# How to Improve Your Website Conversion Rate
Getting people to visit your website is only half the battle. If you’re paying for Google Ads or spending time on SEO but not seeing an increase in enquiries or sales, you have a conversion problem. Improving your Conversion Rate Optimisation (CRO) ensures that every dollar you spend on marketing goes further by turning more browsers into buyers.
In the Australian market, where competition is fierce and the cost per click is rising, a high-converting website is your most valuable digital asset. This guide will walk you through the practical steps to audit and improve your site’s performance.
Prerequisites
Before you start, ensure you have the following:- Google Analytics 4 (GA4) installed and tracking.
- Google Search Console access.
- Admin access to your website (WordPress, Shopify, etc.).
- A clear understanding of your primary goal (e.g., a phone call, a form submission, or a sale).
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Step 1: Define Your Primary Conversion Goal
You cannot optimise what you haven't defined. Every page on your website should have one clear purpose. For a Brisbane plumber, it might be a "Call Now" button. For a boutique in Melbourne, it’s an "Add to Cart" button. What to look for: Look at your homepage. Is it clear within three seconds what you want the visitor to do? If there are five different buttons competing for attention, you are confusing your customers.Step 2: Speed Up Your Site Loading Time
Australians have little patience for slow websites, especially on mobile devices using 4G/5G networks. Google has also stated that site speed (Core Web Vitals) is a ranking factor. Action: Use Google PageSpeed Insights.- Screenshot Description: You will see a score out of 100. Aim for a green score (90+). Below the score, look for the "Opportunities" section which often suggests "Properly size images" or "Eliminate render-blocking resources."
Step 3: Optimise for Mobile-First Users
Over 60% of Australian web traffic now happens on mobile. If your website looks great on a desktop but is clunky on an iPhone, you are losing money. Action: Open your website on your own phone. Can you click buttons easily with your thumb? Is the text large enough to read without zooming? Does the contact form fit on the screen without horizontal scrolling?Step 4: Write a Compelling Unique Value Proposition (UVP)
Your UVP should be the first thing a visitor sees (the "Above the Fold" area). It needs to tell them:- What you offer.
- How it solves their problem.
- Why they should choose you over a competitor.
Step 5: Use High-Quality, Authentic Imagery
Stock photos of people in suits shaking hands often look fake and untrustworthy to Australian consumers. Action: Replace generic stock photos with real photos of your team, your office, or your completed projects. If you are a service-based business, showing your branded van or your staff in uniform builds immediate trust.Step 6: Simplify Your Contact Forms
Every extra field you add to a form reduces the chance of someone completing it. Do you really need their fax number or their middle name? Action: Reduce your forms to the absolute essentials—usually just Name, Email, and Phone Number.- Screenshot Description: In your website backend, check your form plugin settings. Look for an option to enable "Honeypot" protection to stop spam without making users solve annoying CAPTCHAs.
Step 7: Add Social Proof and Trust Signals
Trust is the currency of the internet. Before an Australian customer hands over money or data, they want to know you are legitimate. Action:- Display your ABN in the footer.
- Embed Google Reviews directly on your homepage.
- Show logos of industry associations (e.g., Master Builders Queensland or CPA Australia).
- Include a "Secure Checkout" badge if you are an e-commerce site.
Step 8: Create Strong, Action-Oriented CTAs
Your Call to Action (CTA) buttons should tell the user exactly what to do next. Avoid boring words like "Submit" or "Click Here." Action: Use high-contrast colours for your buttons (e.g., a bright orange button on a blue background). Use active language like "Get My Free Quote," "Start My Trial," or "Book a Consultation."Step 9: Implement Live Chat or Fast Response Tools
In a world of instant gratification, customers appreciate immediate answers. Adding a simple WhatsApp button or a Live Chat widget can significantly boost conversions for service businesses. Action: Install a tool like Tidio or a simple "Click to WhatsApp" plugin. Ensure it is set to "Away" outside of Australian Eastern Standard Time (AEST) business hours so you don't set false expectations.Step 10: Use Heatmaps to See Where People Get Stuck
Tools like Hotjar or Microsoft Clarity (which is free) allow you to see recordings of how users move their mouse and where they click. Action: Install a heatmap tool and watch 10-20 user recordings. You might find that people are clicking on an image thinking it’s a link, or they are stopping halfway down a page because of a confusing paragraph.Step 11: Fix Broken Links and 404 Errors
Nothing kills a conversion faster than a "Page Not Found" error. Action: Use a free tool like Broken Link Checker. Fix any links that lead to dead ends, especially those in your main navigation menu or footer.Step 12: A/B Test Your Changes
Don't guess—test. A/B testing involves showing version A of a page to half your visitors and version B to the other half to see which performs better. Action: Start small. Test two different headlines or two different button colours. Only test one thing at a time so you know exactly what caused the change in performance.---
Common Mistakes to Avoid
- Too much jargon: Don't use industry terms that your customers won't understand. Keep it simple.
- Autoplay videos: Never have a video play with sound automatically. It’s annoying and causes people to bounce immediately.
- Hidden contact details: Make your phone number visible at the top of every page. Don't make people hunt for it.
Troubleshooting
- "My traffic is high but conversions are zero": You are likely attracting the wrong audience. Re-check your Google Ads keywords or SEO strategy to ensure you aren't targeting terms that are too broad.
- "The site is fast on desktop but slow on mobile": This is usually due to large image files. Use a plugin like Smush or ShortPixel to compress your images without losing quality.
- "People start the form but don't finish": Your form is likely too long or asking for sensitive information too early. Try a multi-step form or reduce the fields.
Next Steps
Improving your conversion rate is an ongoing process, not a one-time task. Once you have implemented these steps, monitor your GA4 data for 30 days to measure the impact.If you need a professional audit of your website's performance or help implementing these technical changes, the team at Local Marketing Group is here to help. Contact us today to turn your website into a lead-generating machine.