Coming up with the winning formula for a great performing website doesn't happen overnight - it's a process of analysing website data and fine-tuning things along the way. Read on to find out what we suggest...
The best indication of user engagement is to look at your site's bounce rate. Bounce rate is the metric used to measure what percentage of visitors land on a website page and then leave without visiting any other pages.
If your website is suffering from a high bounce rate, then it's likely your conversions will generally be lower as you're not keeping visitors interested. Even if your site's bounce rate is low, then you might still be struggling to convert visitors into leads.
It can take some time until you strike the right chord, but with this tried and tested checklist, you'll get your website off to the best start - or back on the right track for driving conversions!
Calls to action
First and foremost, clear, and prominent calls to action are key. This is the first touchpoint for users to be able to quickly get in touch with you, access the information they want or tell the customer what to do next.
Placing calls to action in your website's header is typically the best place to put them. We always recommend both a phone number and an email action button but depending on what type of enquiries you want to have, a visible phone number at the very least.
Top tip: it might sound obvious but having your primary action buttons in a unique colour to any other buttons on your site will help create distinction and importance. You could also have your website's header pinned to the top of the window as the user scrolls - this will make it quicker and easier for them to contact you as they browse your site.
Open forms
A great way to generate leads is to have an 'open' (also known as an expanded) form on the page. Again, it means that users can see an easy way to make an enquiry. You could use a platform like Jotform to embed forms on your page easily.
Top tip: I generally recommend placing the form on the top right of the page (typically for more service pages containing longer content) - but as long as there's one on the page somewhere, that's better than nothing!
Original, good quality photography
Imagery is essential to not only make your site look visually appealing, but also help convey your brand message. If you want to really wow your visitors and give them a good first impression, they're more likely to do so if they experience something unique or original.
Whilst there's nothing wrong with using stock photography, (there are still some hidden gems amongst them!), they've saturated the web now, so users are more likely to have seen the same ones across different websites.
Another important aspect will be your staff photos. A law firm's team page is typically one of the most popular pages, so having great photos will help set your site apart from others - you offer a personal service, so people like to see a friendly face! Should you add all your staff to your website? Here’s what MD David Gilroy thinks. (Spoiler – yes you should).
Top tip: it's best to get your staff's photos taken by a professional. You'll get consistency and a range of quality photos to choose from. You could also get some candid team shots taken and feature them on the website, this will help create a more 'personable feel' to your firm and brand. If you do use stock photography for other types of imagery, then it might be worth getting them edited by a designer, so they look more unique and in line with your brand.
Unique selling points
Every firm claims to be 'friendly and professional', but try and put yourself in your client's shoes - what makes you different or unique?
Top tip: featuring your USPs or trust factors in a nicely presented way on the most important pages of your site, will help establish to users why they should use your firm and not your competitors - it could be one small detail that can sway someone's decision!
Showcase reviews
Featuring your reviews (and star ratings) will help compliment your USPs and validate what you've stated. It's much more trustworthy to have your reviews hosted by a third-party provider, than just having some vague testimonials on pages on your site. Clients will be dubious - anyone can write these!
Top tip: I recommend displaying your reviews via a third-party service such as Google Reviews or ReviewSolicitors. They usually offer a nice out-of-the-box solution, or you could opt for something with a little more bespoke styling and let us develop something for you.
Ready to boost user engagement?
If you want to maximise your website's potential and you'd like to know more about adopting any of the features mentioned above, give us a call on 0117 325 0200 or email sales@conscious.co.uk. We’d love to hear from you.