The Path to a Conversion is an Easy One

Sonya Wood - May 13, 2009

There are a few simple steps that can dramatically improve your conversions. For many advertisers, the path to getting a conversion is not always clear. A good approach is to keep it simple. Avoiding clutter makes the entire process for your visitor smoother. Make it easy and clear for your visitor to complete the action you want them to take, whether that be filling out a lead generation form, signing up for a subscription or completing a sale.

Let’s start by thinking of the conversion process as a path. Each component in the path should be easy to follow and free of any obstacles; it should be precisely clear where the visitor should proceed next.

The first step in the conversion path is keyword selection. Keywords are the foundation for any paid search advertising campaigns. Choosing highly relevant keywords not only captures highly targeted customers, but also helps weed out undesirable prospects.

The next step along the conversion path is developing effective and targeted ad copy. It is crucial that ad copy correlates with the chosen keywords. It is important to have a strong call to action. Letting your customer know what to expect when they get to your website reduces confusion. For example, if the desired goal is to have visitors sign up for a free newsletter, your ad copy should reflect that.

Once you have selected keywords and written your enticing ad copy, where will your visitors land once they click on the ad? This is one of the most important steps to increase your conversions. If your visitor reaches your site and has no idea what to do, they may immediately leave or start to explore your site. However, if you have a clear call to action on your site, which was also reflected in your ad copy, the visitor will know exactly what they need to do. Landing pages or pages where your visitors are taken after clicking on your ad, tend to produce higher conversions in paid search advertising because they are more focused on exactly what the searcher is looking for.

Putting all three of these components together in a clear manner and making sure that the path to a conversion is free of road blocks will improve your conversions.