While reports claiming that sites should expect X% conversion rates, such numbers are typically quite general and differ widely between one type of site and another.

Sounds like a usability issue to me. Have you gotten any reports from users experience problems with your site? Perhaps the a lot of people find the form awkward, or perhaps the reasons for filling out the form aren't spelled out properly?

Thanks for the response Doc. It could be a number of things including technical or design issues...

I would like to just know what anybody elses organic conversion rate based on b2b, b2c, or e-commerce?

Hey OrganicPop. I've seen this question asked /discussed about half a dozen times on different forums over the past 2 years...and every time the reply has been "it's impossible to tell, because these vary too much".

Always have a layman test your site for usability.

I had a lot of problems with a form on my site that was intended for advertisers to submit copy for a printed magazine. Several IT literate people throught it perfect but customers kept being confused. All it needed was some quite subtle changes in wording.

Are you actually asking someone to give out personal information before providing anything of value (content, downloads, whatever)? If so, then that would be a major obstacle. But let us know a bit more about the page design and what's being offered up content-wise before people sign up or register with your site, etc.

Karri

Hi Karri

The site asks for a user's personal information in exchange for advice. Content is not withheld at any point from the user, just the advice.

OrganicPop - Okay, so the "content" is arguably then already useful, interesting, etc. unto itself?

Next question: is the sign up process prohibitive in any way? Could it be simplified? i.e. just ask for the email address and possibly their Name? Anything more might not work, at least initially. Only seek to get the most basic information. Then, once you've built their trust, you can get more info as needed.

A privacy assurance statement beneath your sign up box is important as well.

"Next question: is the sign up process prohibitive in any way? Could it be simplified?"

I wouldn't say so. We ask for basic contact details name, email, phone and so forth so that we can get in touch for the advice. If just an email address was asked for, then our point of contact for them wouldn't be helpful enough.

"A privacy assurance statement beneath your sign up box is important as well."

Privacy is in place.