugins are the most common causes of slowness.
6. Answer the objections
A hesitant visitor has questions: how much does it cost, how long does it take, what happens if I am not satisfied. If the page does not answer them, they will look for the answer at a competitor's. A short list of frequent questions near the form is often enough.
Test one thing at a time
Change one element, let a few weeks pass, compare. If you change the headline, the form and the photos on the same day, you will not know what worked.
A/B testing, which shows two versions of a page to two groups of visitors, only makes sense with substantial traffic. On a small business website, a before/after comparison over equivalent periods is more realistic.
Optimise or rebuild the site?
Most of the fixes above do not require a redesign: a rewritten headline, a shorter form, a button moved. A redesign is justified when the site's structure prevents you from creating the pages you need, when the mobile display cannot be fixed simply, or when the tool no longer lets you edit your content.
If you invest in advertising, fix conversion first: every paid visit to a page that does not convert is wasted. Our comparison of Google Ads or SEO helps you choose the right channel once the site is ready.
In practice
Start with three checks: are conversions properly measured, which landing page gets the most visits, and what does a visitor see on that page from a phone. You will have your first fix to make.
Would you rather have an outside view? We analyse your visitors' journey and tell you what is holding enquiries back, with no commitment. Book a call or tell us about your site: you receive a free quote within 48 hours.
To go further: Digital agency in Paris