Blog
Craig Greenup 10/12/25, 08:00
So you’re acing your SEO. You’re getting decent traffic to your website. But there’s a problem… Those website visitors aren’t doing what you want them to. They’re not buying, booking or getting in touch. In short, you’ve got traffic but no sales.
If you’re struggling to convert website traffic into leads or paying customers, the issue may lie with your website — its design, user experience or the information you’ve put on there. So here, we explore how to turn browsers into buyers by making some simple site tweaks.
(Not got enough website traffic? That’s a whole other problem. Check out our post on the topic: How to increase visitors to your website.)
No matter how amazing your offering is, you can’t expect every website visitor to buy from you. So first, we thought it wise to look at average conversion rates and what it’s reasonable to expect from your website.
Across all websites, the average landing page conversion rate is 2.35%. The best websites achieve rates of 5.31% or higher. These figures vary between industries. So it’s worth tracking down some stats that relate specifically to your sector.
Research done? If you still feel that you’re falling behind when it comes to conversions, scroll on down. Next, we’re looking at what could be going wrong with your website and how to convert traffic into sales.
So why is your site struggling to reach the kinds of conversion figures you’re aspiring to?
First impressions count. And web design trends evolve fast. The average website lifespan is just two years and seven months.
You don’t need to chase every design trend. But you do need a site that feels current and easy to use. A clean, modern layout builds trust and keeps people moving further into your site — rather than bouncing straight back to search results.
Friction kills conversion. We’re talking slow load times, broken links, irritating pop-ups… Most users won’t fight through a clunky experience to hand over their cash or contact details.
They like slick and convenient online experiences. So if your website feels awkward to navigate or keeps interrupting the journey, visitors will drop off before they reach the checkout or enquiry form.
Finding points of friction (the places where people tend to leave your website) and fixing them is often one of the quickest ways to improve conversions.
Website copy plays a big part in converting website traffic into sales or leads. Done right, it informs and persuades website visitors, nudging them closer to your checkout or enquiry form.
The words on your website should:
If you’ve DIY-ed your website copy or failed to update it as your positioning shifts, improving it could make a big difference to conversions.
You don’t need to be a big brand to personalise your website experience. Even small businesses can tailor the journey.
It can be as simple as providing different customer journeys for different customer segments. Or allowing users to filter products by the things that actually matter to them.
If you can go a step further — like showing recommended products based on browsing history or offering a first-time visitor discount — great!
The more your site feels shaped around visitor needs (and where they are in the buying process), the easier it is to turn casual browsers into paying customers.
Stock photos are an easy option. But visitors can tell when you’ve used them. And this sets off a tiny alarm bell.
If a brand doesn’t have professional photographs of its products or team or workspace, is it even a genuine company? That niggling doubt can get in the way of a sale.
Website visitors are much more likely to buy from you or make an enquiry when they feel that your brand is authentic and relatable. And pro photos of your company or products help you achieve that.
Someone clicks on one of your beautifully designed ads, intrigued by your offer. But they land on your website to find a completely different message and design. Visitors feel confused — and maybe even misled. So they leave your site.
Check that your ads and landing pages are aligned. The headline, visuals and offer should flow seamlessly from one to the other. That way, you keep people engaged and more likely to convert.
Another reason for decent traffic but no sales? A lack of trust signals on your website.
The average website visitor won’t take your word for it when it comes to your offering. You need other people to back you up.
That means sticking social proof on your website: things like customer reviews, client testimonials, case studies or the logos of brands you’ve worked with. Awards and press mentions help too.
When website browsers see other people vouching for your brand, they’re more likely to take the next step on your website.
Struggling to get customer reviews? Check out our post: How to ask for reviews (and how it benefits your website)
People land on your website using a range of different devices — laptops, tablets and countless varieties of smartphones. To get traffic that converts, your website needs to look perfect and work beautifully across all of them.
Investing in responsive design is essential. If your website falls down on any device, you risk losing browsers before you can turn them into buyers.
If you’re running an e-commerce store, you’ll find it easier to convert traffic into sales when your pricing is easy to understand. Shoppers want to know the cost upfront. So don’t surprise them with extra fees at checkout. Make sure your product pages show exactly what people will pay.
For services, it’s trickier. Some businesses give a ballpark figure to weed out enquiries that are way off on budget. Others price per project, adapting to client needs. Either approach works — you just need to be clear on how you manage pricing and payment, so visitors aren’t left guessing.
If website visitors can find what they need quickly, they don’t tend to stick around. They just bounce back to their search engine (and to one of your competitors). So make life easy for them.
Check that your site navigation is simple and logical. Keep menus short and easy to scan. If you have a mega menu, group options together under subheads.
For sites with lots of content or products, add a search bar so people can jump straight to the page they need. And don’t forget a custom 404 page. It helps users find their way back to relevant site content if a link is broken or a page has moved.
1 in 6 people globally has a significant disability. There are also likely to be elderly people, those with a slow internet connection and those who’ve simply misplaced their reading glasses, all trying to use your website.
The best websites are accessible. They consider the needs of all website users, and they’re built so people can navigate, read and interact with your content in a variety of different ways.
We’re talking clear fonts, good contrast, captions on videos and keyboard navigation. It’s not just about compliance (although this is an important consideration). It’s about making sure every visitor can actually use your site.
The best checkout experiences are quick, easy and free from friction. They offer multiple payment options and let people check out as guests. They use security badges as reassurance. And they keep design minimal to avoid distractions.
If you’re losing a high proportion of customers at the checkout stage, it’s worth reviewing checkout best practices and identifying areas where your site may be falling short.
When people don’t know (and trust) your brand, they’re reluctant to hand over personal details. And they’re very unlikely to fill in an enquiry or signup form that asks for anything other but the essentials.
You can always learn extra details later. So keep things simple. Stick to a minimal number of fields. Ask only for the information you need to follow up effectively. Reassure users about how their data will be used. Enquiries tend to increase when you ask less of your audience.
You know your process inside out. But don’t presume website visitors are on the same page.
People want to know what happens next. What happens after they fill out an enquiry form? When can they expect their purchase to arrive? How will they organise a return if your product isn’t the right fit?
When they can’t find answers to those questions, they hesitate.
So — e-commerce stores: provide easy-access information on delivery times and your returns policy. And service-based businesses: outline exactly what your process looks like, from that first enquiry to the end of a project.
Your calls to action drive conversions. They guide people through your website and ever-closer to a sale or enquiry.
Effective CTAs are clear, bold and stand out from the rest of your web page content. They’re placed strategically throughout a web page — or they’re “sticky”, which means they travel down the page with a user as they scroll.
The words you use also make a difference. The best CTAs inspire action. They tell users how they’ll benefit from clicking. And they provide a logical next step based on a user’s current stage in the customer journey.
The people who visit your website aren’t always ready to buy yet. But if you let them leave without a backwards glance, you’re missing an opportunity.
Capture their details to start building a relationship. Add an email sign-up form. Offer discount codes or free resources. Use remarketing ads. Send cart abandonment emails.
Keep the door propped open, and you’re more likely to find website visitors returning to your site to complete their purchase or enquiry.
Don’t know where to begin with nurturing leads? Read our guide: Getting started with email marketing.
A simple one that many businesses overlook. Sometimes online shoppers need a little help with their purchase — and your website needs to guide them in the direction of support.
You’re more likely to get traffic that converts when you provide an email address, phone number or live chat function. You can also provide FAQs and knowledge banks so site visitors can search for answers themselves.
Put this information and any resources somewhere logical — a place where users can find them easily. Your header and your footer are both solid options.
If your website is getting traffic but no sales, it’s time to take a closer look at the design, copy and user experience of your site.
Every detail matters — from how fast your site loads to how clearly you communicate your value to how easy your CTAs are to spot. Because professionally-designed websites aren’t just pretty to look at. They’re strategically designed to convert website visitors.
At Radical, we design and build websites that work hard. Our team combines web design, development and strategy to help businesses build trust and showcase the products or services they offer.
Whether you need a brand new website or a redesign that finally gets results, we’ll help you get traffic that converts.
Stop putting up with low conversion rates. Get in touch with the Radical team to chat about your website today.
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