Your website may be pretty, but are you getting business? This is the problem with a lot of local businesses.
The point is, studies indicate that a properly optimized website can increase your conversion rates by twice. What makes the difference is being equipped with the proper tools that are a motivation to take action.
The following are seven features of a good website that you can use to increase conversions of your local business.
1. Clear Calls to Action (CTAs): Turning Visitors Into Customers
All the buttons, links, and forms on your business website must lead the visitors to one thing, and that is action. It can be a Free Quote CTA, a Schedule a Consultation CTA, or a Start Your Trial CTA, but your CTAs have to be as clear and transparent as possible.
Conversion-oriented web design puts CTAs in the appropriate places around your website–not exclusively at the bottom of the website. Make them prominent using contrasting colors, action-oriented language, and whitespace. The success of lead generation websites is that they lead the customer through the next step.For additional ideas, check HubSpot’s examples of high-converting CTAs for inspiration.
2. Mobile-Friendly Design: Capturing Local Searches on the Go
The majority of the population seek local businesses on their mobile devices immediately, whether it’s the nearest coffee shop or a plumber that they require urgently. Your website is not mobile-friendly, and you are losing these customers to your competition, who display well on small screens.
It is a business site that is designed and optimized to be mobile-friendly, meaning it loads fast, is easy to tap, and information is displayed without zooming.
Google also gives more priority to mobile-friendly sites in local searches. To design a website that serves local businesses, it is no longer optional to ensure that your site looks great on the phone; it is a necessity to attract the customers who are willing to make a purchase immediately.
Read more about mobile-first website design best practices to improve your local visibility.
3. Service Area Information: Building Local Trust and Visibility
Whenever prospective customers are looking to get services within their locality, they would want to know that you are around and that you can help them.
When you provide your website with clear information regarding the service area, you demonstrate that you are a local business entity that is knowledgeable about your locality.
Make conspicuous on your site the neighborhoods, towns, or cities that you serve. Add a basic map or even customer reviews in various places where you operate.
This instills confidence instantly, as they would like to deal with businesses that can be easily approached. Besides, you can mention the particular places, and you will find your website will be displayed in local searches, and neighbors will be able to find you in case they require your services.
For more insight on improving local visibility, explore Local SEO Strategies to Increase Revenue.
4. Reviews and Testimonials: The Power of Social Proof
When individuals access your business site, they must be able to know whether other people trust you or not. It is there that the reviews and the testimonials come in and can be thought of as digital word-of-mouth recommendations that create credibility within a few seconds.
Show actual customer reviews on your homepage. It could be a five-star review on Google or a testimonial that touches the heart of a person about your service; these are the natural voices that are more compelling than any sales pitch you may be writing.
To the local businesses, in particular, publishing reviews will make you unique in your locality. The appearance of positive experiences in customers makes them more confident in choosing you as a new customer.
According to Nielsen research on consumer trust, 92% of consumers trust recommendations from peers over traditional advertising.
5. Easy-to-Use Contact Forms: Simplifying the Conversion Process
Nobody likes filling out long, complicated forms. When someone wants to contact you, make it quick and easy. Good business website design keeps forms simple—just ask for the basics like name, email, and a short message.
The best lead generation websites only ask what they really need. Use clear labels and big buttons that work well on phones. If your form has ten empty boxes, most people will just leave. Three or four fields? Now you’re talking.
Smart conversion-focused website design puts forms where people actually are. Don’t hide them on a buried contact page. Put them on your homepage, service pages, and even blog posts. The easier you make it for someone to reach out, the more people will actually do it.
To make your forms more effective, learn how UI and UX design differences influence user behavior.
6. Fast Loading Speed: Keep Visitors From Clicking Away
Your website’s loading speed can make or break your success. Research shows that 40% of people abandon a website that takes longer than three seconds to load. In business website design, those lost seconds equal lost opportunities and revenue.
Speed matters especially for lead generation websites where you’re trying to capture contact information quickly. If your forms and pages load slowly, potential customers won’t stick around to fill them out. They’ll head straight to a competitor’s faster site instead.
For effective conversion-focused website design, prioritize speed from the start. Use optimized images, clean code, and quality hosting services. A fast website doesn’t just improve user experience—it also boosts your search rankings and increases the chances visitors will take action before clicking away.
Check out Google’s PageSpeed Insights for tools to test and improve your website speed.
7. Live Chat or Chatbots: Converting Interest Into Immediate Action
When someone lands on your website, they’re looking for answers right now. A live chat feature or chatbot gives them that instant response they’re craving. Think of it as having a helpful assistant available 24/7 to answer questions, guide visitors, and nudge them toward booking.
Chatbots can handle common questions like pricing, availability, or service details without making people wait. For more complex queries, they can smoothly hand off to your team. This immediate interaction keeps potential customers engaged instead of bouncing to a competitor’s site.
The best part? You can capture leads even when you’re sleeping. A simple “Leave your email and we’ll get back to you” works wonders when no one’s available to chat live.
The Impact of These Features on Local Conversions
When local businesses add these features to their websites, they typically see real changes in how customers interact with them. Click-to-call buttons alone can boost phone inquiries by 30-50% because people don’t have to manually type numbers anymore. They just tap and connect.
Google Maps integration builds trust instantly. Customers feel more confident visiting a business when they can see exactly where it is and how to get there. This simple addition often reduces the “I couldn’t find you” problem that costs businesses countless walk-ins.
Reviews and testimonials work as social proof. When potential customers see that others have had good experiences, they’re far more likely to take action themselves. Even a handful of genuine reviews can increase conversion rates by 15-20%.
The best part? These features work together. A visitor might read a review, check the map to see you’re nearby, then immediately call. That’s the power of having everything in one place.
To explore how AI tools can enhance website conversions, read our blog on Generative Engine Optimization (GEO).
Wrapping Up…
A good website turns visitors into customers. These seven features give your local business a real advantage. Need help adding them to your site?
Red Rattler Creative builds conversion-focused websites for local businesses. We don’t just make things look nice—we get you real results.
