So, you have a website built and you added your phone number on it. You wait, and wait, and wait. They never come. You are pulling your hair out and frustratingly asking yourself, “Why is my website not converting?”

The old business adage of “If you build it, they will come,” is a lie. (And a movie misquote too, but I digress.)

The Main Parts of a Converting Website

A well-oiled converting machine of a website has three main parts:

• Clear, Well-Set Goals

• Well-Defined Target Audience

• A Solid Bridge Between the Two

There are other minor elements, but these three are the most critical. In our experience, websites that do not convert typically have issues with one, two, or all of these aspects.

Here are the three main problems your website is not converting and how you can fix them. Let’s explore these aspects in detail.

Unclear Goals

What do you want your website to do? Capture an email list? Make people call you? Make visitors download a brochure? 

Some websites try to do a little bit of everything. This often leaves visitors confused and unsure of what action to take. This lack of focus can dilute the effectiveness of your conversion efforts​.

Why Are Unclear Goals a Problem?

Having unclear goals may cause a variety of problems:

A Lack of Direction Confuses Visitors. When a website does not have clear goals and priorities, it often displays mixed CTAs. This lack of direction can confuse visitors, leading to high bounce rates and low conversion rates. 

Wastes Resources. Not having clear goals is expensive! You will spend resources on non-value-adding activities, and your marketing efforts become scattered, reducing their overall impact​.

It Poses Measurement Challenges. Unclear goals make it hard to pinpoint problems and measure success. Without specific objectives, you will have a hard time tracking progress and identifying what needs improvement​.

How to Set Goals for Your Website?

What would your company need the most at the moment? It is yours to decide! Collaborate with your marketing team to decide on specific, actionable goals. 

Most often – but not always – it is sales. Sometimes it is a subscription to an email list. Sometimes it is just to get your audience to use your free tool. Identify the top two priorities to ensure your efforts are focused and aligned​. Focusing on two priorities is ideal because not all your content will fit the first one.

When you have your top conversion goals, those goals should guide your content goals.

Mistargeted Audience

After having a clear idea of what you want to achieve, it’s important to identify who your target audience is. Understanding their needs, pain points, and online research habits will help you capture their attention and improve conversion rates.

Websites that don’t have a clear understanding of their target audience often display incohesive content that tries to attract a broad mix of traffic with little chance of converting.

Why Should You Worry About Mistargeting the Audience?

Wrong Eyeballs Reading Your Content. Targeting the wrong audience can lead to high bounce rates and low engagement because your offer is not what they need. This makes converting these audiences next to impossible.

Muddles the Authority of a Website. Websites that do not have a clear audience persona in mind tend to create content that has less focus and is more generic. People and search engines tend to trust websites that are experts in a niche area rather than generalists. 

Vanity Traffic that Means Nothing. Since your website targets include the wrong audience, your analytics software may show inflated traffic data. This makes it difficult to sift through the necessary information.

How to Target the Correct Audience

Targeting the correct audience includes identifying them well and tailoring your content to address them:

1. Identify Your Target Audience. Work with your marketing team to identify who your customers are and build a profile about them.
2. Create a Buyer Persona. Understand their needs and preferences, their problems, and how you can help them.
3. Align Content with Your Audience’s Needs. Produce content that addresses the specific challenges and interests of your target audience. Use topics that resonate with them to improve relevance and engagement​.
4. Avoid Branching Out from Your Target Audience. Resist the temptation to target other types of audiences. For example, a CRO agency should only address the problems and pain points of marketers and entrepreneurs, and avoid going for HR topics.
5. Niche Down on Your Ad Targets. If you are incorporating paid traffic, stay with your audience profile. Again, resist the temptation to go for a bigger audience by going generic.
6. Capture Email Addresses. Build an email list by offering valuable content or incentives in exchange for contact information. This list will be highly targeted because you were gathering targeted traffic in the first place. Use this list to nurture leads and drive conversions through personalized email marketing campaigns​.

Problems with Your Website or Content

Your website and its content serve as the bridge between your target audience and your conversion goals. Problems arise when your website interferes with these goals or when the content is not persuasive enough to guide your audience toward the desired actions.

How to Fix Problems With Your Website and Content

1. All Your Content Targets Your Intended Audience. Ensure that every piece of content, from blog posts to landing pages, addresses your audience.
2. All Your Content Should Have Clear Calls to Action. Without clear and compelling calls to action, visitors may not know what steps to take next. Aside from targeting your intended audience, each content you produce should tell the audience what to do next.
3. Track, Measure, and Test. Use analytics software to track clicks, bounce rates, and conversion rates on your content. Tweak and test again. You can even try an A/B testing service if you want!
4. Trust and Credibility. If your website lacks social proof, has outdated information, or appears untrustworthy, visitors will be hesitant to do what you want. Building trust through testimonials, case studies, and up-to-date information is vital.
5. Fix Any Problems That Prevent Good User Experience. A website that is difficult to navigate, slow to load, or visually unappealing can frustrate users. Make it easy for them to convert. Fix slow websites, keep downtimes low, and make your navigation easier.

Conclusion

Building a website that effectively converts visitors into customers requires careful planning and a clear understanding of your goals and audience. Simply having a website isn’t enough; it needs to be optimized to guide visitors smoothly towards your desired actions.

By focusing on these key areas — clear goals, a well-defined audience, and a user-friendly website — you can improve your website’s conversion rates and achieve your business objectives. Remember, a successful website is not just about attracting visitors; it’s about converting them into your loyal customers and advocates.