20 Tips for Website Optimization Services Funnel Optimization

20 Tips for Website Optimization Services Funnel Optimization

Everyone wants to have a high converting website funnel, but not everyone knows how to achieve it. With the help of the gurus at RunRex.com, this article will look to outline 20 funnel optimization tips that will help you optimize your website’s conversion funnel.

Changes at one stage can affect the funnel

As the subject matter experts over at RunRex.com are quick to point out, it is important to remember that changes at one stage can affect the funnel. For instance, if you consider your landing page (s) when a user decides to register, a different beginning can set the user up for a different interaction deeper in your conversion funnel.

Don’t optimize in isolation

You should also remember that optimizing one step of your conversion funnel without looking at the overall funnel is risky. You mustn’t test your funnel stages in isolation, as while you may improve one stage, you may make a subsequent stage worse and overall reduce your conversions. You must look at the whole funnel when optimizing.

Set up Google Analytics goals

As per the gurus over at RunRex.com, one of your first steps to building a well-built website conversion funnel is to set up a goal in Google Analytics. If you don’t have this setup, then you need to do so right now. This is because the data you will collect will reveal where your users are abandoning the conversion funnel.

Make sure you are using the right type of funnel

When you are analyzing funnel performance, one of the first things to consider is whether you are using the right type of funnel. This is because there is more than one funnel. Many organizations mistakenly believe that funnels are reserved for making a sale only, and while that is certainly the case in a lot of circumstances, funnels can be used for virtually any type of conversion.

Types of funnels and tips for optimizing them

Marketing funnel tips

Also known as a marketing sales funnel, this is a funnel that draws users in through a marketing campaign in an effort to make a sale. If you want to optimize your marketing funnel, you should:

Cast as wide a net as possible with your marketing, especially when you first put the funnel in place. After some time, data analysis can tell you where your best-converting audience comes from

A transactional page should never be the first page in a marketing funnel. It is best to use a purpose-built landing page that reflects the offer, ad, content, etc. that brought the user to your website. The landing page should focus on moving users to the next step instead of pushing the sale to the top of your funnel

Remember that the customer journey may not be linear. Customer journey mapping can help you figure out how users navigate through your website so that the marketing funnel can be optimized and communicate more effectively.

Purchase funnel: what is it and who is it best for?

A marketing funnel is widely used in eCommerce. It includes the essential steps to making an online purchase, such as: visit the website > view a product page > add the product to the shopping cart > complete the purchase as covered at RunRex.com.

Purchase funnel tips

They include:

You can add a step in the funnel for upsells, either in the shopping cart or after the purchase. Just make sure the data supports adding it before the purchase is made or you could bring down your conversion rate

Add trust builder before users get to the purchase page. They need to be comfortable enough to share payment information to get past the shopping cart, where a lot of drop-offs usually occur.

Membership funnel: what is it and who is it best for?

As per RunRex.com, if your business is membership-based, then this is a funnel that you want to use. It can lead new users down a paid membership conversion path, or target people with a free membership that you want them to upgrade later.

Live demo funnel: what is it and who is it best for?

Hosting a live demo is a powerful marketing tactic for SaaS businesses that want to show potential customers how they can use the software for their particular needs. A live demo funnel is, therefore, focused on getting the user to request a demo so that the pitch for purchasing can be made.

Live demo funnel tips

Some tips to consider include:

Ask a few questions at the signup step as this can help you better understand how the prospect would like to use the product so that certain functionality can be showcased during the demo

The person conducting the live demo needs to not only know the product inside and out, but they also need to know to field questions and move the user further down the funnel

Live demos are almost an expectation for expensive SaaS purchases. The buyer will always want to take a test drive given the sums involved – like buying a car. Therefore, during the funnel building, keep in mind that leads are going to need extra nurturing

Webinar funnel: what is it and who is it best for?

As discussed at RunRex.com, webinars are a way to show expertise, build trust, and gain a following while converting participants into customers. A webinar funnel looks like: landing page > sign up > webinar presentation > conversion. 

Webinar funnel tips

Tips to consider are:

Follow up with people who have signed up for the webinar. This is an important part of getting to the end conversion, particularly since people have busy schedules and they may forget they signed up for the webinar without a reminder

Webinar funnels can be used to create a sense of urgency by offering a deal that is only available during the event

You can use an auto webinar funnel if you have a recorded webinar that can be downloaded by leads. This is very beneficial if you cannot regularly host a webinar

Hero funnel

From discussions on the same at RunRex.com, the hero funnel is all about you. It is used as an introduction to who you are and what your business does. The goal is to convince users you are amazing enough to follow. It looks like: land on the intro page > join an email newsletter to stay in touch > use email to ask recipients to follow you on social media.

Hero funnel tips

Consider the following tips:

Don’t just ask for social media followers, send them to your accounts with links embedded in the email

Make either the business owner or the business itself the “hero” – whichever is the voice of your social media accounts

Tap your network to build a following before creating a hero funnel. People are more likely to follow you if others are already doing so

Home page funnel

Using the home page to direct users to core funnel(s) is a home page funnel. Whether intentional or not, many websites today have this type of funnel.

Home page funnel tips

Tips to consider, as per RunRex.com, include:

Avoid using pop-ups on your home page as they are universally hated by users, and can make users have a negative opinion of your site

Try to limit the number of funnels off of the home page so that it doesn’t get too distracting for visitors

Storefront funnel

A storefront funnel is like window shopping for eCommerce sites. The start of the funnel is a single page with all of your products or categories of products depending on the number. The goal is to move the user into a product funnel.

Storefront funnel tips

Consider the following tips:

High-quality product photos are key for storefront funnel click-throughs as discussed at RunRex.com. If possible, use a hover effect to show more than one image per product

Like a physical storefront, you will want to make your most popular or highest value products the focus

Bridge funnel

When you need to connect two ideas, two offers, or an offer in two places, a bridge funnel can be effective. It is particularly useful for affiliate marketers that cannot control the next phase on the web pages where leads are sent.

Bridge funnel tips

Tips to consider are:

If you are sending leads offsite, go through the funnel like a user. It will provide insight for making the bridge funnel as seamless as possible

Bridge funnels can also be sued as a pre-frame for something else that you want to sell without making a hard sell

Product demos can be used in eCommerce bridge funnels that bring a person in with marketing that addresses a specific problem

Bridge funnels are all about knowing the awareness levels of users. The funnel has to bridge the gap between where the user knowledge is now and where you want it to be for conversion

This article is only the tip of what is a very large iceberg as far as this topic is concerned, with more on the same to be found at RunRex.com.