Conversion Optimization Part 4 – Landing Page Optimization
So now you are starting to get some decent traffic to your site or you have taken the plunge with Google Adwords, but, as fate would have it, none of these new visitors you have invested your time, energy, effort or capital in are converting into leads or customers. Why not? You have a great looking website, you invested in Adwords spend to drive traffic, what is going on? Great question…I’m so glad you asked. This article is going to discuss “Landing Page Optimization” for more (or better) conversions into leads or sales. Believe it or not, conversion optimization is a BIG DEAL out there in ecommerce land. There are hundreds (if not thousands) of companies out there that have built very successful business models just helping other companies master this much needed skill.
So what can I expect as far as a conversion rate on organic traffic?
The average website is converting less than 1% of all organic traffic! That’s right…less than 1%! A good site that has some experience and is making an effort to actually convert traffic may see as much as 1-3% organically. And, if you are in the 3-5% range for organic traffic conversions you are doing better than 98% of all websites on the internet. You may be thinking; “3-5%? That’s nothing! Why am I wasting my time?” Hold on there cowboy. Have you done the math? Try this on for size:
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Conversion Optimization Part 3
In this article, we’re going to cover how to guide your visitors through your website or landing page and point them to a further action. As we have talked about before, it does no good to have the best, coolest looking web site in the world if you are not turning any of your visitors into paying customers. The first steps of course Building Trust and Aligning Your Website and Business Goals, covers the basic of website design and flow needed in order to attract and hold your visitor attention. Now let’s discuss the science of getting them to buy something through the process of a conversion funnel.
Creating Value –
One of the very first things you need to establish and quickly mind you, is value. Your visitors need to see that you offer something of value to them. This can be accomplished numerous ways. I usually prefer a nice <H1> Header or Good Graphic with compelling text that is placed above the fold, has high contrast coloring and clearly states the value that you offer to your visitors. An example:
- <H1>”We have the best mortgage interest rates in the country with NO closing costs”</H1>
For someone who searched for “low interest mortgage loans” or “no closing cost refinancing” and landed on a page with this at the very top of the page, it screams to them “You are in the right place!”
So now that they know they are in the right place, now what? Sometimes the above value statement is enough to get that conversion (lead data or sale). Other times you need to provide more information for them. This will also add credibility and authority to your page so don’t shy away from this part. Get real, show even more value and advantages about doing business with you. I prefer a short opening paragraph (2-3 sentences MAX) and then 3-6 bullet points. Anything more than that and you may lose their attention. Keep your information short and avoid industry jargon that might not be understood by someone not familiar with your business. Some example bullet points that would complement the above header:
- Close in less than 30 days!
- 1st, 2nd and 3rd mortgages!
- No closing costs!
- Less than perfect credit is OKAY!
Call to Actions (CTA) –
Now that you created value and you have their attention, it’s time to start placing “call to actions” in the body of your message. A call to action is simply a statement that directs the visitor to interact with you on some level. It encourages them to take the next step. Example CTA’s:
- Request more information now!
- Apply Today!
- Call Us Today!
- Start Now!
Typically for CTA’s, I will use no less than 5 on a Paid Search campaign and no less than 3 on any Conversion Page on an organic site. I have used as many as 11 before. The point is, there really is no telling at what point the visitor will be motivated to take that next action. Make sure you strategically place your CTA’s throughout your landing page so that you don’t miss any opportunities to convert that visitor!
One last note on PAID SEARCH Landing pages. If you are investing in a Paid Search Campaign, you will want to concentrate your efforts and put a lot of thought into crafting your value statement and CTA’s. Then, once that’s done, make sure you strip your landing page of useless distractions like “about us” links and social media links. Save those for the confirmation page AFTER they requested more information, signed up for your mailing list or actually bought something from you!
Next up in the series…”Best Practices for Web Forms” followed by “Conversion Measurement and Testing”. Stay tuned for more!
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