The average web site conversion rate hovers at only 1–2%, whereas a few sites (notably Sephora.com, Lands End.com, and Drugstore.com) can have conversion rates in the 10–20% range. Of course, purpose and target audience drive content; every bit of content on a site should support its purposes and be geared toward its audience.
We need to slant our content toward what the visitor values. For instance, a potential customer for a site selling organic products is of course concerned with fi nding the product she is looking for, and whether it’s a good value, and whether or not she’ll purchase it, but perhaps also with determining if the company follows her guidelines for organic products. In such a case, a mission statement about the company’s policy for organic products would probably be very useful, while a win-loss report on the company’s (organic, of course) softball team would not.
Of course, the potential customer needs to accomplish her tasks as quickly and effi ciently as possible, while we also need to also convince the visitor that she should choose our products and services over those of another web site.
Anything we can do to distinguish one product or service from another, thereby facilitating the visitor’s decision-making process, will make our site more attractive. Essentially, we are trying to be more than just easy to use; we are trying to be persuasive as well as if we were in the store with her. Accordingly, we need to demonstrate the value of our site to the customer as soon as possible.
