13 Reasons Your Solar Website Isn’t Converting + Solutions

Your solar company’s website is your biggest online asset and sales tool. Many reasons cause a decreased conversion rate for solar websites, including weak call-to-actions, lack of trust signals, poor content, and stock photography.

Converting visitors into customers is the main role of solar websites, beyond showcasing products and services. But here’s the catch: many struggle with conversions. 

Your website might look amazing, but if it doesn’t drive your company’s revenue, it’s not doing its job.

Across industries, average website conversion rates fall between 2.35% and 5.31%, with monthly traffic around 3.93K. What if your website is far from these average marks? It’s time to identify the pitfalls.

Below, we’ll tackle 13 common issues that could affect your solar website’s conversion rates. These include enhancing CTAs, leveraging testimonials, updating designs to modern standards, and using detailed analytics to streamline content.

Keep reading to learn more about each issue and the actionable solutions needed.

#1. Weak Call-to-Actions

A Call-To-Action, or CTA, is your tool for guiding visitors toward actions that trigger conversions. Why will a weak call-to-action on your solar website eventually cause issues? 

A weak CTA will fail because it’s vague or blends too much with the page, leaving visitors unclear about what to do next. Clear CTAs are vital in the solar industry, where decisions require significant education and trust.

Common signs of a weak CTA:

1. Ambiguous Language: “Click Here” is a CTA that lacks context. Instead, “Schedule Your Free Solar Assessment” directly informs what the next steps are.
2. Low Visibility: People frequently overlook CTAs that don’t visually stand out. So make sure they are visually distinct.
3. Overload: Too many CTAs can overwhelm visitors. Providing too many options close together, such as “Download Our Brochure,” “Request a Solar Quote,” and “View Gallery,” can dilute the effectiveness of each.

How to craft strong CTAs:

1. Action-Oriented Language: Use direct phrases that encourage action, such as “Get Your Free Solar Quote Now” or “Download Your Installation Guide Here.”
2. Visually Distinctive: Use size, color, or graphics to make CTAs visually noticeable. Use colors contrasting with your site’s color scheme to make CTAs stand out. Consider adding an arrow or an icon next to your CTA text to draw attention and indicate action.
3. Limit Choices: To avoid decision fatigue, cut the number of CTAs. Choose your primary goal and tailor your CTA to guide users exactly where you want them to go. For instance, if your goal is to increase consultations, your CTA could be “Book Your Free Consultation Today!” Place this on high-traffic pages to ensure visibility.

#2. Lack of Trust Generation

Trust credentials such as customer reviews, ratings, and testimonials significantly influence potential clients’ perceptions of your service’s reliability and quality. 

What to do:

• Start Collecting Reviews: Encourage satisfied customers to share their experiences. Simple prompts, such as post-purchase or follow-up emails, are effective methods.
• Showcase Reviews Prominently: Strategically place positive reviews on your homepage and key product pages to maximize their visibility.
• Utilize Badges and Certificates: Display any industry-recognized badges or certifications that enhance your credibility.
• Leverage Marketing Reviews: Incorporate positive feedback into your marketing efforts to increase their impact.
• Monitor and Respond to Reviews: Regularly assess customer feedback and respond thoughtfully, demonstrating your commitment to customer satisfaction.

Beyond improving trust and speeding up conversions, trust credentials also enhance your site’s visibility, as search engines like Google favor websites with highly-rated content.

#3. Not Showcasing Past Projects

Your solar website’s portfolio or case studies section is key to demonstrating your expertise and successful projects. It’s critical for building trust, especially since 61% of people trust companies, particularly those with documented achievements. 

Improve your project page or case studies section by:

• Designing a Dedicated Space: On your homepage or a specific page, create a section titled “Case Studies” or “Our Work” with photos, summaries, and brief descriptions of where the work was taken.
• Showing Key Metrics: Use bold text, icons, tables, figures, or graphs to display important data and metrics.
• Incorporating Storytelling: Format each case study as a narrative, starting with the client’s challenge, followed by your solution, and concluding with the results.

Without past projects, visitors might doubt your track record. Including detailed case studies that demonstrate your ability to overcome challenges and deliver benefits can significantly reassure potential clients.

#4. Slow-Loading Website and Pages

Website and page speed are crucial for solar websites. Website speed refers to the total time it takes for a site to load as users navigate through it, whereas page speed focuses on individual page loading times. 

Factors affecting speed include the quantity and size of media files, themes, and plugins used, as well as the efficiency of coding and server scripts.

Why load speed matters:

Studies reveal that 57% of visitors abandon a site if it takes longer than three seconds to load, with 80% not returning. Most users expect pages to load in under two seconds. Beyond CRO, speed also impacts SEO, as Google uses site speed as a metric for desktop and mobile search ranking. 

How to improve your site and web pages’ loading speed:

Optimize images, minimize heavy themes and plugins, and refine your site’s code to enhance speed. According to research, every second of reduced load time can boost conversions by 17%. By improving their page speeds, major companies like Walmart and Mobify have documented substantial increases in conversions and revenue. 

#5. Poor User Experience Across Devices

Speaking of load speed, did you know that a lack of a seamless user experience across different devices is another factor in slow-loading websites? This is due to variations in screen sizes, operating platforms, and device orientations; about 83% of users expect a consistent experience across all devices.

The solution? Responsive web design.

A responsive web design is about adjusting your solar website’s layout to fit any screen, whether on a desktop, tablet, or smartphone. This prevents issues like oversized images and excessive scrolling, resulting in an improved overall user experience.

Benefits of responsive design:

• Increased Mobile Traffic: Over 58% of website traffic now comes from mobile devices. Responsive design ensures users on smaller screens have a complete website experience, preventing them from turning to competitors due to poor layouts or distorted images.
• Improved Page Speed: Mobile users often have limited patience for loading times. Responsive designs employ modern performance techniques like caching and responsive image display to quicken load times, thereby enhancing user retention.
• Reduced Bounce Rates: A website that looks good and functions smoothly on any device is more likely to keep visitors engaged longer, reducing the likelihood they’ll leave without exploring more of your site.
• Higher Conversion Rates: A consistent user experience across all devices is crucial for conversions. Users are less likely to subscribe or make a purchase if they encounter a clunky, device-specific site, leading to frustration and lost sales.

#6. Outdated Solar Website

With technology and consumer behavior rapidly evolving, your solar website must keep pace to remain effective. Ideally, you should consider a redesign every 5-10 years to ensure your site aligns with the latest technological advancements and design trends, preventing it from becoming obsolete.

Obvious indicators:

• Poor User Experience: A site that’s difficult to navigate, slow, or confusing can drive users away, negatively impacting your business.
• Negative Brand Perception: An outdated or unattractive website can harm your business’s credibility and professionalism.
• Decreased Conversion Rates: Ineffective website design can prevent users from taking desired actions, such as making purchases or signing up, leading to revenue loss.
• Increased Maintenance Costs: Older websites often become more cumbersome and expensive to update and maintain.

If you haven’t kept track of the last time your site was updated, or if it still features outdated elements and plug-ins, then it’s definitely time for a new solar website.

#7. Overly Complex Forms

Complex and lengthy forms can significantly impact conversions on your solar website. Users often find these forms frustrating, leading to an abandonment rate of nearly 70%, which results in missed opportunities and wasted resources.

Strategies:

1. Simplify Your Forms: Streamline your forms to include only essential fields. This approach respects users’ time and increases the likelihood of completion. Consider progressive profiling, which involves collecting data over time through multiple interactions, easing the burden on users and encouraging completion.
2. Highlight the Benefits: Communicate the advantages of completing the form. Whether it’s access to exclusive content or an immediate quote, emphasizing these incentives can motivate users to complete the form.
3.  Assist User Completion: Integrate autocomplete functions and dynamic suggestions to help users fill in fields quickly and accurately. Implement real-time address validation to ensure data accuracy and enhance user experience with autofill details, saving time and boosting perceptions of customer service and reliability.

#8. Ineffective Content Marketing

Effective solar content marketing is vital for your solar business, as it not only captures attention but guides potential customers through the buying journey. High-quality content keeps readers engaged and can meet the needs and expectations of your audience. 

Ensure high-quality content by:

• Knowing your audience: Research your audience’s demographics, interests, and challenges. Tailor your content to their preferences, making it relevant and compelling.
• Providing value: Offer unique insights, in-depth analysis, or practical tips that address your audience’s needs.
• Optimizing for SEO: Integrate relevant keywords naturally, use descriptive meta tags, and provide alt text for images to improve search engine visibility. Click here to learn more about Solar SEO.
• Including a strong call-to-action: End with a clear call-to-action, directing readers to subscribe, comment, share, or purchase.
• Structuring your content well: Use headings and lists for clarity, start with engaging headlines to capture attention, write in a relatable tone, incorporate relevant visuals, and keep the language clear and simple for straightforward comprehension.

#9. Insufficient or Overloading Information

Overloading your solar website with too much information can overwhelm visitors, leading to site abandonment and lower conversion rates. 

Excessive clutter complicates navigation, especially on mobile devices, obscures key messages, and reduces the impact of valuable content. While being detailed benefits SEO, too much slows down your site.

On the other hand, insufficient information, such as contact details, can also hurt conversions. Visitors should have clear and simple access to your business’s contact information, including office address, phone numbers, email, and social media links.

Balance a clean design

Balance a clean design that presents information logically and clearly. Use good design principles to enhance the user experience without causing cognitive overload. Regularly updating your site’s information is crucial for establishing trust and reliability and funneling potential customers into becoming loyal clients.

#10. Not Targeting the Right Keywords

Effective keyword targeting and optimization are crucial for enhancing conversions on a solar website. Keywords are the search terms potential customers use when looking for solar products and services online. 

By identifying and using the right keywords—such as “solar panels,” “solar energy,” “solar installation,” “solar contractor,” “residential solar,” and “commercial solar”—you can improve your website’s visibility, attract more targeted traffic, and increase both conversions and revenue.

Benefits of keyword targeting and optimization:

• Increased Visibility: Targeted keywords help your site appear in relevant search results, attracting visitors actively seeking solar solutions.
• Higher Conversion Rates: Focusing on specific, less competitive long-tail keywords captures a more targeted audience with a higher intent to purchase, leading to better conversion rates.
• Local SEO Advantage: Using geo-specific keywords is crucial, as 46% of Google searches are local, and businesses in Google’s Map Pack see a 42% increase in click-through rates.
• Build Authority and Trust: Using relevant terms, like long-tail keywords, consistently across your content establishes your authority in the solar industry, leading to enhanced trust and referrals.

How to do solar website keyword optimization:

1. Use Keyword Tools: Employ tools like Google Keyword Planner, SEMRush, and Ubersuggest to discover effective keywords.
2. Incorporate Keywords Strategically: Integrate keywords naturally into your content, meta tags, and image descriptions to improve SEO without appearing forced.
3. Monitor and Adjust: Regularly track the performance of your keywords and adjust your strategy to maximize ROI and adapt to changes in search behavior.

Targeting the right keywords allows you to streamline your marketing efforts and connect with your ideal customer base, ensuring every marketing dollar contributes to business growth.

#11. Technical Issues

Addressing technical issues on your solar website is crucial for maintaining optimal performance and ensuring conversions. Beyond impacting SEO rankings, these problems can also compromise site security. 

Major technical issues:

1. Code Issues: Disorganized code, incorrect Robot.txt files, missing sitemap files, excessive subfolders in URLs, multiple 404 errors and redirects, and a lack of HTTPS can all impair site functionality and search engine indexing.
2. Broken Links: These lead to user frustration and signal to search engines that your site is non-existent, negatively impacting your rankings.
3. Security Vulnerabilities: Small businesses often become targets for hackers due to weaker security, leading to potential compliance issues and eroding trust.

Remember, resolving each issue demands extensive knowledge and can consume significant time if not managed properly. For this reason, hiring an in-house Solar SEO and Web Agency is advisable. 

Experts like us will save you time and ensure continuous, professional website management. 

We can handle everything from routine backups and security updates to performance tracking and immediate issue resolution, allowing you to focus on core business activities without distraction.

#12. Inconsistent Branding

Your brand’s identity can make or break your marketing success. Consistent branding on your solar website helps customers associate your service or products with quality and boosts recall at the point of purchase. 

In contrast, inconsistent branding can damage your brand’s reputation, dilute your messaging, disjointed customer perceptions, and cost you more on rebranding efforts. 

Ensure brand consistency by:

• Clarifying your brand values and identity.
• Keeping logos and color schemes uniform across all platforms.
• Using a consistent tone and vocabulary in all communications.
• Regularly check your branding to ensure it aligns with your business’ identity.

Since 41% of consumers view consistency as critical to brand loyalty, not to mention boosting revenues by up to 23%, maintaining a consistent brand is a game changer in the competitive solar market.

#13. Lack of Web Analytics and Conversion Tracking

Last but not least major cause of solar websites that don’t convert is the ineffective use of web analytics and conversion tracking. 

Web analytics are invaluable as they provide insights into user behavior, website interactions, and performance by tracking metrics like traffic, engagement, and conversions. 

This data forms the foundation for conversion tracking, specifically focusing on monitoring actions that align with your business goals, such as purchases and form submissions. 

Track conversions by:

• Data Collection: Use web analytics tools to collect data on various metrics.
• Conversion Measurement: Configure tools to monitor specific events or actions representing conversions.
• Performance Analysis: Pinpoint interaction points and areas for improvement, then evaluate conversion rates and user paths.
• A/B Testing: Experiment with different page versions to identify the most effective converting visitors.
• User Segmentation: Segment your audience to customize strategies and enhance conversions.
• Goal Tracking: Define and monitor goals to understand user journeys and identify where users drop off.

Recommended Tools for Web Analytics and Conversion Tracking:

• Google Analytics: A free tool that offers extensive data, including traffic and conversion metrics.
• SEMrush: Provides a broad range of features beyond analytics, like SEO, PPC, and social media insights.

For solar business owners, using these analytics tools will help avoid issues like duplicate records and missing codes. Due to its cost-effectiveness and comprehensive capabilities, Google Analytics is an advisable tool for startups. 

Easy Mode Media: Turning Solar Website Into Conversion Powerhouse

Are you having trouble converting website visitors into paying solar customers, or are you finding technical issues difficult to resolve? 

Easy Mode Media is here to help. We specialize in fixing low-converting solar websites by crafting compelling CTAs, designing sleek, responsive pages, and implementing effective conversion strategies.

But we go beyond web design—our service includes detailed web analytics and conversion tracking, ensuring your site turns visitors into leads. We will design your site for maximum impact and profitability.

Let us take the guesswork out of your website’s performance. 

Schedule a 1-on-1 call with our expert solar SEO strategist, Ben McLaughlan, and start converting visitors today!

BOOK A CALL Below.