Hidden conversions — Your website's invisible success

When people talk about conversions on a website, most people immediately think of filling out a contact form or selling a product. While these are indeed important conversions, there are many more actions that can be valuable to your business. These “hidden conversions” are often overlooked, but they can play a crucial role in the success of your website. In this article, we'll dive deeper into what hidden conversions are and how you can use them to improve your website's performance.

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What are hidden conversions?

Hidden conversions are actions that visitors take on or through your website that contribute to your business goals, but are not always immediately recognized as a conversion.
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For example, consider:
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1. An improved image - A well-designed website exudes trust and quality. Even if a visitor doesn't take immediate action, they may see your company as more professional, which can contribute to future collaborations.
2. A conversation in unexpected places - Like a party where someone has seen your website and talks to you about it. These kinds of conversations can spontaneously lead to new customers or valuable connections.
3. Word of mouth - Someone visits your website, gets impressed with your brand or services, and tells others about your business. This can lead to new customers, without you being able to immediately measure that the website played a role in this.
4. Downloading an e-book - A visitor who downloads a valuable document shows interest in your expertise and may be a potential customer.
5. Clicking on an email address or phone number - These are clear signs of interest, even if the visitor does not contact us directly.
6. Sharing a blog article on social media - A visitor who shares your content increases your reach and can generate new leads.
7. Watching a video - Videos are a powerful way to get your message across. When a visitor watches a video, he/she actively takes the time to consume your content.

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Why are hidden conversions important?

Recognizing and measuring hidden conversions helps you get a fuller picture of how visitors interact with your website. This provides valuable insights into their behavior, interests, and where they are in the customer journey.

In addition, it allows you to:

1. Assess the effectiveness of your content - If a specific blog article is shared frequently or a video gets a lot of views, you know that this type of content appeals to your target group.
2. Identifying new leads - Visitors who download an e-book or subscribe to your newsletter are potential leads you can follow up on.
3. Optimizing your website - By analyzing hidden conversions, you can discover which elements of your website work well and which can be improved.

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How do you measure hidden conversions on your Webflow website?

The beauty of Webflow is that the platform is flexible and powerful enough to easily measure hidden conversions.
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Here are some steps to do this:

1. Use analysis tools - With, for example Google Analytics, Plausible country Webflow Analysis you can set custom goals, such as clicking on an email address or viewing a specific page.
2. Deploy UX tools - Tools like Hotjar country Microsoft Clarity show how visitors interact with your website, including clicks and scrolling behavior.
3. Test with optimization tools - Optibase country Optimize Webflow are a few examples of tools that focus on experimenting and improving conversions.
4. Use forms and downloads - Make sure you offer valuable content in exchange for contact information, such as an email address.

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How do you measure hidden conversions outside your Webflow website?

Measuring offline success and hidden conversions is a lot harder than online actions. However, there are ways to gain insight into how your website indirectly contributes to offline results.
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Here are some practical strategies you can use:

1. Ask customers how they found you - One of the easiest ways to understand offline conversions is to simply ask. This can be done, for example, via:
   • Telephone calls: During the call, ask if they visited your website.
   • Personal meetings: Ask the question during an appointment or event.
   • Short surveys: When purchasing in a physical store or after a service, you can offer a short questionnaire.
2. Call tracking - If your phone number is prominent on your website, you can use tools to measure how many calls come indirectly through your website. Think about:
   
   • Unique phone numbers: Use different numbers for specific campaigns or channels.
   • Call tracking software: This lets you see which offline actions lead to phone calls. Twilio is an excellent platform for this.
3. Use data from your CRM system - If you have a platform like Attio whether Hubspot used, you can link offline actions to previous online interactions:
   • For example, a customer you meet offline may have visited your website before. By linking data, you get insight into how your website has contributed indirectly.
4. Analysis of trends - Look at patterns in your sales or customer requests around online campaigns:
   • Seasonal promotions: When you add an action to your website, you can see if there is a peak in, for example, store visits or phone calls during the same period.
   • Regional focus: If you focus campaigns on specific locations, you can analyze whether customers in that region contact more often.

While measuring offline hidden conversions requires some creativity, it's certainly possible to gain valuable insights. By making smart links between your online and offline activities, you can better understand how your website contributes to your offline success.

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Conclusion

Hidden conversions are a gold mine of information and opportunities that often go untapped. By recognizing, measuring and optimizing these actions, you can not only better meet the needs of your visitors, but also take the performance of your (Webflow) website to a higher level. So don't forget to look beyond just the contact form or direct sales.
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Want to know how to optimize your Webflow website for both visible and hidden conversions? Then just schedule a demo. Together, we can make your Webflow website a conversion machine!