Design Decisions That Kill Conversions (And How to Fix Them)

November 23, 2024

Design

How to fix your web design and convert more sales

Welcome to your intervention. We're all here because we care about your website's low conversion rate. You know, that gorgeous website you spent your firstborn's college fund on? Yeah, it's about as effective at converting as a chocolate teapot. 

The Three-Second Rule

Not to be confused with the three-click rule (read below).

You've got about three seconds before your visitors decide to ghost you. And spoiler alert: They're not spending those precious seconds admiring your clever use of negative space. They're looking for:

  • What you're selling
  • Why they should care
  • Where they should click

Think of your website like a speed dating event. You wouldn't start by showing your date your entire photo album from 2015, so why are you forcing visitors through seventeen slider sections before they can find your "Shop Now" button?

The Brutal Truth Bomb

Your website might be the digital equivalent of a peacock at a penguin party - stunning to look at, but completely missing the point. While you're busy admiring those sleek parallax scrolling effects, your visitors are hitting the back button faster than you can say "bounce rate." And spoiler alert: 92.6% of buyers are judging your brand based on design alone.

Let's Talk Numbers (Because They Don't Lie)

  • The top 10% of websites are converting at 11.45% or higher.
  • That fancy design you're so proud of? It has exactly 50 milliseconds to make a first impression.

Your website isn't a digital art gallery. It's a sales machine that's currently running on empty. Think of it like an elevator pitch - you've got seconds to make an impression (aka conversion) or they're gone. And with 42% of website abandonment happening because of poor navigation, you might want to rethink those clever-but-confusing menu labels.

Here's the thing about design decisions - they're like tattoos. Sure, they seemed like a good idea at 2 AM after your third espresso shot, but now they're permanently affecting your conversion rates. But at least tattoos can be lasered off. And with mobile traffic dominating the web, ignoring mobile optimization is like showing up to a marathon wearing flip-flops.

P.S. If you're feeling personally attacked right now, good. That means you're exactly who needs to read this.

The Deadly Design Sins

The Choice Paralysis Paradox

Ever been to a restaurant with a 12-page menu? That's your website right now. When faced with 24 choices, only 3% of people make a purchase. Cut that down to 6 options? Conversions skyrocket to 30%. Your "helpful" mega-menu is about as useful as a screen door on a submarine.

The Speed Kills Saga

Let's talk about your site speed, or should I say, lack thereof.

While your site was loading someone added to cart and checked out at your competitor. But sure, keep adding more fancy animations.

The Mobile Nightmare

Plot twist: Those tiny buttons? They're giving your users more finger exercises than a piano teacher. If your users need to pinch-zoom to click a button, you've already lost them.

The Fix-It Formula

Simplify or Die

Ready for the antidote to your conversion? First up: channel your inner Marie Kondo amnd declutter like your life depends on it.. When Humana simplified their hero section and cleared up their CTAs, they saw a staggering 433% increase in clicks. But you're probably still adding more buttons as we speak.

The Speed Solution

Your website needs to load faster than your caffeine hits your bloodstream. Here's your checklist:

  • Optimize those images (yes, all of them)
  • Strip unnecessary plugins
  • Compress your code
  • Cache everything that moves

The Mobile Makeover

Time for some tough love about your mobile experience. Stop treating your mobile site like a desktop's awkward cousin. Focus on:

  • Touch-friendly buttons
  • Simplified navigation
  • Local content optimization (because 53% of shoppers care about personalized experiences)

The Trust Transformation

In case you still didn't know: 89% of consumers check online reviews before making a purchase. So maybe it's time to:

  • Showcase real customer testimonials
  • Display trust badges that actually mean something
  • Add authentic social proof

The Secret CTA Sauce

Your calls-to-action need more action than your Netflix queue. Take a page from AliveCor's playbook - they boosted revenue by 27.39% just by optimizing their CTAs and product presentation.

  • Clear, compelling language
  • Strategic placement
  • Urgent messaging
  • Not using "Click Here" like it's 1999

The Conversion Commandments

Rule #1: Speed Is Your Religion

Thou shalt not make users wait. B2B sites that load in 1 second have a conversion rate 5x higher than those loading in 10 seconds. A site loading in 1 second generates $1,525 in sales compared to just $335 for a 4-second load time.

Rule #2: Mobile First Or Don't Bother

With mobile commerce hitting $448 billion in 2023, ignoring mobile optimization is business suicide. Mobile represented 36.3% of total online retail spending in Q4 2023, making optimization crucial.

Rule #3: White Space Is Your BFF

White space isn't just pretty - it's profitable.  Proper use of white space improves readability and helps avoid cognitive fatigue, directly impacting your conversion rates. When users can breathe between elements, they're more likely to focus on your CTAs.

Rule #4: The Three-Click Rule Is Dead

Forget what you heard about the three-click rule. Studies show users don't actually care about the number of clicks - they care about getting what they want. Multi-step forms often outperform single-step versions, with some seeing conversion improvements of up to 12%.

Rule #5: Test or Die Trying

A/B testing isn't optional anymore. Test everything:

  • Headlines
  • CTAs
  • Images
  • Your patience

Rule #6: The New Rule of Thumb

If your thumb can't reach it, your (mobile) design needs to ditch it. Period.

The Last Call (Yeah, This One's Gonna Sting)

Listen up, because this is where the rubber meets the road - or in your case, where the bounce rate meets the bank account.

Only 39.6% of businesses have a documented conversion optimization strategy.

Brands that are testing in conversion rate optimization tools see an average ROI of 223%3. Meanwhile, you're still debating whether that hot pink gradient is "on-brand." Priorities, people.

Your Homework (Because Yes, There's Homework)

  1. Strip your site down like it's going to digital detox
  2. Test everything that moves
  3. Make your site faster than your excuses
  4. Stop treating mobile users like second-class citizens

The Final Word

Here's the thing about conversion optimization - it's like going to the gym. You can't just show up once, do a couple of squats, and expect to look like Thor. It's a continuous process of testing, tweaking, and occasionally throwing everything out to start over. 

P.P.S. Still thinking these rules are optional? So is success.

P.P.S. If you're still reading this, congratulations - you've officially spent more time here than most visitors spend on your website. Now go fix that conversion rate before your competitors do.

Hey, I'm eKat!

A recovering corporate eCommerce girly. Serial BS-slayer with a PhD in keeping it real. Clinically allergic to Comic Sans. Part-designer, part-strategist, 100% multi-passionate. Your favorite marketing bro's worst nightmare.

I occasionally start fires in the status quo while I spill the tea on all things design & eComm.

Obsessed with:

💣 Breaking rules that deserve it

🕳️ Turning chaos into cash

🤘 Making design actually work


WARNING: Subscription side effects may include sudden clarity and chronic profitability. Not responsible for sudden urges to rebuild your entire business strategy.

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