Website optimisation is a very complicated process of analysis, innovative thinking, speculation and testing. The tests themselves can also take a great deal of time and effort. This is why few websites actively follow a rigorous website optimisation process. In fact, most websites don’t change at all unless a problem is discovered.
I would like to suggest that even minor testing through simple changes, is better than not testing because you cannot invest in a lengthy website optimisation process. Undoubtedly, the best way to improve your website in the long term is to adop a schedule of constant testing. But many of our clients have seen great results from making just a few changes suggested by our team.
I have read many articles on website optimisation that say there is no one ‘best test’ to carry out. It is often stated that tests that work for you will not necessarily work for others. This is true to an extent as, if we were to carry out an in-depth study of your website, then the series of tests we would recommend would be unique. However, there is one test that has time and again shown itself to be the easiest way to significantly improve your conversion rate – The ‘call-to-action’ test!
If the goal of your website involves your visitors using a call-to-action (e.g. “add to basket” or “request brochure”), then it is likely that the ‘call-to-action’ test will yield positive results for you. It is easy to think that having one call-to-action in an appropriate place will be enough, but our experience shows that increasing the visibility of your calls-to-action can have some unexpected impacts.
When a visitor lands on a website they are unfamiliar with, there is a short period of time in which they must familiarise themselves with the site. At this point, they will form opinions of what the site has to offer, how the website works and so on. These opinions are hard to change later on, so if the visitor gets the wrong first impression, it can be hard to get the conversion later on.
Take for example, a website which asks visitors to request a free brochure. If there are multiple call-to-action buttons saying “Request a Free Brochure” on a page where the visitor lands, then the opinion formed is that you cannot buy the products online and should request a brochure. The visitor will probably learn a little about the company and its offerings, and then order a brochure if they are happy. The visitor will even find the act of ordering the brochure to be natural and trustworthy since they were expecting this to be the next step.
A single call to action may have been enough to request a brochure from a usability perspective, but not setting expectations from the start could cost you conversions. Every site will require a slightly different approach with regards to where the calls-to-action should go and what they should look like, but this test frequently produces significant results.