Whether you're paying for Facebook ads or using a marketer to build your website's sales funnel, you want a high ROI. Along with getting more page views, you want to increase your conversion rates.
Conversion rate optimization campaigns use strategies to increase the number of website visitors, or leads, who take the desired action. Depending on the approach and your goals, a conversion can be:
- a new email subscriber
- a sale in an e-commerce store
- a Facebook like
- Participation in a contest or a giveaway
Improve your conversion rates
You can calculate your conversion rate by taking the number of interactions or views and dividing it by the number of conversions. For example, if 5,000 people click on your Facebook ad and 250 of them make a purchase, your conversion rate is 0.05 or 5%.
If you've already invested time and resources in creating your business's website and marketing campaigns, it's time to start focusing on optimizing your conversion rates. It's more cost-effective to spend money converting the people you're already attracting to your site than trying to find more customers who aren't familiar with your brand. Here are some tools you can use to improve the results of your conversion rate optimization campaign:
Customer Reviews
Before making an online purchase, customers seek reviews from existing customers to see if the product or service meets their expectations. Reviews can be embedded on your website using software, such as Yotopo, or on third-party websites they trust. A description that only mentions how great the product is without citing verified reviews won't be as compelling as a detailed review of the product's pros and cons. Customers will be suspicious of the authenticity of entirely positive reviews, especially when they lack details about the product experience.
There are several ways to increase the number of online customer reviews of your product. A simple method is to email each customer about a week after making their purchase. The email should ask for a review and include a link to where customers can leave their review.
You can also give a sample product or service demo to a blogger, influencer, or review site in exchange for their honest opinion. Remember, you don't need the review to be 100% positive. You want it to be honest, so people are more willing to buy it. You can share the review on your company's social media feeds and blog. Although bloggers will disclose when a company offers them a product for free, it is perfectly acceptable to do so and it will not affect the outcome of the review.
Some website owners don't ask for reviews because they're worried about getting negative reviews. As long as you stand behind the quality of your product, a few negative reviews won't necessarily hurt it. If you receive a lot of reviews, you will know how to review and improve your products based on customer feedback.
Engaging photos
Internet users pay spectacular attention to the images. If two retailers are selling the same product, the one with more appealing photos of the product will usually get the sale. It's the same principle as staging your home or selling household items online. A staged home has a better chance of selling quickly, and for the asking price, than an empty or cluttered home. By the same token, if someone is selling children's clothes on Facebook Marketplace, dark, unlight photos will get far less attention than bright photos that look professional.
There are two things you need to do for your photos to have an impact on conversion rates. First, use clear images of the product that highlight its quality. This includes taking photos from all angles so people can see the entire item.
Second, use lifestyle photos. These are photos that show customers how to use the product and its various purposes. If your business sells take-out containers, showcasing photos with different cuisines in the containers can showcase a product's versatility.
Clear calls to action
In a traditional sales environment, you have to ask for the sale. The same is true online. Even if you offer high-value content that emphasizes the need for a particular product or service, it's essential to include a clear call-to-action that explains what you want customers to do. do.
For example, if you want readers of a blog post to sign up for your company's email newsletter, include a way for users to sign up at the bottom of the page. Write clear messages like, “Use this link to sign up for our email newsletter to have proven conversion rate optimization strategies delivered to your inbox weekly.” If you want website visitors to buy a product from your eCommerce store, the message should be a request to buy the product, and that should make it easier for them.
Be clear about your customer service
People are more likely to buy from a company that guarantees their products. Customers also want to buy from sites that offer convenient ways to access customer support, whether through a phone number or a chatbot. No one wants to buy something they can't return if something goes wrong. Make sure your website is clear about the types of customer service and support customers can expect from your business.
If your business offers a refund option, be sure to mention this prominently on your website. It can be something short in the product description, and it can also be in the 'About Us' page if it's a policy that applies to all products your business sells. If you don't have access to a chatbot, letting customers know how and when they can get in touch with a customer service representative can go a long way in building trust with potential customers.
Many companies attempt to hide their contact information from their websites to limit the number of unrelated phone calls or emails they receive; however, this can be a solution for customers who want to know that they can contact your company if there is a problem. Putting your company's direct phone number on the home page and in the footer of the website can help alleviate these issues.
Professional Writing
Hiring a professional copywriter can make a big difference in conversion rates. A person who truly understands how to write product descriptions and marketing emails can create a more compelling campaign or ad, often in less time, than a business owner trying to develop their own campaigns. The company's freelance writers might be able to offer a different perspective on why someone might convert, which they can incorporate into written content.
Descriptions of new products
New product description pages can revive older pages, especially in search engine results. If your business always uses vendor-provided product descriptions, you should create original product descriptions that are not used on other competing websites.
There are many ways to incorporate conversion rate optimization tactics on product pages. For example, Mack Weldon highlights information about the premium quality of their products and their warranty for customers who don't like their first pair of underwear. There is information on how the design used by Mack Weldon is better than other pairs of underwear. If someone wants to spend more money for quality, this information shows customers why their product is worth the extra cost.
On Everlane.com, there are seven highly detailed photographs for the shoes' ten color combinations, making it easy for customers to see what they are buying. It also provides specific statistics on its manufacturing process. Claiming that they made a product using energy-efficient machinery is much less effective than writing that they use “54% less virgin plastic”. These types of concrete details can have a significant impact on conversions.
Email Campaign
A follow-up email campaign can be a useful tool in these situations, especially to increase conversion rates. A customer who spends a lot of time shopping on your website and abandons their cart is likely someone interested in what you offer. An email offering an additional discount or free shipping could help them continue with their purchase. It is better to lose a few dollars in rebates or to cover shipping costs than to lose an entire sale and have to find new interested customers.
As a business owner, your goal is always to increase your bottom line. Marketing campaigns will help drive potential customers to your site, but using these conversion rate optimization strategies will help you improve your conversion rate and earn more money.
