Widgets for Conversion: Boosting Sales and Engagement on Your WordPress Site

WordPress is by far the most popular CMS on the planet, and understandably so. It offers user-friendliness, flexibility, and power. It also comes with a robust plugin ecosystem, offering excellent customizability to suit every website’s needs. However, offering an appealing and functional site is one thing, and enticing visitors to convert into customers is another. Conversion optimization is among the most pressing concerns for marketers and web admins. The slightest increase or decrease in conversion rates will directly affect your bottom line. This is where WordPress’s flexibility comes through, with widgets for conversion optimization. Its vast library offers an array of useful tools for this purpose. We’ll explore them together.

The Role of Widgets in Conversion Optimization

A widget offers some handy features and convenience for the average user. While this is true, it only outlines some of the value of widgets for web admins.

Widgets customize and improve the experience of website visitors. For instance, testimonial widgets will enhance a visitor’s trust in a product or service. Since the vast majority of customers read and value reviews, that’s indeed a perk. Form widgets streamline a visitor’s experience by removing friction and offering circumstantial value. Digital marketers at Convert More report that most eCommerce customers who abandon their carts do so due to friction, so that’s also welcome.

Elements like these affect conversion rates. Following the same examples, convincing testimonials increase the likelihood of conversion, and forms generate qualified leads to convert later. Other types of widgets optimize conversions further, too, like exit-intent pop-up widgets and countdown timer widgets. Some, like the former group, do so by improving the visitor experience; others do so by leveraging common conversion tactics and optimizations. These widgets work in tandem to nudge visitors toward desired actions.

Types of Widgets for Conversion Optimization

So, which types of widgets work well for conversion optimization? Let’s explore the main ones:

1. Call-to-action widgets
2. Testimonial widgets
3. Lead generation from widgets
4. Countdown timer widgets
5. Exit-intent pop-up widgets

Call-to-Action (CTA) Widgets

For any Conversion Rate Optimization (CRO), your CTAs will be front and centre. They’re your literal calls to action, whether they’re urging purchases or signups. So, your final conversions will always reflect their effectiveness.

CTAs largely follow three principles:

• Clarity – Your CTA must be entirely clear about what it does and what it offers
• Persuasion – It needs to speak the language of its audiences and employ convincing brevity
• Visibility – A CTA must be immediately visible and identifiable as a CTA rather than an unclickable visual element

Thankfully, ample customizable CTA widgets for conversion can help you create CTAs that tick all those boxes. Examples would include the likes of Buttonizer and Thrive Leads, among others. Such widgets help you create efficient CTAs, getting you one step closer to these coveted conversions.

Testimonial Widgets

Over the years, study after study, we have seen proof of the sheer power and impact testimonials have on conversions. Consider the following, for instance, from this year:

• 99.75% of online shoppers read reviews at least sometimes; 91% do so always or regularly
• 98% of shoppers say reviews are an essential resource when making purchase decisions
• Nearly half (45%) of consumers won’t purchase a product if there are no reviews available for it

It stands to reason, too. Your testimonials showcase pleasant customer experiences and customer satisfaction with your product or service. They’re not themselves marketing, so audiences overwhelmingly trust them as genuine and honest.

You can leverage social proof through such plugins as Strong Testimonials and Testimonial Slider. Plugins of this type allow you to display positive testimonials where it truly matters prominently. They will also typically offer customizable templates for different formats like sliders, grids, or single quotes, so you can opt for the ones that make the most sense for you.

Lead Generation Form Widgets

All conversions start with proper leads. Before examining other widgets for conversion, let’s briefly outline how lead generation from widgets can make the entire process easier.

The essence of a good lead generation form boils down to a simple transaction of value. Your website asks for visitors’ names, addresses, or other information for future marketing use. In exchange, it must offer something of demonstrable value. This could be a free trial, a free kit, access to exclusive content, a newsletter, etc.

This matters because the transaction sets lead nurturing in motion. Leads that have received something of value are more invested and may thus respond better going forward. They’ll be more likely to convert in time since they’ve had a better user experience.

In this regard, plugins like WPForms and Ninja Forms can help you create effective lead-generation forms. They typically offer customizable templates to suit your website, and many come with drag-and-drop features. As such, they can help you collect information effectively and achieve more conversions down the line.

Countdown Timer Widgets

Once you have other conversion tools in order, a common practice to consider is adding a countdown timer. This simple, established practice adds urgency to your offerings because it gives them a deadline. It kindles the fear of missing out (FOMO), which can lead to conversions.

It may seem flimsy at a glance, but it’s really not. “Limited time only” is among the most common marketing phrases, and for a good reason. The psychological response that exclusivity elicits cannot be overlooked; it has always worked and still works in the digital age.

Plugins like Evergreen Countdown Timer and Countdown Timer Ultimate focus on this specific practice by creating visually stark timers. Such timers can considerably boost final conversions, whether it’s about making a purchase or signing up for something.

Exit-Intent Pop-Up Widgets

Finally, suppose you didn’t secure a conversion. It happens – in fact, it happens more often than not. When it does, you may have a window for one final attempt to persuade your fleeing visitor to stay. You can use exit-intent pop-ups. These pop-ups will typically fall under one of the following types:

• Content upgrade
• Free trial
• Social media follow
• Customer feedback
• Limited-time offer

If you’ve been on the internet even for a bit, you’ve likely seen these pop-ups. They emerge as a visitor is about to leave a page, making one final offer. And while they may seem annoying to the average user, they do, in fact, work. Studies disagree on how well they work, but the most pessimistic among them find a 5-10% conversion rate increase. That’s not bad at all, especially considering how easy it is to make them with widgets for conversion.

Plugins like OptinMonster and Sumo provide templates and customization options to craft engaging exit-intent pop-ups. They typically offer extensive options, too, as they know each website will need different pop-ups that match their brand.

Choosing the Right Widgets for Your WordPress Site

You’ve likely noticed this article hasn’t included extensive lists of candidates for all widget types. That’s entirely intentional, as no best widget in each category will work for every website. As with everything in marketing and web design, your best approach would be to explore which ones best suit you. More specifically, the conversion widgets you choose must be:

• Fit for purpose – Take the time to dig into your audience insights and website goals. What your audiences prefer and how your website best caters to them are both factors unique to you
• The user experience – Your website’s design and structure largely inform the user experience. So, ensure your candidates align with your established user experience and don’t disrupt navigation
• Design – Many designs will work, but not all designs will suit your website. First, check how simple and clear widgets for conversion fare to confirm they can serve their purpose. Then, see which are consistent with your website’s aesthetics, WordPress themes, and broader tone
• Placement – Prominent sections that draw the eye of visitors are prime candidates for widget placement. However, where your audiences look most or interact with you and what content they find relevant is also unique to you. So, examine if the widgets you are considering support your ideal placement properly or if they feel out of place

And finally, as you look for widgets, remember to consult reviews. They can serve as a vote of confidence, as they do for your audiences. But more importantly, they may reveal something relevant to you that could inform your decision.

Boost Conversions with the Right Widgets

Conversions are not easy to come by; in fact, conversion rates are fairly low across all industries. Therefore, every bit of help with conversion optimization counts. Widgets for conversion optimization include CTA, testimonial, lead generation form, countdown timer, and exit-intent pop-up widgets. Each of these types can play an important role in securing a conversion. Each has its place in the customer journey, too. Lead generation form widgets get lead nurturing started, while exit-intent pop-up widgets add one final attempt at persuasion. That said, which of these you choose must always depend on you, your audiences, and your website. Examine your options closely, from their reviews to their customization options. Ensure that they fit your design and brand and can cater to your audiences. And once you do, you’ll be one step closer to improved conversion rates.