Conversion optimisation: turn your website into a smooth train journey
Most websites lose customers quietly.
People click onto your site, look around for a few seconds, then disappear without calling, booking or buying. That’s where conversion optimisation comes in – making more of the visitors you already have, without spending more on ads.
In this guide, we’ll look at conversion optimisation through a simple analogy: your website as a train journey.
Your visitor starts at the station (your homepage or landing page) and needs to arrive at their destination (enquiry, booking or purchase). Our job is to make that journey:
- Clear
- Comfortable
- Fast
- And free from surprises
Let’s walk through how to do that on a small business website – without any scary jargon.
What is conversion optimisation (in plain English)?
Conversion optimisation is simply:
Making it easier for visitors to do what you want them to do on your site.
That might be:
- Filling in your contact form
- Booking an appointment
- Requesting a quote
- Calling your office
- Buying a product or voucher
Instead of guessing what might work, conversion optimisation uses real data and user behaviour to improve your website bit by bit.
Think of it like running a train service:
- You watch where delays happen
- You see which stations are crowded
- You notice where people get confused and get off early
- Then you fix those specific problems
You don’t rebuild the entire railway every time – you improve the parts that are holding things up.
Step 1: Map the journey – from station to destination
Before you change anything, you need to know what journey your visitors are supposed to take.
Define your main destination
Pick one primary conversion goal for your website:
- Service business: “Request a quote” or “Book a consultation”
- Trades: “Call us” or “Request a callback”
- Hospitality: “Book a table” or “Book a room”
- Professional services: “Enquire now” or “Schedule a call”
This is your final station.
List the usual stops on the way
Now write down the typical steps someone takes from first visit to enquiry or booking. For example, for a local plumbing business:
- Google search: “emergency plumber near me”
- Clicks homepage
- Skims benefits and trust signals (reviews, accreditations)
- Checks services page
- Clicks phone number or WhatsApp
Each of these steps is a station on the journey. Conversion optimisation is about making sure people don’t get off the train early.
Step 2: Find the slow, confusing or broken parts
Now we look for the points where people abandon the journey.
Use simple data (no degree required)
Even basic tools like Google Analytics can tell you:
- Which pages people land on first
- Which pages they leave from most often
- How long they spend on each page
Focus on:
- Your homepage
- Your top 2–3 service pages
- Your contact/booking page
If lots of people land on a page and quickly leave without doing anything, that’s like passengers standing on the platform, taking one look at the train, and walking away.
Do a ‘common sense’ walkthrough
Next, pretend you’re a customer:
- Open your site on your phone (most visitors will)
- Give yourself a task, like “Book a consultation” or “Find out how much this costs”
- Time how long it takes
- Note every moment of confusion or frustration
Questions to ask yourself:
- Do I know what this business actually does within 5 seconds?
- Is it obvious what I should do next?
- Can I find pricing or at least a sense of cost?
- How many clicks does it take to get to the contact or booking page?
- Do I have to repeat information (like typing my details twice)?
Every point of friction is like:
- A delayed train
- A platform change with no announcement
- Or a vague sign that leaves you guessing
People won’t complain – they’ll just leave.
Step 3: Fix the three biggest conversion killers
You don’t need to fix everything at once. Start with the issues that usually have the biggest impact.
1. Confusing messaging (unclear destination boards)
If your homepage doesn’t make it instantly obvious what you do, who you serve and what to do next, people won’t hang around.
Add a clear, simple section at the top of your homepage:
- What you do – e.g. “Gas-safe boiler installations and repairs”
- Who it’s for – “for homeowners across Leeds”
- Main benefit – “fast call-outs, upfront pricing”
- Clear next step – “Call now” or “Request a quote”
Think of this as the big board at the station:
“This train goes to Manchester Piccadilly. Calling at…”
No doubt. No guessing.
2. Weak or hidden calls-to-action (no announcements)
A call-to-action (CTA) is simply telling people what to do next.
Common problems:
- Only one lonely “Contact us” button in the header
- Buttons that say vague things like “Learn more” everywhere
- No CTA at the end of key sections
Better CTAs are:
- Clear: “Request a free quote”, “Book your table”, “Call our team”
- Specific: tell them exactly what will happen next
- Repeated: on every key page and section
Place your main CTA:
- At the top of the page
- In the middle, after explaining your key benefits
- At the bottom, after testimonials or pricing
On a train, you hear regular announcements: “Next stop… doors will open on the left…” Your website should be just as clear about what’s next.
3. Too many steps (unnecessary changes and stops)
Every extra click is a chance to lose someone.
Common examples:
- Making people click from homepage → services overview → individual service → contact page → form
- Long forms asking for information you don’t really need
- Booking systems that feel like filing a tax return
Quick wins:
- Add a CTA directly on service pages (don’t force people to go hunting)
- Cut your forms down to the essentials (you can always ask more later)
- Offer shortcuts like “Request a callback” with just name and phone number
Make the journey as direct as possible: fewer stops, faster arrival.
Step 4: Add signals that build trust along the journey
Even with a smooth journey, people need reassurance they’re making the right choice.
Show proof at every key station
Think of reviews, testimonials and case studies as:
Other passengers saying, “Yes, this train gets you there on time.”
Place trust signals:
- Near your main CTAs
- On service pages
- On your contact/booking page
Examples:
- Star ratings from Google Reviews
- Short quotes from happy customers
- Logos of companies you’ve worked with
- Memberships and accreditations
Make them specific:
“Los Webos built our new site and enquiries increased by 45% in three months.”
That’s much more powerful than “Great service, would recommend.”
Remove doubt about what happens next
People hesitate when they’re unsure what will happen after they click.
Add a short line under your main CTA explaining the next step:
- “We’ll get back to you within one working day.”
- “No payment required now – pay safely on arrival.”
- “We’ll send you 2–3 time slots to choose from.”
It’s like hearing: “This train terminates at…” – you know exactly where you’ll end up.
Step 5: Test small changes like a timetable tweak
Conversion optimisation is not about redesigning your whole site every six months. It’s about small, measured improvements.
Simple tests any small business can run
Pick one page and test one change at a time:
- Change your main CTA text – e.g. from “Contact us” to “Get a free quote”
- Move your phone number to the top right and make it click-to-call on mobile
- Add a short testimonial next to your contact form
- Reduce your form fields from 8 to 4
Then track for a few weeks:
- Are you getting more enquiries or bookings?
- Are more people clicking your CTAs?
You don’t need fancy A/B testing tools to start. Just:
- Make a small change
- Note the date
- Track results in a simple spreadsheet
If it works, keep it. If not, try something else. Just like adjusting a train timetable until you find the best pattern.
Step 6: Don’t forget mobile – your busiest platform
For many UK SMEs, over half of visitors are on mobile. If your site is hard to use on a phone, you’re losing conversions.
Check your site on a mobile:
- Is the text readable without zooming?
- Are buttons big enough to tap with a thumb?
- Is your phone number tap-to-call?
- Does your contact/booking form fit comfortably on screen?
A mobile visitor on a busy high street has even less patience than someone at a quiet desk. Make their journey quick and effortless.
Quick conversion optimisation checklist
Use this as a simple starting point for your own website:
- [ ] Clear statement at the top of your homepage (what you do, who for, main benefit)
- [ ] One main, clear call-to-action repeated across key pages
- [ ] Contact/booking page linked directly from service pages
- [ ] Forms as short as possible
- [ ] Phone number easy to find and tap on mobile
- [ ] Testimonials or reviews near your CTAs
- [ ] Simple explanation of what happens after someone enquires or books
- [ ] Key pages load quickly and look good on mobile
Ticking even a few of these can make a noticeable difference to enquiries and bookings.
Want your website to run like a well-timed train service?
Conversion optimisation doesn’t have to be technical, expensive or overwhelming. Often, it’s about clear words, fewer steps and a bit of common sense.
At Los Webos, we build and improve websites for UK SMEs so they don’t just look pretty – they turn visitors into customers.
If you’d like:
- A quick, honest review of your current website journey
- Practical suggestions to boost enquiries and bookings
- Or a new site built with conversion optimisation baked in from day one
Get in touch with the Los Webos team today. Let’s turn your website into a smooth, reliable journey that brings more customers to your door.