Minor adjustments to your website can significantly increase the number of enquiries or bookings you receive. We explore practical, easy-to-implement changes.
Many local service businesses focus on getting more visitors to their website. While traffic is important, converting those visitors into paying customers is often overlooked. Conversion rate optimisation (CRO) involves making small, targeted changes to your website to improve how many visitors complete a desired action, such as making a booking or an enquiry. These adjustments can be simple but yield substantial results.
Clear Calls to Action
A call to action (CTA) tells your website visitor what to do next. If your CTAs are unclear or hard to find, people will often leave without taking action. Make sure your primary CTA is prominent, uses action-oriented language, and stands out visually.
- Use strong verbs: 'Book Now', 'Call Us', 'Get a Quote'.
- Place CTAs above the fold, meaning visitors do not need to scroll to see them.
- Ensure buttons are large enough to be easily clickable on both desktop and mobile devices.
- Use contrasting colours for your CTA buttons to make them pop.
Optimise Your Contact Forms
Long, complicated forms deter potential customers. Every additional field in a form increases the chance a visitor will abandon it. Keep your forms as short as possible, only asking for essential information initially. You can always gather more details later.
Less is often more when it comes to contact forms. Only ask for what you absolutely need to start the conversation.
- Only ask for name, email, phone number, and a brief message if appropriate.
- Use clear labels for each field.
- Provide autofill suggestions where possible.
- Include a clear privacy statement next to the form to build trust.
Improve Page Speed
Slow loading times frustrate users and can significantly impact your conversion rates. A slow website means visitors are more likely to leave before seeing your offerings. Google considers page speed an important ranking factor and a core web vital metric.
Source: Google Search Central, https://developers.google.com/search/docs/fundamentals/how-search-works/ranking-systems#page-experience-systems
- Compress images before uploading them to your website.
- Minify CSS and JavaScript files.
- Use a reputable web hosting provider.
- Implement browser caching.
Mobile-First Design
A significant portion of your website traffic likely comes from mobile devices. If your site is difficult to navigate or read on a phone, you are losing potential customers. Ensure your website is responsive and provides a seamless experience across all screen sizes.
Source: Statista, https://www.statista.com/statistics/277125/share-of-website-traffic-coming-from-mobile-devices/
Review your website's performance on various devices. If you see areas for improvement in your mobile experience, address them as a priority. These small, targeted adjustments can lead to a notable increase in customer enquiries and bookings, directly impacting your bottom line.
