How to Convert Website Visitors Into Customers 

TLDR: To convert website visitors into customers, remove friction and build trust. Use clear messaging, focused landing pages, and strong calls to action, add incentives like discounts or bonuses, and capture emails so you can follow up with visitors who are not ready to buy yet.

If you’re searching for how to convert website visitors into customers, you’re probably getting traffic but not enough sales or signups.

That’s common because most visitors are not ready to buy on their first visit, and small issues like unclear pages, weak trust signals, or a clunky checkout can stop them.

In this guide, I’ll show you practical ways to improve your conversion rate, from high-converting landing pages and incentives to email follow-ups and abandonment reminders.

Why is Conversion Optimization Necessary for Your Website?

Most people who visit your website will leave without taking action. No signup, no purchase, nothing.

In fact, nearly 70% of online shopping carts are abandoned, even when visitors are clearly interested.

This usually happens for a few simple reasons:

• Your website might be confusing to use
• People can’t find the information they need
• The checkout process has too many steps
• Your site doesn’t look trustworthy enough
• Visitors aren’t sure if your product is right for them

The good news is that these problems are fixable. Small, targeted changes to your website can significantly increase the number of visitors who become customers.

How Do You Convert Website Visitors into Customers?

Now let’s walk through practical ways to turn more visitors into customers.

1. Optimize Your Website Design 

Your website design plays a big role in whether visitors trust you enough to become customers. If your site is hard to use or looks outdated, people will leave.

In fact, 94% of people say they do not trust websites with poor or outdated design.

Here’s what matters most when it comes to conversion-focused website design:

• Easy navigation: Visitors should always know where to click next.
• Mobile-friendly design: Your site needs to work smoothly on phones and tablets.
• Fast loading times: Slow pages drive people away.
• Professional look: Clean layouts and consistent branding build trust.
• Working search: Make it easy for visitors to find what they need.

You do not need to hire a developer or write code to create a website that converts well.

I use SeedProd because it lets you build clean, mobile-friendly pages with drag-and-drop blocks and conversion-ready templates.

This makes it easy to create professional designs that guide visitors toward taking action.

For a step-by-step walkthrough, see this guide on how to create a custom WordPress theme.

2. Offer Incentives to Take Action

Incentives give visitors a clear reason to act instead of putting off a decision. When someone is on the fence, the right offer can be enough to tip them into becoming a customer.

Common incentives that work well include:

• Special discounts for first-time buyers
• Free shipping on orders over a certain amount
• Limited-time offers that create urgency
• Free bonus items with a purchase
• Early access to new products

This approach is proven to work. For example, Shockbyte more than doubled their conversion rate by showing a discount right as visitors were about to leave.

I use OptinMonster to create targeted offers that appear at the right time, such as when someone is about to leave or has spent time browsing.

You can also use interactive incentives like spin-to-win wheels, which often increase engagement by making discounts feel more rewarding.

The key is to offer something genuinely valuable and show it at the moment visitors are most likely to respond.

3. Promote What Your Audience Wants

To convert more visitors, you need to understand what they care about and what is stopping them from taking action.

Start by looking at what people do on your site.

• Which pages do they spend the most time on?
• What are they clicking on?
• What makes them leave?

These clues tell you what your audience really cares about.

Tools like Google Analytics make this easy. You can see exactly how people move through your website, what they’re interested in, and where they get stuck. It’s like having a window into your visitors’ minds. 

If you haven’t set up Google Analytics yet, follow our step-by-step guide on how to add Google Analytics to WordPress.

Once you know what your audience wants, you can make sure it’s front and center. For example, if your analytics show that people spend a lot of time reading about a specific product feature, you might want to highlight that feature more prominently on your homepage.

When you show people more of what they want, they’re more likely to become customers. It’s that simple.

4. Make High-Converting Landing Pages

A landing page is one of the most effective ways to convert website visitors into customers because it is designed around a single goal.

Unlike regular website pages, a landing page removes distractions and guides visitors toward one clear action, such as making a purchase, signing up, or joining your email list.

Every high-converting landing page includes:

• Clear headlines: Visitors should immediately understand what you offer.
• Compelling benefits: Show how your product or service helps solve their problem.
• Social proof: Use testimonials or reviews to build trust.
• Strong call to action: Make the next step obvious.
• Trust signals: Add guarantees, badges, or security indicators.
• Simple design: Keep the focus on the main action.

Creating a landing page does not need to be complicated.

I use SeedProd because its landing page templates already include these elements and are built to convert.

You can customize the content and design to match your brand without writing code.

For a step-by-step walkthrough, see this guide on how to create a landing page in WordPress.

The easier you make it for visitors to take action, the more likely they are to convert.

5. Build an Email List

Most visitors will not become customers on their first visit. Building an email list lets you follow up, build trust, and convert people when they are ready.

Email marketing works well because:

• You can send targeted offers to interested visitors
• It costs less than paid advertising
• Your messages reach people who chose to hear from you
• You can build long-term relationships
• You own your audience, unlike social media followers

To get email signups, you need to offer something valuable in return. These offers are called lead magnets.

Common lead magnets include:

• Free guides or ebooks
• Exclusive discounts
• Helpful checklists
• Free trials or samples
• Useful tools or resources

Your lead magnet should solve one specific problem your visitors care about.

In this example, Blog Tyrant offers a toolkit designed specifically for new bloggers, with bonuses that increase signups.

You can follow this guide to learn how to create a lead magnet in WordPress.

I use Constant Contact to manage email signups and send campaigns because it keeps everything simple.

For setup tips, see this guide on how to build an email list.

6. Leverage Social Proof

Social proof helps visitors trust your business by showing that other people have already had a good experience.

When visitors see reviews, testimonials, or recent activity, they feel more confident taking the next step.

Common types of social proof include:

• Customer reviews: Let satisfied customers speak for you.
• Testimonials: Share specific success stories.
• Trust badges: Show security certifications or awards.
• User numbers: Highlight how many people use or trust your product.
• Social media signals: Display likes, shares, or followers.
• Recent activity: Show notifications when others sign up or make a purchase.

Tools like TrustPulse make it easy to display real-time activity notifications on your site.

You can increase the impact of social proof by adding urgency.

Use countdown timers for limited-time offers or show low stock levels to encourage faster decisions.

For setup help, see our guide on how to add testimonials to WordPress.

You can also create a media kit page to keep all your social proof in one place.

7. Run a Giveaway Contest

Giveaway contests can be an effective way to attract attention, grow your audience, and bring new visitors into your funnel.

At SeedProd, we tripled our sales with a single Black Friday giveaway. You can see the full breakdown here: How SeedProd 3X Their Sales with Viral Contests.

A well-run giveaway can help you:

• Grow your email list quickly
• Increase social media followers
• Drive more targeted website traffic
• Create short-term buzz around an offer

I use RafflePress to run giveaways because it handles entries, rules, and winner selection automatically.

You can offer multiple entry options, such as joining your email list, following you on social media, or visiting specific pages on your site.

For a walkthrough, see this guide on how to run an online contest in WordPress.

8. Upsell and Cross-selling

Upselling and cross-selling help you increase conversions by getting more value from each purchase, without needing more traffic.

There are two main approaches:

• Upselling: Offering a higher-tier or upgraded version of what someone is already viewing.
• Cross-selling: Recommending related products that complement their purchase.

On your website, this can look like:

• “You might also like” product recommendations
• Bundle deals or package discounts
• Upgrade suggestions before checkout
• Related or complementary product suggestions
• Frequently bought together sections

The goal is to make helpful recommendations, not to pressure visitors into buying more. Relevant suggestions improve the experience and increase order value.

If you use WooCommerce, you can add related product recommendations using SeedProd’s Upsells block.

This allows you to show relevant product suggestions based on what visitors are already interested in.

9. Simplify the Checkout Process

A complicated checkout is one of the main reasons shoppers abandon their carts. The more steps and friction you add, the more likely people are to leave.

Simplifying your checkout process increases the chances that visitors complete their purchase.

To reduce drop-offs, you should:

• Remove unnecessary form fields
• Allow guest checkout
• Add express payment options
• Use clear, helpful error messages
• Show a progress indicator
• Keep checkout steps on a single page when possible

If you use WooCommerce, you can create a custom checkout page that focuses only on completing the sale.

With SeedProd, you can remove distractions and design a checkout layout that supports faster decisions.

For a step-by-step walkthrough, see this guide on how to create a checkout page in WordPress.

10. Send Abandonment Reminders

Many visitors add items to their cart or start filling out a form but leave before finishing. Abandonment reminders help bring those people back.

These reminders work because visitors are often still interested. They may have been distracted or needed more time to decide.

Abandonment reminders can:

• Remind visitors about items left behind
• Address questions or objections
• Offer discounts or incentives
• Reinforce trust with reviews or proof

I use PushEngage to send automated web and push notifications when visitors leave without converting.

You can automate notifications that trigger when someone leaves your site, send personalized messages, and test which reminders convert best.

A timely reminder can often turn an abandoned cart into a completed purchase.

Bonus: More Ways To Grow Your Website

The tactics I’ve covered in this guide are just the tip of the iceberg. For more help turning visitors into sales, see guides about selling on WordPress:

• How to Build a Sales Funnel Landing Page
• How to Sell on WordPress Without WooCommerce
• How to Sell Videos Online in WordPress
• How to Create Personalized Landing Pages to Boost Conversions
• How to Sell Digital Downloads in WordPress
• How to Create a Service Page Design in WordPress

FAQs About Converting Website Visitors

What is conversion rate optimization (CRO)?

Conversion rate optimization, or CRO, is the process of improving your website so more visitors take action. This includes reducing friction, improving clarity, and adding elements like clear calls to action, trust signals, and incentives.

What does it mean to convert website visitors into customers?

Converting website visitors into customers means getting people to take a desired action, such as making a purchase, signing up for your email list, or submitting a form. The goal is to turn traffic into measurable results.

Why do most website visitors not convert?

Most visitors leave because they are not ready to buy, cannot find what they need, or do not trust the website yet. Slow pages, unclear messaging, and complicated checkout processes also reduce conversions.

What is a good website conversion rate?

A typical website conversion rate is around 2–5%, but this varies by industry and goal. With clear messaging, strong calls to action, and conversion-focused pages, many websites can achieve much higher rates.

How can I improve conversions without getting more traffic?

You can improve conversions by optimizing what you already have. This includes simplifying your site design, using landing pages, adding social proof, offering incentives, capturing emails, and following up with abandonment reminders.

Start Converting More Visitors Today

Converting website visitors into customers doesn’t have to be complicated. The strategies I’ve covered in this guide are all proven ways to turn more of your website traffic into actual sales.

Start by picking one or two ideas that make the most sense for your business. Test them out, see what works best for your audience, and then try more as you go.

Ready to get started? Try SeedProd today and create a website design that converts visitors into customers.

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