Inc.com: Anyone who does business online worries about how to boost Web traffic. But traffic is only part of the story. Equally important is the conversion rate - the percentage of customers who actually buy something. On average, companies report that only 3 percent of Web surfers actually buy, according to a survey by Shop.org, a division of the National Retail Federation.

Fortunately, there are new tools that can help companies convert browsers into buyers. A company can design several versions of its website and use one of many new software packages to track how each design affects the conversion rate. It's called multivariate testing, and many consulting firms specialize in it. But free tools also are available, including Google's Website Optimizer.

Below, we look at how two companies boosted conversion rates. Stamps.com, which allows users to print postage and shipping labels from any computer, redesigned its website after testing 12 versions of its site with consultancy OTTO Digital. The company's conversion rate rose by 20 percent. Vitamin maker Jigsaw Health tested 10 different designs, with help from consulting firm Future Now. The result: The conversion rate rose from 10.3 percent to 19.6 percent. Take a look at the lessons both companies learned from the process. The changes on display may seem small and subtle, but the effect on conversion rates has been anything but.

Turning Browsers Into Buyers [Inc.com]

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