If you have a new, modern website, it’s likely that you might be happy with the appearance of your online presence, but not the marketing results.

You look good online to all visiting clients and prospects, but how many of those visitors are taking the next action; calling you, submitting an enquiry, leaving you some details through which to contact them?

It’s likely that your conversion percentage is fairly low, even if you are a larger firm, with a healthy level of web traffic. What can you do to improve this? How can you turn your website from a static (but nice) representation of your firm, to producing an active generation of leads?

Optimising your website for converting traffic into leads and clients requires some top-level planning, but here are our tips for some ‘quick wins’ which can get your website producing leads right now!

Get friendly with Calls To Action (CTAs)

For those unfamiliar with CTAs: a CTA is simply a graphic which directs your website visitor to do something. This could be downloading a guide or signing up to a newsletter; anything at all really, as long it has a compelling message. You can see an animated CTA implemented by us on this page here, and a static one at the top right of this page. The middle and bottom of a page of text is a great place to put CTAs; it gives the reader’s eye a break from the text and/or gives them somewhere else to go when they have finished reading the article on their current page.

If you don’t have graphic design resource to create CTAs then there are alternatives. Canva is a free design programme, which includes some handy templates you should be able to make use of. Even if you use their images, they cost just $1 each. If all else fails then just use differently formatted text. A different colour or size can still pull the reader’s attention in.

Make sure you are offering something of value

CTAs work best when you offer something of value at the other end of them, so review what you have and decide whether it’s something visitors will exchange their contact details for.

We’ve seen plenty of bad examples of this. Visitors do not expect to have to exchange their contact details for a simple video, for example, when there are alternatives available elsewhere on the web. Typically, visitors will happily, however, exchange their contact details for a guide which gives them information they cannot get elsewhere and which has the potential to improve their life in some way, shape or form.

Accept that multiple ‘touches’ are required and give visitors somewhere to go

Most visitors typically require a number of ‘touches’ before they become willing to engage with you; whether that be direct engagement such as picking up the phone, or passive engagement like downloading a guide.

To this end, you need to provide visitors with clear routes around your website where they can find alternative knowledge and new information. Essentially, easy ways for the visitor to increase their touches and their trust of your firm. This isn’t about pointing them in the direction of where they can ‘read more about our services’ (that’s selling, not marketing, and it’s still too early for it) but more about giving them a list of articles related to the one they are currently reading. Include links everywhere. Make sure your interested visitor can easily find more information on the topics you know they’re interested in.

Increase the number of capture forms on the site, with different offers and CTAs

Whilst some visitors will happily exchange contact details for a guide, others will not. Some will want a regular newsletter, whilst others will be tired of their full inboxes.

Vary your forms on your website, what they offer and how they offer it. A form which says ‘get our blog via email’ might attract some sign-ups. A form which says ‘sign up for regular tips to improve your finances’ may get different people to sign up. Vary your CTAs and your forms to attract different audiences.

Review your competition and implement ‘standout’ changes

Reviewing your competition can be eye-opening. What do they have on their website that could convince clients to get in touch with them, or hand over contact details? Are clients more likely to contact their firm, or yours? Why? What do they have on their site that you do not?

Answering those questions can give you an easy-to-follow tick list of things to implement on your website. This isn’t about directly copying your competition, but if you think their website will encourage more enquiries than your own then it is important to examine why this is and adapt appropriately.