No matter who you are or what business you’re in, you’re facing the same challenge as everyone else when it comes to web marketing: How to get somebody to do something. Try a restaurant, buy a car, take a survey. It’s another way of saying you want to improve your conversion rate. And if you’re spending money for search engine optimization, or SEO, to improve your ranking, you’re also interested in maximizing your return on investment (ROI). Doesn’t matter what you call it, the goal is the same. So is the basic strategy. What’s important is persuasive content.
About strategy. Let’s assume you know who your target market is and where they hang out online. You’re an analytics expert (or you know someone who is). You’re ready to drive traffic and produce conversions. “Make somebody do something” is the strategy for conversions; driving traffic to your site is a tactic. Start with the landing page. You’ve made an effort to get me there. Here’s what I want to know:
• What do you want me to do?
• Why should I take this action?
• How do I get started?
1) Tell me what to do.
Talk to me. Tell me directly that you have what I want by involving me in the conversation. Here’s an example of landing page content, one style more effective than the other:
a. Smith Luggage carries a complete line of luggage styles and sizes
b. Find exactly what you’re looking for: business cases, travel gear, gifts and more.
Example B is more effective because:
1. It has an immediate call to action.
2. It doesn’t waste time repeating the name of the company unnecessarily. Let the logo do its job.
3. It spells out in concrete terms what you will find here. Paired with graphics, these terms make it clear what you are offering.
2) Tell me what’s in it for me.
Solve a problem for your prospect. Uncluttered graphics and clear benefit statements about the product or service encourage prospects to stay longer and visit more pages. Don’t confuse them. Make it clear where to find more in-depth information on your site, but always make it clear in your content that you are going to solve a problem.
a. Be specific. Descriptions like “waterproof,” “available in three colors,” and “certified by FDA” are more effective than saying something is “the best” or “high-quality.”
b. Use calls to action that show you understand your prospect. For example, “Qualify for easy online financing now,” and “Book your summer campsite before May,” demonstrate that you know the challenges facing your prospect and have a solution. This is not the same as forcing an offer on someone. Choose words that show you understand what the customer wants, and that you have it.
c. Make it easy to learn more. In general, let images and navigation lead prospects to pages with more information. Amazon.com is the master at this: pull-down menus take you through the site, while graphics and simple statements targeted to the visitor encourage involvement: If you like this (CD cover image) you’ll want to try these (more CD covers). A side benefit of getting prospects to visit more pages is that you learn more about their wants and needs – valuable information for keeping your strategy and content up to date and effective, and a critical step toward providing personalized content and calls to action.
3) Make it easy to get started.
Again, your content should make it easy for your prospects to do what you want them to do. Online discounts, coupons, and tag-on items work for certain products and services.
Keep in mind that you have only a second or two to get someone to make the decision to do something. Be straightforward, and keep it simple, even if you are asking someone to give you personal information. Here’s an example: “Download a PDF in one easy step.”
This line speaks directly to the customer’s need for speed, and sets up the expectation that there will be only one action to take in order to get what they want. In this case, it includes completing a form to start the download. (Fast download speed is essential, too, but that’s another story).
To get somebody to do something, or drive conversions, requires persuasion and presentation. Remember that your site’s content is a reflection of your business, and the way you speak to people should be a lot like how you speak to “real” customers. Think of the abbreviated attention span of the web prospect as an opportunity to fine-tune your messaging, and measure the results in positive returns.
Don’t try looking it up on your calendar because it isn’t there. As far as I can tell, there is no Hug a CPA Day, at least not in English-speaking countries. But I say it’s time to show some love to the ones who count. Here’s why.
