Toronto-based cloud computing company ThinDesk had a superior product but they weren’t reaching enough people with their message and their Web site wasn’t turning visitors into customers. Fruition Interactive revamped their online content marketing strategy and Web site design to turn their site into a lead generation machine and then drove traffic to it with SEO services and Google AdWords PPC advertising.
So you’ve finally made the decision to take Internet marketing more seriously when it comes to generating traffic, leads, and customers for your business.
Great, now what?
You need a game plan - one that will get you out of the starting blocks as fast as possible.
Do you know what your site visitors see when they come to your site?
Unless you’re a marketer with a Fortune 500 company with an Internet marketing research budget of thousands or tens of thousands of dollars for user experience research, chances are the answer is “no.”
Without a huge budget for research, small and mid-sized businesses used to have to rely largely on educated guesswork and, potentially, months’ worth of A/B testing in the real world to optimize their Web site’s ability to generate leads.
But now Fruition can help you start to optimize your site pages, with evidence-based research, before your site has even launched. And at a price – this is the game-changing part – that small and mid-sized businesses can afford.
Here’s the deal.
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.
This blog post is long overdue.
Let me explain.
Recently, we’ve had a few situations with new clients who are working with us to get better results from Google AdWords. Specifically, after a month or so, they’ve voiced similar concerns about how their campaigns were performing.
This is a common occurrence with new clients unfamiliar with Google AdWords a.k.a Pay-Per-Click (PPC) search engine marketing. In fact, many of our Toronto-based clients who are familiar with AdWords often have the same concerns (or misconceptions) when they first start working with us to optimize existing online marketing campaigns. [Read more…]
A few months ago, I wrote about the basics of PPC advertising (Pay-Per-Click). Since then, I’ve been thinking a lot about how “paid” media can help generate “earned” media (advertising that is shared among friends and beyond).
To clarify, when I refer to PPC advertising, I’m simply referring to any platform that allows you to advertise on a pay-per-click or cost-per-click basis (example: Google Adwords, Facebook Ads, and LinkedIn Ads).
Why Do It?
Ultimately, our clients want to generate leads, inquires, and sales from the PPC campaigns we run on their behalf. However, there are also other valid reasons to do PPC advertising, which may not achieve an immediate ‘hot lead’ or ‘sale’, but may do so down the road.
For example, if it makes sense for your business to have a Facebook Page you might want to consider using Facebook Ads to generate initial awareness and demand by driving people to your Facebook Page.
Running a Facebook Ad campaign, might help you get the first 1,000 people to “like” your Page. From that point, you still have to keep them engaged, but in time, you may earn their trust and convert them into advocates, clients, or buyers.
In addition, a relatively small investment in Facebook Ads could generate a huge ROI considering the very same people who first “liked” your Page from clicking your ad also create an organic viral effect.
Sometimes a picture is worth a thousand words:
Overtime, once you’ve “earned” their trust, the same people who originally came to you via your paid Facebook Ad campaign (and who referred others) might eventually turn into a lead, inquiry, or sale.
About the Author
Mitch Fanning is VP of Fruition Interactive. He’s spent 11 plus years working with businesses of all sizes, from global brands to some of Canada’s fastest growing web start-ups ranked in the PROFIT 100.
I’m going to be doing a presentation next Wednesday, January 26 on “3 Ways to Get More Value out of Your Web site” as part of BNI Bay Street’s regular weekly networking group.
The 10 minute briefing will cover the 3 core principles that will help businesses get more leads, sales, opt-in’s and other business value out of their Web site. There’ll be a brief Q+A to follow.
In addition to the presentation, you’ll have a chance to expand your network by meeting with a couple dozen of the city’s brightest small business people.
BNI Bay Street meets at the Strathcona Hotel, 60 York St., Toronto from 12:30 p.m. to 2:00 p.m. every Wednesday. The cost is $25 and includes a lunch (it’s good food, too). Dress is business attire (so no jeans or runners, please).
If you’re interested in coming, please RSVP to me at [email protected].
Recently, I wrote an article called Is Your Website Converting Leads into Gold? In it, I discussed the importance of optimizing your website or landing page for lead conversion.
With that in mind, here are 15 additional ways to increase your conversion online:
1. Keep your most important sales elements “above the fold” (ideally on your home page, without scrolling). This usually means putting your most interesting content with a convincing call-to-action and perhaps even a photo of you (to build trust and rapport). Tip: Tools like CrazyEgg can help reveal your most important content that should be at the top left side of your page.
2. Are you using a standard and up-to-date web design or blog theme? Navigation should be immediately understandable. Is there a lot of distracting navigation leading your customers away? Remove it.
3. Let prospects know they’re buying from a human being. Keep the copy personal, friendly, and (for most markets) informal. Sound like a person, not a robot.
4. Simplify your content.
5. Do your headline and subheads tell an intriguing story if you read them without any of the rest of the copy?
6. Make the first paragraph easy to read.
7. What’s the experience of using your service? Could you make that more vivid with a testimonial video or a great case study? (we’re currently in the process of doing this for ourselves)
8. Got testimonials? Use them.
9. Is your message confusing? Can a bright ten-year old read your sales copy and figure out why they should use your service. You might be an expert in your industry, but your prospects aren’t.
10. How often are you using the word “You”? Can it be increased?
11. Have you made yourself an authority in your market?
12. Throw in some more proof that what you’re saying is true. Proof can come from statistics, testimonials, case studies, even news stories or current events that illustrate the ideas your product or service is based on.
13. If you demand a pretty penny for your services make sure your web design and content is congruent? If your average client brings in $15,000 annually, make sure you own your own domain and its not a site your nephew built (unless they’re really that good).
14. Cut all long paragraphs into shorter ones. Make sure there are enough subheads so you have at least one per screen. If copy looks daunting to read, it doesn’t get read.
15. Increase your font size.
Did I miss any?
About the Author:
Mitch Fanning is VP of Strategy & Business Development for Fruition Interactive (Toronto, Canada), a professional member of Social Media Club, and founding member of Social Media Club Niagara. He’s spent 10 plus years working with businesses of all sizes, from global brands – to mid-sized B2B companies – to some of Canada’s fastest growing Internet start-ups ranked in the PROFIT 100. Follow Mitch on his adventures in new media at [mitchellfanning.com].
Did you like this article? Check out additional articles on optimizing conversion here.
Approx. reading time: 2-3 min
Fact: Every business must generate qualified leads that, ultimately, convert into sales.
I know this because the topic always comes up in conversation with clients. That’s why we’re always improving our ability to help clients generate leads via our online marketing services.
For example, a Google Certified AdWords Professional (on our team) manages the AdWords campaigns we run for clients. We do this, not only because it’s a recognized stamp of approval from Google, but mainly because the individual who is certified is an expert. She’s an Adwords ninja. When it comes to increasing traffic and click-though rates, she’s one of the best.
Unfortunately, having a Google Adwords ninja on your side is not always enough. The problem is, too many clients want to focus on just the traffic generation side, and overlook the conversion side.
In other words, they aren’t willing to go the extra mile to optimize their website or landing page for lead conversion.
The conversion issue, however, can often be an easy one to solve. In some cases, paying attention to the following areas might be all that is required to increase conversion (in addition to plenty of split A/B testing).
Are you credible?
Everything on your web site must foster rapport, trust, and credibility. Real contact information, real photographs, and FAQs that answer real questions. Small detail matters, even things like hosting your site on your own domain and how frequently you update your site. People do business with those they like and trust. Include details that make you an interesting and authoritative source, but most important, make sure you come across as credible.
Convincing copy that inspires action
If you want leads that convert into business, it comes down to copywriting. Practically everything you do online comes back to this core skill. Without the ability to convince people to act, you come up short in most online marketing strategies – including Google Adwords campaigns.
Many people know how to write technically, but they don’t have the copywriting skill to generate conversions. And if you’re missing this one practical skill, nothing else you do online works. That means you risk ending up on the online marketing merry-go-round, spending thousands on traffic generation and not seeing a single conversion. Without good copywriting, everything’s harder, takes longer, or doesn’t work at all.
Bullet proof your call to action
Make sure you’ve clearly told visitors exactly what to do. On the other hand, are you asking your prospect to make too many choices? Confused people don’t act. You should have at most two or three options to choose from. Also, don’t be afraid to repeat yourself on several or all pages. Prospects often don’t read every word of your website. Find creative ways to restate your call to action and the most important benefits.
Have your own favorite conversion strategy that you didn’t see here? Let me know about it in the comments.
About the Author:
Mitch Fanning is VP of Strategy & Business Development for Fruition Interactive, a professional member of Social Media Club, and founding member of Social Media Club Niagara. He’s spent 10 plus years working with businesses of all sizes, from global brands to some of Canada’s fastest growing Internet companies ranked in the PROFIT 100. Follow Mitch on his adventures in new media here at [mitchellfanning.com].
Photo credit: SESConferenceSeries
Fruition Interactive helps you get in front of your target audience, so you can start generating results from your online marketing. Fruition's Organic Search Engine Optimization (SEO), Pay Per Click and online display advertising services are designed to maximize your ROI.
Your Web site is a key business tool. It needs to engage people to take the next step towards becoming your loyal and valued customer. Fruition helps you get the right content to the right people at the right time to influence their decisions and turn awareness into demand.
Call it engagement. Call it retention. Call it what you want, but the fact is increasing lifetime client value is the most cost-effective way to grow your business. Fruition helps you grow lifetime value from your base with highly targeted email marketing, social media marketing and more.