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Never
Rest When Trying to Boost Conversions
By Andrew Wetzler
President, MoreVisibility
Search engine marketing and optimization
have become important components of most company's online
marketing strategies. Proof of this ranges from the
high market capitalization of Google to the increased
percentage of marketing budgets being directed toward
search.
When
working to boost the effectiveness of any online marketing
initiative, it's vital to continually tweak the campaign.
This involves many issues somewhat removed from the
website itself, such as keyword selection and bidding
strategies for paid search. It is also imperative to
zero in on the site itself and find ways to make it
better from a conversion perspective.
There
is a very limited window of opportunity to capture someone's
attention once they arrive at a website. Below are several
strategies for improving website performance for business-to-business
and business-to-consumers sites.
1. Invite
the prospect to reach out to you -multiple times -
throughout the site. A visitor should never have to
search for phone numbers or email addresses. Give
them an incentive to share their contact information
with you (like a newsletter sign-up or a meaningful
discount). Even if they don't become an immediate
customer, you will be better positioned when they
are ready to make a purchasing decision. One way to
justify the investment associated with paid search
marketing is the long-term benefit of compiling a
database of individuals who arrived on your site via
a search that they actually initiated.
2.
Text for the sake of text can cloud your message.
Re-visit the website copy and make sure it appropriately
aligns with your objectives. Remember, product/program
features are good but benefits are better. This is
straight out Selling 101, but these basic lessons
are sometimes lost online. A "brochure" site is fine,
but there must be a compelling message conveyed along
the way.
3.
Evaluate the graphics on the site. Do the images paint
the picture that you are seeking to create for a prospect?
Pictures or images don't have to be expensive to be
effective. Figure out the degree to which the images
on the site further a cause.
4.
Whenever possible, incorporate client lists, case
studies and testimonials into the website. Although
people feel much more comfortable purchasing online
than they did a few years ago, it doesn't mean they
will chose to buy something from you. Do a better
job of establishing credibility and client successes
and there is a greater the likelihood of securing
a new customer.
5.
Check out competitor's sites and assess the user experience
there. Put yourself in the shoes of prospective customers
and figure out where they feel most comfortable. Look
for sites that have a more polished, benefits-driven
approach. Don't copy your competitors, but learn from
the way they present themselves. Incorporate al the
best ideas from those sites.
When
an individual clicks onto your site, they are hoping
you will be able to provide them with the information
they are seeking. In most instances, they are receptive
to performing some kind of action step as well. Whether
that occurs or instead they hit the back button (and
try their luck with the next site on the search result
list), will be largely guided by the user experience
they encounter.
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