Conversion rate: it’s a term we hear frequently in terms of optimizing websites, but it’s not always at the center of conversation when it comes to online marketing. In many ways, it should be. A good conversion rate means that you get the best return on the various levels of marketing you’re using to grow your business. It means that the money you’re funneling into PPC or SEO isn’t just resulting in visitors who come, look around, and then leave again.

The average B2B site has conversion rates in the 4% to 8% range, depending on industry. Poorly designed ecommerce websites typically have a conversion rate closer to 2%, while a high performing website can sometimes soar as high as 10%. If you are looking to improve your website’s conversion rate and take fully advantage of the traffic coming to your site, then here are three tips you should keep in mind.

1. Better Open Cart Options

According to a study by Comscore analytics, 60% of customers would like to see a variety of payment options when they get to online checkout pages. It’s also worth noting that 62% of customers have abandoned purchases because of concerns regarding payment security and safety. It’s important to have well designed portal integration so that when consumers are ready to pay, your own payment system isn’t making them wary. Highlight the fact that your website is secure, and make sure your payment options are compatible and professional in appearance across multiple devices.

2. Be Bold With Calls to Action

Although businesses are regularly beat over the head with the idea that too much pitching will scare the consumer away, numbers don’t lie, and it ultimately pays to be a little bold. You want to remind the customer of the action you want them to complete, whether it’s asking for more information or placing an item on their shopping cart. Don’t be shy about it — use bold coloring and buttons, and be exact in your wording. Instead of saying “Add this,” say, “Add X item to your basket.” Many websites have reported seeing up to a 30% increase in sales simply from making site design changes to the call to actions. Use WordPress? No problem. a WordPress development company can make these changes for you.

3. Use Email to Help Your Case

Ecommerce websites should always use email to keep in touch with their customers — this ensures that just a click remains between the company and the consumer. It’s important to invest in crafting successful and professional email marketing. Did you know, for example, that 38% of emails are opened on mobile? If your emails are not optimized for mobile settings, you’ll be missing out on a huge potential audience. You can create successfully targeted emails by paying attention to what the user is looking for. Emails about abandoned cart purchases have a 20% improved click-through rate, and a higher conversion rate over other email product links.

Do you have any tips for improving ecommerce websites? Let us know in the comments. More on this.