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Conversion Point Architecture

CPA was developed here to improve on web design practices. We offer this consulting service to companies building new sites or redesigning existing ones. Contact us to learn why and how this process works. Even if you end up using another designer, your end result will be better.

Please note that we are not web developers (though we can recommend them), we are not graphic designers, (though we know several good ones). It is also designed to integrate SEO (we do not manage SEO campaigns).
Our deliverable is a user tested, usable and persuasive, complete site design. We are happy to work with your web team or bring one in. We are not bound to any web technology.

This article below discusses the process. To get an overview of deliverables read this. Alternatively you may choose to contact us.

Conversion Point Architecture or why current web site design is upside down!
by Todd Follansbee

This is an expanded version of the article which first appeared in Web Marketing Today, a national eNewsletter where Todd writes the usability column. Sign up for this excellent free newsletter.

(note: a site conversion occurs when a visitor becomes a customer)
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The current web site design process is “upside down”.
Typically web site design starts with the home page, laboring over the look and feel. As designers wait for content, the site is built following standard formulas or templates and the goal of selling a product or service often becomes secondary. In reality though it is the conversion point which is the only real measure of site success be it: product sold, an idea conveyed or a customer engaged, .

Currently in site design, deadlines are routinely missed. In our experience, we believe that most of the delays in web site design are content related, which is typically the weakest part of the site designers skillset. In Conversion Point Architecture, we carefully orchestrate the content, sales path and site architecture before any code is written. We test sales assumptions in prototypes and we relieve the designers of the need to develop content. In addition to building more successful sites, this often accelerates the entire design process.

In current design, as "deadlines" pass, the management command becomes an exasperated: “Get the site up and fix it later!”

More importantly, the all important conversion pages receive minimal attention. Sales are lackluster and visitors abandon early. The essential testing or refinement of the early design work gets bypassed and everyone feels less enthusiastic about the site. Instead of smiles, there is often finger pointing. This is when we conversion consultants are called in. What we hear most often is: “The site is getting traffic but not enough sales…”

Conversion Point Architecture explained.
We developed a completely opposite path to the current design model. We call it Conversion Point Architecture . This model is based upon our years of testing user behaviors, our work with usability and our work improving site conversions. We place the primary design focus on the sale or conversion, regardless of whether you are selling a product or a service.

It begins at the “goal posts” not at the home page. We focus first on the site/business objective(s). After all, what else really matters? Sites rarely win awards for beauty but they are all measured by their success.

A good designer will provide us an attractive site but in my experience far too many conversion decisions are left to the designers. Chasing clients for content is typically the designer's least favorite job. Ask any designer how long it would take to build a 20 page site when the site architecture and page elements, including text, are completely in place. When designers are made responsible for assembling content they are usually unable to make a firm commitment for a design time estimate. This additional time translates to higher cost on the design side and lost opportunity for sales until the site is launched. Designers are rarely conversion experts. Nowadays web site development is more and more specialized. The skills that make are good designer are not the same skills as a back end programmer or a User Experience Architect.

By keeping all the site design in an agile and changeable format changes are quickly and easily made long before it gets to costly coding time. Here's how we design or redesign web sites using Conversion Point Architecture

• Begin the design process with an extensive client interview to understand the business, its goals and the prospective customer groups. Focus on identifying the site objective(s), don't even consider home page design. Our interview format typically covers everything from analyzing the current site experience and frustrations to a thorough psychological understanding of their client personas. We look carefully at how successful employees currently sell a product, as well as what people like and dislike about the current web site (if one exists).

• Brainstorm a list of everything a customer would need to know to be comfortable making a purchase. It may not all eventually make the site but it helps to assemble it all. If selling a house for example, include everything from area school details to landscape plans. I mean everything; take the time to do this right. Ask everyone involved in the process, sales, marketing, customer service. If you sell dozens of products, approach this from each product category. If in doubt, we err on the side of too much information. Look at benefits, motivators, what risks are associated with the purchase, anxiety about buying, whatever is relevant to the process.

• Next organize this information into logical groups, in the example of the house: utilities, town, layout etc. These “information groups” may become pages. You can certainly include one element into several groups. Build in ideas for graphics which are not decoration but actively illustrate products.

• Look at the sales process, and visualize how customers proceed to the objective; when might each information group arise in the buy process? Sequence the information groups in a “ladder” which mimics the sales process. We create what we call the persuasive design chart which mimics the purchase process. Confirm how complete your copy is by testing with prospects. The architecture now begins when we expand the ladder and begin organizing pages from the information groups. Since many of the information groups (pages) will be available via hyperlinks from even the first or second page in the sales sequence, it may not end up as “linear” as it appears during this organization phase. People actually do shop differently from one another and take more of a “hub and spoke” approach to information gathering on the web but DO NOT overlook the basics such as: do you have credibility, do people need testimonials, do they need price comparisons, what is the warranty and how much does shipping cost, etc.

• Don't spend time on the web page text yet, just gather information outlines. Start the page layout as a rough story board. I use Visio as a great tool for both the architecture and page layout. Don't spend more then 10 - 15 minutes roughing out each page and if you don't have a good software tool simply hand draw each page. My "designs" include placeholders for relevant images and content. Instead of detailing products and benefits, use a placeholder as many of the pages may change fundamentally as testing indicates improvements. Mark obvious links to other relevant information groups. Insure that each page directly relates to the objective. This process is an article in itself but in short try to ensure is that each element on the page be it image, headline or body text, contributes towards conversion. Each call to action on each page must move someone along the sales path. Each page is information, but each page is also a step towards the objective. ALSO good navigation including bread crumbs is necessary since people often need to review earlier info so they can jump back and forth easily.

• Next we deepen our understanding of the typical prospect. Can we make assumptions about preferred communication style, interests, motivations or focus? Tools like Myers Briggs and learning styles research help us understand this but the essential problem is that most content developers wrongly assume that people read and learn the same way. If you are dealing with a niche market, focus on improving your understanding of their psychological profiles of your target audience. Sales training courses in the offline world work hard at teaching sales folks to "read" and understand clients. This is an essential tool in web design and we predict that the ability to make use of this knowledge will redefine web site design in the future. Use your offline sales experts, if they exist, to learn more abut your clients. Sites rarely speak to the public at large and your audience is likely much narrower then you may expect. By asking, testing and spending time with sales staff you can begin to understand how your clients think and how narrow your audience may actually be. Use this information to refine your communication style.

The goal is to create content that speaks in the language of the reader, via the learning style of the reader and focusing on the motivations which most move the reader.

Every informed step you take will improve your site's success. Don't trust me on it though, make sure you keep accurate traffic metrics.

Test your assumptions with typical buyers. They don't have to be active buyers, but try to create the right shopping atmosphere as you observe them working thru the conversion process.

Typically we build multiple sales paths based upon each customer persona group. (Multiple paths are a topic for another article but are a key part of Conversion Point Architecture.)

• With the path architected from beginning to end; we build out the architecture/navigation map with standard site elements that users expect like “About Us”, FAQ's etc. Readers expect certain site elements like these. If you don't include them, readers get nervous and doubt the professionalism of the site. If your site is not professional, it will fail to establish credibility and you have little chance of a sale. This is not the time to explore new creative presentation or navigation ideas unless you are selling creativity to a receptive market. With your Visio or hand drawn site map, insure that these standard site elements are included in the architecture. Look for our special site development guideline tool called The Dudley for site usability guidelines available soon.

• Designers are called when content is set and architectural elements are clearly laid out. Discuss look and feel, content delivery and explain how to place the graphics to utilize eye tracking to support key messages. Remember for example the importance of captions. Over 90% of visitors will read a caption below a nice photo (assuming there are only a couple on the page), if you have an essential sales message (and you should), find the right photo and use the caption to get your message across to your prospects (especially the visual learners).

• Consider color choices and images and how they may appeal to the persona groups, especially when considering look and feel. Same thing applies to font and page complexity. Certain groups can only absorb information from a simple uncomplicated page layout. Others want lengthy narratives. Still others will only read bulleted text. Back up all claims with facts, typically by using hyperlinks.

• Discuss this all with your designers and when they have completed the look and feel and you have tested some prototypes on clients only then should you build out the site. Designers deliver best when provided with detailed content and site plans.

• With the right look and feel in place, the “beta version of the site is now tested on several prospective clients for: navigational confusion, sales blocks, functional problems like browser compatibility and finally, content problems or unanswered product questions. I can't stress the importance of this testing enough.

• Launch the site, note your metrics. Plan to continually monitor and refine site elements. Set conversion goals and explore new presentations and elements. Test, Refine, Improve.

Conversion Point Architecture is building the site with the objectives in mind and insuring that all sales elements are in place and clearly communicated. It is that simple and that complex.

This is a brief review of a complex process, feel free to contact us with questions or for more resources to understand this further. We are happy to share and we all benefit from the interchange of ideas. Since we allocate about 15% of our time each week to improving our learning and tools, you don't need to expect us to try to bill you for a simple call. Everyone brings something to the table whether they know it or not.

Note: as a usability professional I should add that testing paper prototypes and early site iterations is something we support and recommend. We admit that we have not addressed that thoroughly here but we do believe it is a part of proper Conversion Point Architecture. Testing should drive all design processes.

Please Email us or better yet, phone us with your questions, comments or experiences! Initial consults are free. We also provide consulting services on these issues and more. Rates are reasonable.

*Most of these articles are available to reprint for free in whatever form you choose as long as you request permission, provide a link to this site and acknowledge ownership. The only exception is The benefits of doing a usability study. If you need more information or wish to discuss any aspect of this policy or the article please feel free to email me. - Thanks, Todd

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If you want to see a usability test click here for the download page.

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