A website failing to generate enquiries or sales does not by itself prove a design problem. Traffic quality, the offer, content, technical issues and user journeys should be assessed together. Evaluate design decisions using actual measurements and user observations.
While many business owners think that the website only exists because it needs to be, it is actually missing out on the fact that the site works like a salesperson. That's where transformation-oriented web design principles come in. Not only does a site look beautiful; it also needs to put the visitor into action. In the hundreds of audits I've made, we consistently see the 7 most critical mistakes behind sites not selling.
The first and perhaps most important problem is the lack of a clear value proposition on the site's home page. When the visitor arrives at the site, he usually leaves the site if he does not get the answer to the question "What does this site do for us?" within the first 3-5 seconds. For example, instead of a general statement on a software company's home page, "We Offer Innovative Solutions," it can increase conversion rates by 15-20%.
The second common mistake is information bombardment with complex and hard-to-understand navigation. Users should be able to easily access the information they are looking for. If there are more than 10 main categories on the menu, or unrelated pop-ups, banners appear on each page, the visitor is overwhelmed and surprised what to do. A simple, hierarchical and intuitive menu structure allows users to find what they are looking for in an average of 2-3 clicks, which can reduce basket drop rates by up to 10%.
The third problem is slow loading times and mobile dissonance. Today's Internet users are impatient. According to Google's research, if a page takes more than 3 seconds to load, 53% of visitors leave the site. Also, in an age where traffic from mobile devices exceeds 70%, it is a huge loss that your site is not mobile compatible. An e-commerce site that offers a bad experience on mobile devices could lose almost half its potential customers from the very beginning.
Fourth critical error calls for weak or invisible action (CTA). General statements such as "Read the Continue" or "Click Here" are not enough to activate the visitor. CTAs clearly specify what they are offering, e.g. "Start Free Trial", "Buy Now with 20% Discount" or "Meet with Our Expert" can increase the rate of 5 10% conversion.
The fifth problem is lack of trust and lack of social evidence. Trust is especially important in buying online shopping and services. If your site does not have customer comments, references, awards, security certificates (such as SSL) or information you are involved in in the media, your potential customers will be hesitant. Having an average score of 5 stars and a few detailed comments on a product page can positively affect the purchasing decision by up to 30%.
The sixth common mistake is asking for too much space in a form or dividing the payment process into too many steps, exhausting users and giving up. For example, reducing the number of fields in a contact form from 10 to 5 can increase the rate of filling out forms by 25%. Demand as little information as possible and simplify the process.
The seventh and final problem is lack of data analysis and testing. The "I think this is good" approach is a thought that has no place in the digital world. It is essential to use tools such as Google Analytics to understand which pages perform well, where users hang out, which CTAs are more effective, and perform A/B tests. Making decisions based on data instead of assumptions allows you to continuously optimize your site's performance and can multiple your conversions in the long term.
As you can see, the reasons behind a website's failure to sell are often not technical, but user experience and strategy-oriented. "Transformation-oriented web design" is not just a trend, it is a must for the success of your digital presence. If you feel that you are not fully able to use the potential of your site, and you believe that one or more of these 7 mistakes are available on your site, feel free to contact us with a professional UI/UX audit to make sure your website is a real sales.