Conversion Conversations Brian Massey

1

Conversion: The Most Important Word for Businesses on the Web

Conversion and ConversationsBrian MasseyConversion SpecialistConversion SciencesMarch 2008

2

“Markets are Conversations”-- The Cluetrain Manifesto

http://www.cluetrain.com

3

Your Web Site

Home

Categories

Information

This is probably your Web site.

It starts with a Home page and navigation that lets you click your way down to content.

Some sites are deeper. Some are Wider.

4

The Pyramid design is supported by heirarchical navigation that may appeal to very logical thinkers, but few others.

5

Your Web Site

Home

Categories

Information

Action

Within your site, you should have some actions pages. “Contact Us” or “About Us” is where you can send an email, call, or request information. Action pages are usually buried within the site tree structure.

6

When you ask the Home page to support ALL of your marketing programs, you can have a hard time supporting all of those campaigns with one page.

Your Home page becomes daunting and unusable.

7

Your Web Site

Home

Categories

Information

Action

One page – the home page – has to do almost all of the work of getting people into the site. If the home page doesn’t tell a visitor what they want to hear, they leave. We call this “bounce.”

Occassionally, the home page will score a bullseye and that visitor will (hopefully) find their way to an action page.

8

Your Web Site

Home

Categories

Information

Action

You can throw more money at your traffic, but your bounce rates won’t change without some attention to conversion.

9

Isn’t This Easier

Information

If it’s raining soup, get a bowl (not a pyramid).

An “upside-down” web site is going to catch more visitors than your traditionally designed site.

10

Isn’t This Easier

Information

SEOSEMPR

Blogs

Email Campaigns,Contests

Missle Command: Now you can target your marketing strategies at pages that do one of two things:

1. Request action

2. Direct to visitor to pages that request action

11

Christmas Time

Information

SEOSEMPR

Blogs

Email Campaigns,Contests

Once you get that driving visitors to action pages increases conversion, you’ll want to create more ways for visitors to take action.

Word of warning: Don’t distract visitors who are ready by buy with ancillary calls to action.

12

Action Drives StrategyWhat do you want your visitors to do? Be clear.

Call

Send You An Email

Subscribe toYour Newsletter

Subscribe to Your Blog

Get a Report

BuyTry

What do you want your visitors to do?

13

What About Home?

Information

SEOSEMPR

Blogs

Email Campaigns,ContestsHome

If your Web site is like most, 50% or more of your traffic comes from people typing in your URL. This means that your Home Page must sell what’s in your site.

In essence, your homepage needs to sell the way a magazine cover sells in a grocery store line.

14

12 Ways to Solve Your Problem

Save money by Doing

Something

Weekly Podcast

Today’s Specials

Newsletter: Never Pet a Burning

Dog

Blog: The Reason You Have

This Problem

12 Ways to Solve Your ProblemSave Money by Doing Something Free Shipping

On Orders Over$100Catalog

Special of the Day

$25.00Blue, Orange,

Pink

12 Ways to SolveYour Problem

Free Report

You’re In the Right Place!We are the place that you were looking for. Here is some text with some keywords.

You’ll want to explore our Catalog.

Check out our FAQ and How-to Articles.

Here’s Something Else You Might LikeMeet our people. Learn how you can save money. There’s lots of stuff to read here.Meet our people. Learn how you can save money. There’s lots of stuff to read here. Meet our people. Learn how you can save money. There’s lots of stuff to read here. Meet our people. Learn how you can save money. There’s lots of stuff to read here. Meet our people. Learn how you can save money. There’s lots of stuff to read here. Meet our people. Learn how you can save money. There’s lots of stuff to read here.

Advertise on your own site.

Use the “left navigation” area to highlight features that may live deep inside the site.

Use the right column to feature special offers for your visitors.

Make sure your copy isn’t “wewe” copy that talks about you. Focus your copy on your reader. Use embedded links to take them to your action pages.

15

New Ways of Thinking

Advertise on your own site

Email is your social network

Conversion Happens Over Time

Action Drives Strategy

Get Upside DownGet Upside Down

Know Your Conversion Rate

These are some concepts you’re going to have to accept to get better at conversion.

Know Your Conversion Rate – You shouldn’t sell online unless you’re measuring. If you don’t have analytics for your site, just get out now.

Action Drives Strategy – You have to know what ACTION you want your visitors to take before you can select marketing strategies to make them take that action.

Get Upside Down – Don’t make your visitors drill for the information they need. Bring it to the top. Make your homepage work for you.

Advertise on your own site – Use ad-style calls to action to get visitors to see more of your site. Advertising what you offer helps visitors find their way.

Email is your Social Network – Your visitors may not be participating in social networks yet. Don’t worry. You can engage them via the first social network: Email.

Conversion Happens Over Time – Your sales cycle may be long, or you may be in a competitive market. Your Web site is a great way to keep prospects on the hook until they become buyers.

16

Online ResourcesCustomer Chaos Blog

http://www.customerchaos.com

Google Analyticshttp://www.google.com/analytics

FutureNow WeWe Meterhttp://www.futurenowinc.com/wewe.htm

Feedburner.comhttp://www.feedburner.com

Startup Metrics for Pirateshttp://www.slideshare.net/dmc500hats/startup-metrics-for-pirates-long-version

GrokDotCom Conversion Rate Bloghttp://www.grokdotcom.com

17

Questions to Ask Your Web Team• What Analytics Package are we using?

– What’s my bounce rate?– What’s my conversion rate?

• How are we collecting leads? How do we follow up?• What other actions could visitors take?• How do our visitors want to get information?• Am I selling to myself? Do I we-we all over my visitors?• Do we advertise on our own site?• What do my emails say? Do they convert?

18

Answers

19

Other ResourcesConversion Sciences, Inc.

Brian Massey, 512-961-6604, [email protected]

Ask Us About:Conversion Search Engine OptimizationLanding PagesEmail MarketingPersonas Search MarketingContent Management SystemsSocial MediaSocial NetworksLead GenerationDemand Generation