Your online marketing efforts will only return results if you can translate incoming traffic into actual consumers of your product or service. Enter conversion rate optimization.
The web is filled to the brim with quick conversion rate optimization tips. These include changing the color of your CTAs, making headlines catchier, and changing the background image of your landing page, among many others. While these strategies have shown results, there are a few effective CRO techniques that are often overlooked. In this article, I discuss less common CRO techniques that have the potential to drive significant results.
Targeted Landing Pages That Deliver
While it may be tempting to stuff all your offers into one page, that strategy is counterproductive. This is true mainly for the following reasons:
- Users love personalized experiences. A page that contains chunks of irrelevant information does not communicate personalization on any level.
- Encountering irrelevant information results in higher bounce rates, which directly impact search engine performance.
- Any user would rather visit a different website that presents direct and relevant information. Nobody likes to dig for information.
These issues can be addressed by creating highly focused landing pages. By ranking them for precise keywords and promoting them to relevant audiences, your chances of converting visitors will automatically improve. Not to forget—well-structured websites and focused landing pages that offer direct answers enjoy a lot of privilege within search results.
Speaking of direct answers, it is also important to make sure your landing page content always, always delivers what is promised in the ad copy. Don’t stop there; make sure the headlines, theme, and colors used on your landing pages communicate consistency to the visitor.
To further improve results, pay attention to the intent behind the keywords for which you are ranking. This way, you will be able to better understand the needs of your users and create a website experience that addresses their true pain points. Similarly, the landing pages that are sent to different email lists should contain elements that are relevant to that specific section of your audience.
Put Your Foot In The Door
The foot-in-the-door method is a compliance technique that works by getting the target to agree to a significant request via agreeing to a prior smaller request or a number of smaller requests. The idea is to engage the user with a series of small commitments to familiarize them with the brand, all while subtly pushing them toward a conversion goal.
One way to execute the foot-in-the-door method is to obtain personal information in exchange for useful information. For example, you can create a piece of actionable, useful content, and place it behind a short sign-up form. This way, you will not only position yourself as an industry authority who offers useful information, but will also be able to build a highly targeted email list.
The above image is a screenshot from my website. Once a user clicks “Download Now,” they are met with a form that asks for their name and email address. The important thing to remember here is that whatever you are offering needs to have real value for your audience.
Another way to implement this method is through free trials. Let your users enjoy the benefits of your product or service for free for a limited period of time. Once they realize how useful it truly is, they will be more compelled to move toward a purchase decision.
Finally, execute this method through payment commitments. Instead of asking your prospects to pay the whole price of your product or service upfront, make it easier for them by breaking the amount into smaller transactions.
More Visuals, More Conversions
Visuals have become a vital part of any digital marketing strategy today. They rank better on search engines. They are shared constantly on social media. Even users respond better to visual information.
All of this makes a strong case for using more visuals for conversion purposes. Think about it, would a text-heavy landing page work better or would it be outperformed by one that contains a product video?
Having visuals, especially in the form of a video, is like having a salesperson present on your landing page. Moreover, since humans are wired to process visual information, users will find it easier to obtain the information they are looking for if it is presented in visual form.
The best part is, thanks to their popularity, making videos is easy and pocket-friendly. For the most basic projects, such as video testimonials, you just need your smartphone and a tripod.
Visuals ensure better user experiences, and top-notch user experiences leads to users who will pay for those experiences.
Vaibhav Kakkar is the CEO of Digital Web Solutions, a globally trusted agency with a full suite of digital marketing and development solutions. Vaibhav believes in building system over services, and has invested in multiple tech startups including RankWatch, NotifyFox, and a CRM software to help scale up client agencies from scratch to niche leaders with million-dollar turnovers.