Is your company’s website getting the results you want? Perhaps, you think it has all the important features but instead of being inviting, it seems that people are more interested in the competition’s offerings than yours. If this sounds familiar, then it might surprise you to learn you are not alone.
According to a recent study, it was found that 75% of consumers admit to making judgements about the credibility of a company based solely on the website design. So, if your website is not meeting the expectations of your guests, then perhaps it is time to figure out what is about your website that is driving customers away from your website.
15 Ways Your Website is Driving Customers Away
Before we begin suggesting reasons your website is driving customers away, consider these facts from a recent study by Sweor.
- It takes about 60 milliseconds (approximately 0.05 seconds) for site guests to develop an opinion about your site and decide if they will stay or leave.
- 38% of site guests will leave a website if the content or layout is unattractive; 75% of consumers say they judge a company’s credibility based solely on their website design.
- 39% of people will leave a website if it takes too long to load or won’t load; 47% expect a load time of 2 seconds or less. Those slow load times costs retailers $2.6 billion in lost sales last year.
If you feel like your website is ineffective, or underperforming, then chances are that it is a result of one- or more- of these fatal flaws. As a result, instead of welcoming people to your website they are turning away and seeing what your competition has to offer instead. If you suspect this might be the case, then it is time to inspect your website for issues such as the following.
- People not finding what they want. Statistics show that 50% of sales are lost because people cannot find what they are looking for. Don’t make it difficult to find your products. If you specialize in custom socks don’t bury them in a page with shirts. Think about how you would want a website to be if you had never been on that site before. Your information needs to be clear or it will result in a bad user experience. If you aren’t sure if your website is straightforward enough, have a friend- preferably one who doesn’t know the ins and outs of your industry- review your website and provide honest feedback.
- Poor website design. Just having the product/services you specialize in on your website is not enough. You need to have a website layout that is easy for site guests to navigate. Too many options and dropdown menus can often mean fewer sales rather than more as guests can be overwhelmed by the choices and opt to go elsewhere to make their purchase(s). Other factors of poor website design include navigability of the site, uniformity of the site, hierarchy, and consistency.
Slow loading time. Web expert Neil Patel found that a slow loading time means a higher chance of site/cart abandonment. We live in a world where people want instant results. When people visit your website, you don’t want them waiting several seconds for it to lad because they will leave. To put it in perspective, a study by BP Studios found that increasing a site loading time from 8 seconds to 2 seconds can increase your conversion rate by 74%! Your site’s load time can be affected by elements such as image file sizes, page structure, and the type, and the number of plugins.- There’s nothing to engage them. Words are great, SEO is a must, and a well-placed image is valuable. However, incorporating video content into your website can be a valuable- and relatively simple- way to make your site more engaging. A video has been shown to have a greater influence and promote better information retention than text. So, to grab and hold your audience’s attention, include videos on your website!
- Your website design is outdated. That website from a few years ago may have been great in 2015, but now it is out of date. People often distrust outdated websites. If you are uncertain about the effectiveness of your website’s design, look at those of your competitors to see how their sites look. Still not sure? Then consider asking one of our Page Progressive web professionals to look it over and offer feedback.
- Not enough information about your products/services. Because people are shopping online they are not able to touch the product before buying or have any type of interaction with it. (Of course, this setback is overcome if they are looking up your site due to word of mouth advertising!) Nonetheless, many people visiting your site are there because of a web search. So, while your SEO keywords may have gotten them there, your product description(s) will be what helps keep them. Be sure that your product features are descriptive and include the product’s dimensions, materials, durability, origin, special features, and pictures of other colors it may come in.
- Too many advertisements. If you have too many pop-ups on your site, guests are going to leave within minutes -if not seconds- of arriving. Don’t have random banners or ads that take over your website. When people come to your website you want them to be able to see and find what you have to offer. That stated a great ad does have its place, just consider running ads that are well placed and maximize the attention your guests’ have.
- The website is difficult to use. If you have multiple forms complex check-out procedures, and the expectation that guests will sign up for your newsletter/email then it is much more likely that your visitor(s) will leave without making a purchase. Rather, the shopping needs to be easy, and the forms straightforward and simple. If you are unsure what is making your guests leave without a commitment, then check out your analytics to get a clear picture of the problem.
- Overlooking the importance of typography. You have spent a great deal of time crafting the verbiage on your website and you want people to read it. However, if the font you chose is difficult to focus on and read then they will move on. Opt for typography that is not exaggerated, not bright or fluorescent, and is not placed on a gray or dark-colored background.
Security procedures are lacking. Nearly anyone you talk to has either been the victim of a cybersecurity breach or knows someone who has. Consequently, today’s online shoppers are warier than ever. This means that if your website looks untrustworthy, dated, or is lacking key elements then potential customers will leave. Some actions you can take to make your site look more trustworthy are:
- Always have your SSL certificates and logos visible
- Post customer testimonials throughout the site. (This is a great way to add a couple of videos to your site!)
- List the various payment options you accept, as this looks more professional.
- Be sure that your URL contains the HTTPS and padlock. Most consumers know that these elements mean a site is safe and secure.
- Social distancing on social media. Many consumers will check out a company on social media before visiting the website. This is because they want to see what others have to say about a company and their products/services. In addition, using social media helps promote your credibility and lets people know a little more about the type of company you have.
- Your website is not mobile-optimized. Did you know that for every 3 minutes people spend online, 2 of those minutes are spent on mobile devices? Now, more than ever before, people are choosing to do their shopping online, and more specifically on their mobile devices. In fact, ROI Revolution reports that the pandemic has caused direct to customer businesses to see a 52% increase in demand. Another study found that 90% of users make purchasing decisions through their mobile devices. So, if your website is not mobile device optimized you are losing sales. However, it is not just enough to have a mobile-optimized website You need to be sure that the site is still easy to navigate, is engaging and aesthetically pleasing, is consistent so that if a person begins an order on a mobile device and then transfers to a computer they don’t have to start over, and makes the checkout process simple. Failing to incorporate any of these features will result in people leaving your website and a loss of revenue.
- An unclear Call to Action (CTA). Your Call to Action needs to be well-written, clear, and visible so site guests know exactly what you want them to do next. Whether it is to make the purchase, leave contact info for a follow-up, or download a free file, site guests need a clear CTA. However, keep in mind that your CTA is more than just the copy, it is also about placement, color, and design.
- Guests don’t know who you are. When people visit your site, one of the first things they will look for is your company’s contact information. So, if your website does not list some type of brick and mortar location then people are more likely to leave. Why? Because some type of real location builds trust. In addition to a mailing address, there needs to be a phone number and an email so that people know they can reach out should the need arise. Another way to boost the trustworthiness and let people know who you are is to put pics of your employees/management team on your website.
- People have to pay for shipping. According to the Baymard Institute, 61% of consumers will abandon their shopping carts if the shipping costs are too high. If at all possible, consider offering free shipping) or at least reduced rates) to your site guests. Then, if you do make the switch to free shipping, be sure to have it on a banner at the top of every page. This is also a great way to get some word of mouth advertising. After all, people love a deal and free shipping is something that your guests will tell others about.
Slow loading time. Web expert 
Security procedures are lacking. Nearly anyone you talk to has either been the victim of a cybersecurity breach or knows someone who has. Consequently, today’s online shoppers are warier than ever. This means that if your website looks untrustworthy, dated, or is lacking key elements then potential customers will leave. Some actions you can take to make your site look more trustworthy are:
People have to pay for shipping. According to the No matter how great you might think your website looks or functions, there is always something that can be done to make it more inviting to guests. Whether it is improving its load time, changing the layout, upgrading to a responsive or mobile optimized website, or something else, taking the time to give your website a new look or improving the behind the scenes elements is important.
We all know that 2020 has been a difficult year for many businesses. Don’t begin 2021 with a website that will hold you back. The Page Progressive team can review your website and determine what updates and changes need to be made to ensure that customers are heading to, and not away from your website. Give us a call today at 919-374-3014.