8 Conversion Obstacles That Your Site Faces (and How to Overcome Them) - Login Lockdown
Marketing

8 Conversion Obstacles That Your Site Faces (and How to Overcome Them)

Kelly Moser
March 6, 2024

So, you’ve built a website that’s supposed to be a showstopper. The design pops, the CTAs stand out like neon signs, and the messaging screams success.

Yet, when it comes to conversions, your audience gives you ‌quiet applause while you’re expecting a standing ovation. It feels like indulging in what promises to be the richest espresso, only to realize it’s decaf.

That’s where we come in — we go full Sherlock and uncover why your digital marketing efforts aren’t delivering the kick they should.

And we’re not stopping at the “whys.” We’ll arm you with a toolkit of strategies to transform your website visitors into loyal customers.

1. Leads are reluctant to commit to subscriptions

When it comes to getting new visitors to subscribe, it’s like asking someone to marry you on the first date. A bit intimidating, right?

Their uncertainty stems from the fear of commitment, especially when the benefits of subscribing aren’t immediately apparent or seem too risky.

Solution: Lower the perceived risk

  • Incentivize with discounts.
    Everyone loves a good deal. Offering a discount for new subscribers can be the nudge they need.
  • Create urgency.
    Use time-sensitive offers to encourage quick decisions. It’s the old “limited-time offer” trick, but believe us, it still works wonders.
  • Lower the stakes with persuasive CTA labels.
    Instead of a “Sign up now” button, how about “Get started for free”? This small change can significantly improve click-through rates by reducing the pressure.

How to implement these tactics

  1. Start by revisiting your subscription model and offers. Can you afford to give a discount to first-time subscribers? If so, advertise it front and center.
  2. Next, create a sense of urgency by making this discount available for a limited time only.
  3. When it comes to your CTA, think about the commitment you’re asking for. Test different versions of your CTA text to see what resonates best with your audience. Sometimes, a softer approach can lead to a higher conversion rate.

Real-world example

Ultimate Meal Plans, a meal-planning service, is a shining example of these tactics in action. Their keto meal plans page features a prominent CTA that offers their service on a 14-day free trial.

Screenshot of an offer for a keto diet plan.
Source: ultimatemealplans.com

This approach ticks all the right boxes. It lowers ‌perceived risk by not asking for an upfront commitment and incentivizes with the irresistible chance to get it for free.

This specific CTA works because it’s direct, offers immediate value, and, most importantly, it’s risk-free.

2. Customers fear choosing the wrong product

Customers can easily get overwhelmed if you bombard them with a multitude of options without clear guidance.

The fear of making the wrong choice can freeze them in their tracks, turning potential purchases into missed opportunities.

Solution: Arm your customers with information

  • Enable detailed product comparisons.
    Create a feature on your website that allows customers to compare products side by side. Highlight differences in features, benefits, and prices.
  • Educate through content.
    Develop guides, blogs, or videos that help customers understand their needs and how each product meets them. Doing this builds trust and positions your brand as an authority in your field.

How to implement these tactics

  1. Start by analyzing your product range to identify common comparison points that matter to your customers.
  2. Then, design an intuitive and easy-to-use comparison tool.
  3. For content, identify your customers’ questions and create educational materials that answer these questions comprehensively.

Real-world examples

Moto Machines, specializing in motorcycle accessories, tackles the choice dilemma head-on with their guide for choosing a motorcycle exhaust.

Screenshot of a guide for choosing a motorcycle exhaust.
Source: motomachines.com

By educating their audience on the nuances of motorcycle exhausts, they boost customer confidence and enhance the likelihood of a purchase.

Another example is Medical Alert Buyer’s Guide, a platform that excels in reviewing medical alerts.

On their best medical alert systems page, they put products side by side and compare features, star ratings, and prices. This arrangement makes it easier for users to gauge what fits their needs and budget best.

 Screenshot of a comparison between medical alert systems.
Source: medicalalertbuyersguide.org

Both examples showcase the power of informed decision-making. Providing detailed comparisons and educational content alleviates the fear of making the wrong choice and enhances the overall customer experience. All of that can lead to higher satisfaction and increased conversions.

3. The market for your product hasn’t been properly established

Have you ever found yourself holding a product and thinking, “What in the world do I do with this?”

Without understanding the value or application of a product, potential buyers hibernate in the dark, hesitant to take a leap on something they don’t see a need for.

Solution: Clarify the value of your product

  • Discuss your product’s benefits.
    Create detailed blog posts, videos, and infographics that showcase the problems your product solves. Show your audience how your product can make their lives easier or their businesses more profitable.
  • Leverage social proof.
    Share case studies and testimonials from happy customers. Seeing real-world applications and hearing stories of success from peers can do wonders for establishing a market.
  • Educate first, sell second.
    Offer webinars, e-books, and free consultations that educate your audience about the sector you’re operating in and how your product plays a crucial role in it.

How to implement these tactics

  1. Start by understanding the unique selling proposition of your product. What makes it different? Why does it matter to your target audience?
  2. Once you have this nailed down, craft your content strategy around highlighting these points.
  3. Use every touchpoint with your audience to educate and inform, turning obscurity into clarity.

Real-world example

Vivion, a wholesale supplier of ingredients and chemicals, is great at carving out a market for its products. Their post on using custom capsules in solid dose manufacturing goes beyond mere product promotion.

It dives deep into the opportunities these capsules can open for businesses in the sector, addressing both the practicalities and the potential benefits.

Screenshot of a guide on the business benefits of using custom capsules.
Source: vivion.com

By clearly articulating your products’ benefits and applications, you can transform uncertainty into opportunity, paving the way for increased interest and demand in a previously unclear market.

4. Security concerns

Consumers are increasingly aware of the risks of online shopping, from data breaches to credit card fraud.

Whether it’s worries about sharing personal information or doubts about payment security, these fears are real and significant conversion obstacles.

Solution: Build trust through transparency and reassurance

  • Display security badges prominently.
    Show that your website is a secure fortress. Research shows that 25% of online shoppers abandoned their carts because they didn’t trust the site with their credit card information. Displaying security badges can significantly alleviate these fears.
  • Use SSL certificates.
    Ensure your site uses ‌Secure Socket Layer encryption. SSL secures data transfer and boosts customer confidence.
  • Be clear about your privacy policy.
    Let customers know exactly how you’ll use and protect their data. A straightforward, jargon-free privacy policy can be reassuring.
  • Offer multiple payment options.
    Including trusted payment options like PayPal and partnering with proven payment processors can also ease concerns.

How to implement these tactics

  1. Start with an audit of your current security features and how they’re presented to your customers.
  2. Encrypt all pages with SSL, especially those involving customer information and payment.
  3. Strategically place security badges and links to your privacy policy where they’re most visible to shoppers, such as the footer or checkout page.

Real-world example

Golf Cart Tire Supply, a golf cart tires and accessories company, takes these practices to heart. They have a way of showing how secure they are.

Right at the top of their header, they’ve placed badges that catch the eye and immediately address multiple security concerns. They link to verified reviews, showcase their free shipping guarantee, and affirm secure payment processing.

Screenshot of a website displaying trust pages for security purposes.
Source: golfcarttiresupply.com

This upfront approach eases customers’ worries and builds a bridge of trust from the first click.

5. Your website lacks mobile optimization

45% of people use their smartphones to shop daily. Yet, stumbling upon a website that squishes text, hides CTAs, or takes ages to load on mobile is frustrating. Frankly, it’s a deal-breaker.

In times when your next customer is more likely to visit your site from their phone than their desktop, a non-optimized mobile website can expressly send them to your competition.

Solution: Embrace mobile-first design

  • Simplify your design.
    Keep it clean and straightforward. An uncluttered interface focuses on what matters most: your products and CTAs.
  • Optimize images.
    Large images can slow down your site on mobile. Use compressed images that load quickly without sacrificing quality.
  • Implement responsive design.
    Ensure your site looks great and functions well on all devices and screen sizes.
  • Streamline navigation.
    Mobile users should be able to navigate your site with just one thumb. Think about intuitive menus and accessible search features.

How to implement these tactics

  1. Start by performing a mobile audit of your site.
  2. Use tools like mobiReady to identify areas for improvement.
  3. Then, work with your design and development teams to implement changes emphasizing speed, simplicity, and responsiveness.

Real-world example

Showpo is an online fashion retailer with a mobile website, a prime example of an uncluttered UI. The ease of navigation, with clearly marked and easy-to-tap CTAs, makes shopping a breeze.

Optimized images load swiftly, ensuring the vibrant fashion offers are front and center without bogging down performance.

Screenshot of an online fashion retailer’s mobile website.
Source: showpo.com

This approach to mobile design caters beautifully to the habits of the modern mobile shopper, making it easy and enjoyable to browse, choose, and buy on the go.

6. Not providing human support

Don’t you love those situations when you need help online, but your only option is to talk to a robot? It’s like asking for directions and getting a reply in Morse code. Frustrating, right?

A website’s lack of human support can be a significant conversion obstacle. Customers often have questions or concerns that a FAQ section just can’t address, making personalized support a genuine necessity.

Solution: Integrate human touchpoints

  • Implement ‌live chat functionality.
    Provide visitors with real-time assistance. Ensure real people manage it during peak hours to provide that personal touch.
  • Use chatbots only when handling common questions.
    Design them to hand off more complex issues to a human representative seamlessly.
  • Create a dedicated contact page.
    Offer visitors various options to reach out, including email, phone, and a form to book appointments.

How to implement these tactics

  1. Start by identifying the most common queries and concerns your customers have.
  2. Use this information to train your live chat representatives and design your chatbot’s responses.
  3. For the contact page, ensure it’s easily accessible from any part of your website and includes clear instructions on how customers can get the help they need.

Real-world example

Wistia, a video marketing platform, offers next-level human support. Their dedicated sales contact page allows visitors to effortlessly book a call with a company representative to discuss their concerns or get a solution tailored to their needs.

Screenshot of a sales contact page.
Source: wistia.com

This direct line to human support is fantastic in solving problems. At the same time, your brand builds trust and rapport with potential customers.

7. The checkout process is too complex

No one enjoys standing in a long line, whether it’s at the grocery store or in the digital checkout queue.

A recent study found that 22% of customers abandon their carts because of a long and complicated checkout process. 

Solution: Simplify the checkout experience

  • Implement a one-page checkout.
    Keep it simple, with everything on one page. Doing this minimizes loading times and keeps the customer focused on completing the purchase.
  • Offer a guest checkout option.
    Not everyone wants to set up an account. A guest checkout can speed up the process for first-time or hurried shoppers.
  • Limit required fields.
    Ask only for essential information. Every extra field is another reason for a customer to second-guess their purchase.
  • Clear progress indicators.
    If you can’t contain your checkout to one page, use progress indicators to show customers how close they are to completion.

How to implement these tactics

  1. Review your current checkout process and identify any unnecessary steps or fields.
  2. Next, consult with your web development team to streamline the process, ensuring that the checkout is as concise and straightforward as possible.
  3. A guest checkout option can significantly reduce friction for new or one-time buyers.

Real-world example

Bellroy, a brand known for its sleek travel accessories, has mastered the art of the simplified checkout process. Their one-page guest checkout is a model of efficiency.

Customers can enter their delivery details, choose shipping methods, and input payment information without unnecessary distractions or delays.

Screenshot of a travel accessories brand’s checkout page.
Source: bellroy.com

This approach improves conversion rates and leaves customers with a positive impression of the brand, increasing the likelihood of return visits.

8. Customers wait too long for your site to load

Patience is a rare commodity these days.

If your competitors present their offers faster than you, they tempt your customers to leave your website and head over to theirs. 

Studies have shown that fast sites can convert up to five times better than slow ones. That’s because, in the time it takes for a page to load, your potential customer could already be browsing a competitor’s site.

Solution: Supercharge your site speed

  • Optimize images.
    Large, high-resolution images can significantly slow down your pages. Use tools like TinyPNG to compress images without losing quality.
  • Leverage browser caching.
    Caching allows returning visitors to load your site faster by storing elements of your site in their browser cache.
  • Minimize HTTP requests.
    Reduce the number of elements (like scripts and images) on your pages to decrease loading time.
  • Use a content delivery network (CDN).
    CDNs distribute your content across multiple servers around the world, reducing the distance information travels to reach your visitors.
  • Optimize CSS and JavaScript.
    Streamlining these files using tools like CSS Minify and JSCompress can improve loading times.

How to implement these tactics

  1. First, assess your current site speed using tools like Pingdom. This will give you a baseline and highlight specific areas for improvement.
  2. Based on the results, prioritize the changes that will significantly impact your site’s performance.
  3. Implementing these changes may require technical expertise, so consider working with a web developer if you’re uncomfortable making these adjustments yourself.

Improving site speed is an ongoing process. Regular testing and tweaking will ensure your site remains fast, providing an optimal user experience and helping maximize your conversion rates.

Final thoughts

With these strategies in your toolkit, you’re well on your way to turning these common conversion obstacles into stepping stones for success.

Remember, the path to higher conversion rates is always under construction. Keep pushing forward, and let each improvement pave the way for your next success story.