Website Bounce and Conversion Rates: Why people are leaving your website
Bertha ?????? Kgokong, MBA
Founder @KaraboAI @MobileGPT @Skhokho @TatiDigital @SkoloOnline | AI Chatbots | MBA, Generative AI, AI Speaker, Entrepreneur, Ex President GIBS Business Club
Let me start by saying: EVERY business operating in the year 2024 needs a website - irrespective of what you are selling, if you do not have one, go create one and then come back to continue reading.
If you have a website, then you spent considerable amount of money, resources, time and effort doing the following:
After all of this, if you have done most things right you are likely to get between 2-3% conversion rate.
What is conversion?
If your website goal is to sell a pair of shoes and 100 people visit your website, the conversion rate is the number of people from that 100 that actually bought a pair of shoes. Industry rates are shown below:
Each industry has a different average conversion, but data indicates that for the most part it is between 1-3%. This means between 1-3 people our of evert 100 that land on your website should be purchasing your product.
If you spend on ads to drive 1000 people, you should make between 10 to 30 sales: on average.
Top Reasons Why People Leave Your Website
I know from experience many websites that do not get these conversions, spending thousands on advertising for just a few conversions. What does the data say about reasons why some conversions rates are so low?
The number 1, top reason why people leave your website from multiple sources, which I will link below is: Poor Website Design. In fact the top 5 reasons are design related and own-goals in my mind. These are things you can easily solve with hiring the right website developer, like Tati Digital . Let us look at the points one at a time:
1. Poor Website Design
Website design can either work for you or against you. People naturally judge and rate a website subconsciously as they look at it, and their impressions are heavily influenced by the design. Whether it's modern designs versus outdated designs, popping colors or illustrations, clean finishes, or cluttered layouts, the visual appeal of your site plays a crucial role.
A well-designed website enhances user experience, builds trust, and encourages visitors to stay longer and explore more. On the other hand, a poorly designed site can drive visitors away almost immediately.
Pro tips ?
?? Regularly google your competitors and check out how their website is laid out and send images to your designers to improve
?? Visit product hunt - one of the leading launch platforms for software and browse through the top products of the day, week, month and get ideas for your own website to discuss with your designers
?? Update the look and feel of your website regularly, at least once a year at minimum and up to 3 times a year if you have the resources
2. Poor Content
Content is king, but if the content is irrelevant, poorly written, or filled with errors, it can significantly turn off visitors. Good content should be engaging, informative, and tailored to the needs of your audience. It should also be well-organized, with clear headings, subheadings, and bullet points to make it easy to read. High-quality images and videos can also enhance the user experience, making the content more attractive and engaging.
Pro tips ?
?? Use AI tools like ChatGPT to write an initial draft of your content that you will improve with your team then get AI tools to proof-read your final content to check for in-consistencies, spelling errors etc.
?? If you can afford one, hire an SEO team to SEO optimise your content
?? Use content tools on platforms like https://www.semrush.com/ and https://ahrefs.com/ to assist your team with content optimisation
3. Slow Loading Speed
Nobody likes to wait - your website should load in less than 2 seconda. A slow-loading website can frustrate visitors and cause them to leave before the site fully loads. Most users will not wait more than a few seconds for your website to load.
Studies show that even a one-second delay in page load time can lead to a significant drop in conversions. Ensuring your website loads quickly by optimizing images, leveraging browser caching, and using a Content Delivery Network (CDN) can help keep visitors on your site.
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Search engines also will rank your website lower if it takes too long to load.
Pro tips ?
?? Use page loading tools like the FREE Google page loading insights to check your website loading speed: https://pagespeed.web.dev/
?? Optimise image sizes, compress images as much as possible and use as few images as possible
4. Not Mobile Responsive
Mobile responsiveness is one of the biggest own-goals I come across, most designers will not optimise for mobile unless otherwise instructed to do so - while most website owners do not even know that this needs to be done, they assume its automatic.
95% of people now access the internet through mobile devices, having a mobile-responsive website is no longer optional—it's a necessity. A website that doesn't adapt to different screen sizes can be difficult to navigate on mobile devices, leading to a poor user experience. This can cause visitors to leave your site in favor of a competitor's site that provides a better mobile experience. Ensuring your site is mobile-friendly can improve user satisfaction and retention.
Pro tips ?
?? Just do it - instruct your web designer to optimise for mobile
?? Visit all your website pages from your phone to see for yourself. Perform all neccessary website actions on your mobile and measure the experience.
?? Appoint one employee to do this mobile testing once a week.
5. Security: Not Secure
Security is a major concern for internet users. A website that doesn't have the necessary security measures in place, such as an SSL certificate, can deter visitors, especially if they are required to enter personal information. A secure website not only protects user data but also builds trust with your audience. Displaying trust badges, ensuring your site is HTTPS secure, and implementing robust security measures can help reassure visitors and keep them on your site.
Pro tips ?
?? Ensure your website has SSL certificate, look to the top right corner next to the url. You should see a locked key.
6. No Contact Information or Method
Accessibility is key to building trust with your audience. If visitors can't find a way to contact you, they may question your credibility and leave your site. Providing clear and easily accessible contact information, such as a phone number, email address, and physical address, can help build trust and encourage visitors to reach out with inquiries.
However, traditional contact forms often fall short of expectations. Studies show that only about 3% of visitors complete a contact form, leading to missed opportunities for engagement. Additionally, these forms are prone to spam, which can clutter your inbox and waste valuable time.
This is where AI chatbots come in as a game-changer. AI chatbots can manage contact effectively by providing instant responses to common queries, guiding users through complex questions, and even scheduling appointments. They operate 24/7, ensuring that visitors can get the help they need at any time. Furthermore, chatbots can filter out spam, ensuring that only genuine inquiries reach you. By integrating an AI chatbot, you enhance the user experience, improve engagement, and make it easier for visitors to contact you, ultimately fostering trust and credibility.
Pro tips ?
?? Try KaraboAI - Website Chatbots, designed to handle website contact: https://karabo.ai
7. Other
Other reasons can include:
Shopify E-commerce Specialist & Techpreneur
4 个月Great article. #preach :)