Episode 536 Conversions On Your Website With Matthew Stafford

---

Show Summary

This podcast episode of the SDM Show, hosted by Rob Cairns, features Matthew Stafford discussing website conversion strategies for e-commerce businesses. They explore key elements influencing conversions, such as website speed, checkout processes, button placement and text, and the importance of understanding user behavior through heatmaps and recordings. Stafford shares his journey into conversion optimization and emphasizes the significance of fixing website issues to improve ad performance and overall sales. The conversation highlights that improving the user experience, removing unnecessary website clutter, and focusing on solving customer problems are crucial for increasing conversions. They also touch upon the differences between mobile and desktop conversions and the value of post-purchase feedback. Ultimately, the episode offers insights for e-commerce businesses aiming to optimize their websites for better conversion rates and revenue.

Show Notes

Are you driving traffic to your website but struggling to make sales? You’re not alone. In this discussion, host Rob Cairns welcomes Matt Stafford, a seasoned expert in website conversion optimization from Build Grow Scale. Matt shares invaluable insights, gleaned from years of experience helping businesses dramatically increase their online revenue, on how to turn website visitors into loyal customers. Discover why focusing on your website’s performance before ramping up ads is key to sustainable growth.

From Concrete to Conversions: Matt Stafford’s Journey

Matt Stafford didn’t start in digital marketing. After 23 years in commercial concrete, inspiration from figures like Frank Kern led him down the path of online business. Success selling t-shirts via Facebook ads prompted him to sell his concrete business. However, his next venture, a Shopify store selling kitchen tools, highlighted a crucial lesson: effective ads mean little if the website itself doesn’t convert. By diving deep into Google Analytics, Matt identified site issues (like slow speed caused by apps) that were hindering sales, eventually restoring his store to 400 sales a day. This cemented his focus: fixing the website makes everything else, including ads, work better.

Why Website Optimization Comes Before Traffic Generation

Many businesses prioritize driving traffic (SEO, ads) first. Matt argues this is backward. If your website suffers from issues like slow loading times or a confusing user experience, you’re essentially wasting your ad spend. Matt experienced this firsthand when his site’s speed plummeted, leading to a staggering 90% bounce rate – meaning 9 out of 10 paid visitors left without seeing anything.

Key Factors Impacting Website Conversion:

1. Website Speed:
   1. Critical Impact: Slow sites kill conversions. Users won’t wait.
   1. Common Culprits: Large, unoptimized images (use web-friendly sizes like 80-100k), excessive WordPress plugins (test plugins, watch for conflicts, stick to a reliable stack).
   1. Tools: Use tools like GTMetrix to test speed and identify bottlenecks via the “waterfall” view.
   1. SEO Benefit: Faster sites get preferential treatment from Google, leading to more organic traffic. Matt saw a 14-point GTMetrix score jump just by switching his WordPress theme framework.
2. Platform & Checkout Process:
   1. Platform Choice: Matt notes migrating stores to Shopify often improves conversion, possibly due to user familiarity with its layout and checkout.
   1. Checkout Simplicity: The checkout process must be streamlined and easy. Frustration leads to abandonment. Use secure, off-site payment processors.
   1. Upsells: Be cautious with pre-checkout upsells; they can decrease overall customer acquisition. Post-checkout upsells (e.g., on the thank you page) are often more effective without disrupting the initial sale. Matt considers a customer a “browser” until they add to cart, then a “shopper” – prioritize getting the initial checkout completed.
3. The Power of the Thank You Page:
   1. This is often underutilized space. Matt recommends adding a simple pop-up question: “What was the one thing that almost made you not buy?” The answers provide direct feedback on friction points, leading to significant conversion wins.
4. Design Elements & User Experience:
   1. Button Design: Color matters less than contrast. Make buttons stand out (hierarchy of focus).
   1. Button Text: Use clear, action-oriented text that matches the actual next step (e.g., “Add to Cart,” not “Buy Now” on a product page; “Proceed to Checkout” in the cart).
   1. Heatmaps & Recordings: Use tools to see where users click, scroll, and pause. This helps identify points of confusion or areas where crucial information might be missed (especially below the fold).
   1. Mobile Experience: Mobile traffic often hits 80%+, but conversion rates are typically half that of desktop/tablet. Optimize mobile views (avoid large portrait images taking up the whole screen). Consider retargeting mobile visitors back to desktop for complex purchases.
   1. Reduce Clutter: Most sites are too crowded. Remove unnecessary elements. Each page should have a specific purpose (e.g., homepage builds trust and aids navigation, product pages inform and convert). Avoid the “paradox of choice” – too many options can lead to inaction. Don’t clutter landing pages with excessive navigation.
5. Focus on Revenue & Experience, Not Just Discounts:
   1. Constantly discounting trains customers to wait for sales. Focus on optimizing the entire user experience to make it easy and desirable to buy at full price. Revenue per visitor and customer lifetime value are better metrics than just conversion rate influenced by sales.

Ads vs. Website: Where’s the Real Problem?

If your ads are getting clicks but you’re not seeing sales, the ad isn’t necessarily the failure. The ad did its job by bringing interested people to your site. The problem likely lies with the website’s ability to convert that interest into a sale.

The Ultimate Factor: Customer Service

Across successful stores Matt has worked with (helping over 170 hit $1M and 20+ hit $10M), the common denominator is the owner’s relentless focus on excellent customer service. Taking care of the customer builds a long-term, healthy business.

About Matt Stafford and Build Grow Scale:

Matt Stafford’s company, Build Grow Scale, specializes in helping established e-commerce businesses (typically $100k-$250k/month revenue) optimize their websites for significantly higher conversions and scale their operations. They offer free resources and tailored programs.

Learn More:

Visit buildgrowscale.com or email Matt at [email address removed] to explore their resources and services.

---

Option 2 (Listicle Format – Quick Tips):

Title: 10 Expert Secrets to Skyrocket Your Website Conversion Rate (with Matt Stafford)

Meta Description: Stop losing sales! Learn 10 actionable tips from conversion expert Matt Stafford on optimizing site speed, checkout, mobile experience, and more. Boost your e-commerce revenue today.

(Body)

Rob Cairns recently chatted with Matt Stafford of Build Grow Scale, an expert who helps e-commerce stores dramatically increase sales by optimizing their websites. Here are 10 key takeaways to boost your own conversions:

1. Prioritize Website Fixes Over Traffic: Sending visitors to a broken or slow site wastes money. Fix the foundation first.
2. Crush Slow Loading Times: Aim for fast speeds. Optimize images (under 100k), limit plugins, and use tools like GTMetrix to diagnose issues. Google rewards speed with more organic traffic.
3. Streamline Your Checkout: Make it dead simple to pay. Avoid frustrating steps. Use familiar, secure payment methods.
4. Use Post-Purchase Upsells: Adding upsells before checkout can hurt conversions. Offer related items on the thank you page instead.
5. Ask “What Almost Stopped You?”: Put this question on your thank you page. The answers reveal exactly what to fix on your site. This yields massive wins.
6. Make Buttons Stand Out & Speak Clearly: Use contrasting colors for buttons. Ensure the text accurately reflects the action (e.g., “Add to Cart,” “Proceed to Checkout”).
7. Leverage Heatmaps & Session Recordings: Understand user behavior visually. See what they click, where they get stuck, and if they miss key info below the fold.
8. Optimize for Mobile (But Understand the Gap): Most traffic is mobile, but conversions are often lower than desktop. Ensure a clean mobile layout. Consider retargeting mobile browsers to desktop.
9. Declutter Your Pages: Less is more. Remove distracting elements. Ensure each page has a clear goal. Don’t overwhelm visitors with choices (paradox of choice).
10. Focus on Experience, Not Just Discounts: Build a site that’s easy and pleasant to use. Relying on constant sales trains customers to wait. Excellent customer service is paramount for long-term success.

Learn more from Matt Stafford at buildgrowscale.com.

---

Option 3 (Q&A Format – Highlights):

Title: Expert Q&A: Matt Stafford on Fixing Website Conversion Problems

Meta Description: Why aren’t visitors buying? Conversion expert Matt Stafford answers key questions on site speed, checkout optimization, analytics, mobile vs. desktop, and more in this insightful Q&A.

(Body)

In a recent discussion with Rob Cairns, website conversion expert Matt Stafford (Build Grow Scale) shared critical advice for businesses looking to improve online sales. Here are the highlights:

• Q: Where should businesses focus first: traffic or website optimization?
  • Matt: Website optimization. Sending traffic to a poorly converting site (slow, confusing) is wasted effort and money. Fix the site first, then drive traffic.
• Q: How important is website speed?
  • Matt: Crucial. Slow speeds (e.g., over 10 seconds) can cause massive bounce rates (like 90%!). Optimize images, manage plugins, and use tools like GTMetrix. Faster sites also get an SEO boost from Google.
• Q: Does the e-commerce platform (like Shopify vs. WordPress) matter for conversion?
  • Matt: It can. Shopify’s familiarity might help, as users recognize the layout and checkout. Migrating to Shopify has boosted conversions for some clients. Regardless of platform, a simple, trustworthy checkout is key.
• Q: What’s a common mistake with checkout or upsells?
  • Matt: Adding too many upsells before the checkout. This can increase cart abandonment. It’s often better to get the initial sale and offer upsells on the thank you page.
• Q: Is there one simple tactic that yields big results?
  • Matt: Asking “What almost made you not buy?” on the thank you page. Customer answers pinpoint friction points, leading to highly effective site improvements.
• Q: What about button design and text?
  • Matt: Make buttons visually stand out (contrast matters more than specific color). The text must match the action (e.g., “Add to Cart,” not “Buy Now” on a product page).
• Q: How do mobile and desktop conversions differ?
  • Matt: Expect mobile conversion rates to be about half of desktop/tablet rates, even though mobile brings most of the traffic (often 80%+). Optimize mobile layout and consider retargeting mobile visitors to desktop.
• Q: What’s a surprising way to improve conversions?
  • Matt: Removing things. Most sites are too cluttered. Simplify pages, remove unnecessary choices (avoid the paradox of choice), and ensure each page has a clear purpose.
• Q: If ads get clicks but no sales, is it the ad’s fault?
  • Matt: Usually not. If the ad got the click, it worked. The issue is likely the website’s inability to convert that visitor.
• Q: What’s the common thread among highly successful e-commerce stores?
  • Matt: A relentless focus on excellent customer service.

To learn more about optimizing your e-commerce site, visit Matt Stafford’s company at buildgrowscale.com.