I've been reading up on lead conversion - the percentage of Web site visitors that end up reaching the given goal on your Web site. It could include anything from completing a contact form, requesting more information, signing up for your newsletter, making a purchase, etc.

Lead generation is critical to the overall success of your site because it determines whether or not you have captured a visitor. It is the difference between window shopping and actually making a purchase - you want to get them inside the dressing room don't you? (pardon the shopping references)

Here is a list of some simple steps you can do to start converting more Web site traffic into qualified leads:

• Optimize your home page: ensure you have appropriate title tags and home page text - this will help you attract more overall traffic to your site, increasing the base number of visitors, giving you a better number to start with to convert
• Clearly lay out the navigation structure: if visitors cannot easily get to the information they are seeking, how are they going to perform the action you desire?
• Properly position your call to action: do visitors even know what to do when they get to your site?
• Site metrics are key: are you checking analytics? Google's free tool shows you an incredible amount of information about your site. At the most basic level, the “site overlay” feature tells you where people click, where they don’t click and where they leave your site. Also important is the bounce rate - how high the percentage of traffic leaving your site from the home page (before they navigate anywhere else). This information is key to finding out what site adjustments may be needed to retain better traffic.
• Web site features: what are you offering your audience? Few tools tell you anything about your “non-customers” – that is, the visitors who arrived at your site then left for whatever reason. You rarely get feedback from these people. They are unlikely to phone up, but they might just be persuaded to use a Live Chat feature, for example.
• Usability: there are free tests out there that will help you assess your site.
• Eye Tracking: tools that show you what people are seeing but do not click. There are services that provide you with this information, here is one.
• Click Mapping: see where the most popular parts of your site are. Crazy Eggs a free service that allows you to see the parts of your page that your visitors click on. ClickTale s similar, but has the advantage of recording Flash movies of your visitors’ browsing sessions, and allowing you to see how far people scroll down your pages.
• And, finally, listen to those who frequently use your site. Ask for their suggestions and be sure to check out our SEO services to get more traffic coming in.