Is There a Secret to Internet Marketing?

This week, a client asked us this question during their strategy session.

In short, there’s no secret.

However, there is one area of Internet marketing that when done right can significantly increase lead conversion and even sales.

In a phrase: call to actions.

By definition, call to actions (CTAs) are clickable images, buttons or hyperlinked text on a website page that prompts a visitor to do something next.  In all cases, a CTA is strategically placed on a website page for one purpose: to convert website visitors into leads or sales.

Below is one example of a conversion path a prospect, who lands on a website page, might take when becoming a lead:

In the example above, the prospect sees the call to action (CTA), which is a free eBook.  The CTA leads them to a Landing Page, which explains in detail why the prospect needs the offer and how they can get it.  In a perfect world, every prospect would fill out the form on the Landing Page and become a qualified lead (or a sale) for your business.

Problem is, the world of Internet marketing isn’t perfect.

Most websites treat all their visitors or prospects the same, but they’re not.  Everyday prospects visit your website at different stages of the buying cycle.  Some are at the top, while others are in the middle.

Makes sense, right?

Sure it does.

However, most websites have only bottom of the funnel offers or CTAs for just the serious prospects who have already made a decision to buy.  That’s kind of like going on a first date, then asking the person to marry you at the end of the night.

Not every visitor who comes to your website is ready to buy, let alone from you.  That said, they still might be a good prospect who has a need or problem you can solve.  In fact, some might even recognize you might be able to help them.

In order to convert the maximum amount of traffic coming to your website you need to cast a wider net. 

Meaning, you need two or three CTAs on your homepage or other relevant website pages that get decent traffic.  One CTA for early in the buying cycle, one for mid, and one for late or bottom of the funnel visitors.

At Fruition, the three CTAs we currently offer and experiment with on our website are: eBooks and White papers (for top of the funnel), website evaluations (for middle of the funnel), and free consultations (for bottom of the funnel).

The diagram below is a list of just some examples that match up nicely with the different stages of the buying cycle:

Quick Example

Below is an actual example of how tweaking your CTAs can not only significantly improve your lead conversions but might also save you time and money.

The diagram below illustrates how much traffic would be required for this client’s website to reach their new monthly revenue and lead targets.

 

When we did this analysis, the client’s website had an historical conversion rate of 1.8%, via their existing “Contact Us” Page.

This is an example of the typical bottom of the funnel offer or CTA most websites have, which usually results in a lower conversion rate compared to top or middle of the funnel CTA conversion rates.

The plan, moving forward, is to create and test different types of CTAs on their website so we set a new goal of 4%, which is conservative (we’ve seen 30% conversion rates on our own top of the funnel CTAs).

What’s really interesting, though, is that once the client reaches a 4% conversion rate they only need an additional 702 monthly visitors coming to their website to hit their new revenue targets (instead of 1,561 visits if their conversion rate remained at 1.8%).

Getting quality organic traffic to your website is hard work. 

To bring people to your website, you (or someone like us) must spend time optimizing your website for search engines (SEO), creating good content, and being active on social media.

On the flip side, you also have the option to pay for clicks using Google Adwords.

If you’re going to spend the time, money, and resources getting people to visit your website why not do everything possible to capture them - the first time - as a potential top or middle of the funnel lead.  This way you have the opportunity to nurture them, over time, into a client or customer.

By creating and experimenting with CTAs at different stages of the buying cycle on your website, in time, your lead conversation rates (and sales) will soar.

Soon after people will start asking you, “what’s your secret?”

About the author:

Mitch is Vice President of Fruition Interactive.  His expertise in digital marketing and new media has been earned over 12 years of creating successful strategies and partnerships with his clients, which include: NBC, The Globe and Mail, Deutsche Bank, Nestle and Sears Travel. He’s also worked with several Canadian Internet start-ups, including one, which made it onto the PROFIT 100 in 2009.