DEREK BARKA
MEET DEREK
PARTNER, CHIEF TECHNOLOGY OFFICER
As Chief Technology Officer at SilverTech, Derek defines and drives the agency’s technology vision—helping clients harness data, digital platforms, and emerging technologies to solve complex business challenges and build meaningful, lasting customer relationships.
Known for finding solutions to the toughest and most complicated technology challenges, Derek combines innovation with deep expertise across enterprise architecture, cloud infrastructure, custom development, and big data. He brings a security-first mindset and a sharp focus on privacy and compliance, enabling organizations to build secure, scalable, and future-ready digital ecosystems.
Derek serves as a strategic adviser to both SilverTech’s technology partners and clients. He works closely with platform providers—often consulting on product roadmaps—to ensure solutions align with real-world business needs and deliver maximum value. He also helps client organizations develop and execute digital roadmaps that make the most of their existing systems and data, integrating legacy technologies with modern platforms where and when it makes sense to drive growth, stay competitive, and support long-term success.
Throughout his career, Derek has played a key role in shaping the tools and platforms that power modern digital marketing. He is a recognized authority and thought leader in the martech space—recently named a Kentico MVP and Progress Sitefinity Champion. Derek holds numerous certifications, including Kentico Developer, Kentico Marketer, Sitefinity Developer, and Sitecore Developer.
Increasing Website Conversions: Best Practices
8/1/24
What Does a Website Conversion Rate Tell You?
A website conversion rate reflects the performance and effectiveness of a website’s user experience. A website must be built in a way that caters to an audience’s preferences and goals during each session. Factors like the amount of time it takes to complete a task, the simplicity of the steps involved, and the accessibility of relevant information affect the ease-of-completion, and therefore, conversion rates.
Tips for an Optimal Conversion Rate
- Improve site organization – Make sure people are finding what they need. If users are unable to efficiently find information on a website, they are less likely to stick around to try and figure it out. At least 89% of users will shop with a competitor after poor user experience. Maintaining clear and organized navigation to link text, buttons, and menus creates an easier experience for users to find the information they need.
- Optimize paths to conversion – Strong Calls to Action (CTAs) guide user behavior and drive action on a website. The clarity of instructions such as “Buy Now” and “Read it Here” will help users understand exactly what they should do next and reduces hesitation and confusion. For increasing conversion rates, its best to place CTAs in obvious areas of a webpage, such as above the fold.
- Create a personalized experience – Curate a user experience with relevant content that appeals to users. It’s no surprise that people want to spend more time on a website that is tailored to them. Greater personalization extends site visit time and builds trust so users will want to keep coming back to the website.
- Stay in the know – There are multiple conversion rate metrics you can use to measure your goals including Click-Through Rate (CTR), Cost Per Conversion (CPC), Average Time on Site, and Bounce Rate. It’s important to maintain necessary tracking to ensure your site is optimized and converting well. Some web analytics tracking resources include Google Analytics and Google Tag Manager. These tools make it easier to define and track key metrics such as conversion goals and KPIs (Key Performance Indicators).
As an established digital agency SilverTech is well prepared to help you reach your conversion goals. When it comes to website organization and navigation our team of strategists are experts. We get to know your brand and implement personalization to create a better user experience. By using web analytics and tracking, our strategists can help you drive results and stay on track.
