How to generate leads for sales: Our top 10 tips on improving your website's conversion rate
As the managing director of Leadbuilder, I've witnessed firsthand the challenges businesses face when trying to generate quality leads.
The ‘digital landscape’ (urgh - I can’t stand this term!) is more competitive than ever, and while many businesses focus solely on driving traffic to their websites, they're missing a crucial piece of the puzzle: conversion rate optimisation (CRO).
The challenge of lead generation in today's market
Let me share a common scenario. Just last month, a business owner approached me with a familiar frustration. Their website was attracting decent traffic – around 10,000 visitors monthly – but only 1% were converting into leads. Despite investing thousands in advertising, they weren't seeing the return they needed. Does this sound familiar? If so, you're not alone, and you're about to discover how to change that.
Simply having a website isn't enough. Your online presence needs to work as hard as you do. The traditional approach of driving more and more traffic to an underperforming website is like pouring water into a leaky bucket – it's inefficient and expensive.
Here’s my top 10 tips for improving your website conversion rate:
1. Perfect your value proposition
The foundation of successful lead generation lies in your value proposition. The most common mistake I see is websites that fail to immediately answer the visitor's fundamental question: "What's in it for me?" Your value proposition needs to be crystal clear within seconds of someone landing on your page.
We recently worked with a manufacturing company that had a homepage filled with technical specifications and company history. After revamping their messaging to focus on how they solve their customers' problems, their conversion rate increased by 85% in just two months.
2. Optimise your forms strategically
Forms are the bridges between interest and action, between browsing and converting. Yet, they're often the most overlooked element in conversion rate optimisation. I frequently encounter businesses that spend thousands on driving traffic to their websites, only to lose potential leads at the final hurdle – a poorly designed form.
The psychology behind form completion is fascinating: every field you add creates friction, every question you ask increases the likelihood of abandonment.
But here's the paradox: while shorter forms generally convert better, they might not provide enough information to qualify leads effectively. Finding the right balance is crucial.
Through years of testing and optimisation, we've discovered that the art of form design goes far beyond just counting fields. It's about understanding user psychology, reducing cognitive load, and creating an experience that feels effortless.
From field order to error handling, from mobile optimisation to progress indicators, every element plays a crucial role in whether a visitor completes your form or abandons it.
Forms with 3-5 fields typically have the highest conversion rates
Adding unnecessary fields can reduce conversions by up to 25%
Clear error messages and real-time validation can increase completion rates by 30%
3. Implement compelling call-to-actions
The humble call-to-action (CTA) is perhaps the most undervalued element in the conversion optimisation toolkit. Many businesses treat their CTAs as an afterthought, defaulting to generic phrases like "Submit" or "Click Here." But here's the truth: your CTA is the tipping point between action and abandonment. It's the moment where your visitor decides whether to take the next step in their journey with you.
Think of your CTA as the digital equivalent of a sales conversation closer. Just as a skilled salesperson knows exactly what to say to move a prospect toward a decision, your CTA needs to provide that same gentle yet persuasive nudge.
Through extensive testing across hundreds of websites, we've found that the most effective CTAs share common characteristics: they create urgency without being pushy, communicate value clearly, and align perfectly with the visitor's current stage in their journey.
The art lies in finding the perfect balance between persuasion and authenticity.Some of our most successful variations include:
"Get Your Free Website Audit"
"Start Generating More Leads"
"Book Your Strategy Session"
"Get Your Custom Quote"
4. Leverage social proof effectively
In an age of increasing skepticism and information overload, social proof has become more crucial than ever. Yet, many businesses still treat testimonials and reviews as mere decorative elements on their websites.
The reality is that social proof is a psychological trigger that can make or break your conversion rates. When implemented strategically, it addresses one of the most fundamental human decision-making factors: the desire to make choices based on the experiences of others.
But here's what many don't realise: not all social proof is created equal. Generic testimonials and fake-looking reviews can actually harm your credibility rather than enhance it.
Through our work with hundreds of businesses, we've discovered that effective social proof needs to be specific, relevant, and, most importantly, authentic. It should tell a story that your potential customers can relate to, featuring real people who've faced similar challenges and found success through your solution.. We recommend:
Including detailed case studies with specific results
Displaying industry-specific testimonials
Incorporating trust badges and certifications
Showing real-time social proof
5. Optimise site performance
Speed isn't just a technical metric – it's a crucial business differentiator. The relationship between site performance and conversion rates is one of the most direct correlations we've observed in digital marketing. Yet, many businesses still treat page speed as a technical issue rather than a business-critical factor.
The modern user's patience is incredibly thin – studies show that 53% of mobile users will abandon a site that takes longer than three seconds to load. But the impact goes beyond just user experience; page speed is now a significant factor in search engine rankings and paid advertising quality scores.
Through our work optimising hundreds of websites, we've seen that even small improvements in load time can lead to substantial gains in conversion rates.
The challenge lies not just in making your site faster, but in maintaining that speed while delivering rich, engaging content that converts visitors into leads. Key optimisation strategies include:
Optimising image sizes and formats
Implementing efficient caching
Using content delivery networks (CDNs)
Minimising server response time
6. Create intuitive user journeys
The concept of user journey optimisation goes far beyond simple website navigation. It's about understanding and mapping the psychological process your visitors go through from the moment they land on your site to the point of conversion.
Many businesses make the mistake of designing their websites based on their internal organisation structure rather than their users' needs and expectations.
The result? Visitors feel lost, confused, or overwhelmed, leading to high bounce rates and lost opportunities.
Through analysing countless user sessions across various industries, we've discovered that successful user journeys share common characteristics: they're logical, frictionless, and aligned with the visitor's intent.
Every element on your page should serve a purpose in moving the visitor closer to conversion. This isn't just about having a clear navigation menu – it's about creating an experience that naturally guides visitors toward their goals while fulfilling your business objectives. Focus on:
Implementing clear navigation hierarchies
Using visual cues to guide attention
Creating logical content progression
Ensuring every page has a clear next step
7. Perfect your mobile experience
The shift to mobile-first browsing isn't just a trend – it's a fundamental change in how people interact with websites. Yet, many businesses still treat mobile optimisation as a checkbox item rather than a core strategy.
Here's a startling statistic: while over 60% of web traffic comes from mobile devices, mobile conversion rates often lag significantly behind desktop. This disconnect represents both a challenge and an opportunity.
The key lies in understanding that mobile users have different behaviors, expectations, and limitations compared to desktop users.
They're often in different contexts, have different attention spans, and face different technical constraints. Through extensive testing and optimisation, we've found that successful mobile experiences go far beyond responsive design.
It's about rethinking your entire conversion strategy from a mobile-first perspective, considering everything from touch targets to content hierarchy.. Key areas to focus on:
Simplified navigation for mobile users
Touch-friendly buttons and forms
Reduced content without losing value
Fast loading times on mobile networks
8. Implement effective testing strategies
A/B testing is often misunderstood and misapplied in the world of conversion optimisation. Many businesses fall into the trap of testing minor elements like button colors or font sizes while ignoring more impactful opportunities for improvement.
The truth is, effective testing isn't about making random changes and hoping for the best – it's about following a structured, hypothesis-driven approach to optimisation.
Through managing thousands of tests across various industries, we've learned that successful testing programs share common characteristics: they're based on data, focused on user behavior, and aligned with business objectives. The key is not just in running tests, but in running the right tests at the right time.
This means understanding your users' behavior, identifying real pain points, and formulating tests that address significant opportunities for improvement.
Headlines and value propositions
CTA text and placement
Form layouts and fields
Page layouts and content structure
9. Develop smart exit intent strategies
Exit intent optimisation is one of the most misunderstood aspects of conversion rate optimisation. Many businesses either ignore it completely or implement aggressive popup strategies that do more harm than good.
The reality is that exit intent represents a crucial last chance to engage with visitors who are about to leave your site – potentially forever.
But here's the key insight: effective exit intent strategies aren't about desperately trying to keep visitors on your site; they're about understanding why visitors are leaving and addressing their concerns or offering relevant alternatives.
Through analysing endless exit intent interactions, we've discovered that timing, relevance, and value proposition are crucial factors in success. The goal isn't to interrupt or annoy visitors but to provide a meaningful reason to stay engaged with your brand. Consider:
Offering valuable content downloads
Providing special offers or discounts
Showing social proof at the exit moment
Using personalised messages based on behavior
10. Focus on message consistency
Message consistency might sound like a basic principle, but it's one of the most commonly overlooked aspects of conversion optimisation. The disconnect between advertising messages and landing page content is a leading cause of poor conversion rates.
Think about it from the visitor's perspective: they click on an ad or search result promising one thing, only to land on a page that seems to be talking about something else entirely.
This misalignment creates cognitive dissonance and erodes trust.
Through analysing thousands of campaigns across various industries, we've found that maintaining message consistency throughout the user journey is crucial for conversion success.
It's not just about matching headlines and visuals; it's about ensuring every element of your page reinforces and builds upon the promise that brought the visitor there in the first place. Key aspects include:
Using consistent terminology
Maintaining visual continuity
Delivering on promotional promises
Addressing specific search intent
The impact of implementation
When implemented correctly, these strategies consistently deliver remarkable results. We recently worked with a B2B software company that applied these principles and saw their conversion rate increase from 2.3% to 6.8% over three months.
But remember, lead generation and conversion rate optimisation isn't a one-time effort – it's an ongoing process of testing, learning, and improving.
Taking the next step
Ready to transform your website into a lead-generation powerhouse? As experts in conversion rate optimisation to get more local leads we can help you implement these strategies effectively and sustainably so get in touch today to discover how we can help you generate more leads from your existing traffic.
That’s all for now, thanks for reading.
Ollie
