Website Conversion: It’s Everything

Like football, website conversion requires a healthy balance of strategy, material and technique. You might have what you think is the perfect blend of marketing efforts, but if those efforts do not result in conversion, there’s a problem. If you have a solid SEO and digital marketing campaign sending traffic targeted traffic to your website, but you still aren’t getting the results that you expect and need, your website might be to blame. Nobody knows your business better than you. You’re not receiving calls; people aren’t filling out your contact form, so chances are, your website isn’t providing value, isn’t appealing to your visitors or a combination of the two.

Consider the following questions to help you improve your website and increase your leads:

Strategy: Your game play

When it comes to researching the problem with conversions and finding solutions, consider developing or revising your web strategy. As KissMetrics suggests, “strategy turns weakness into strength.” Make sure you have a digital marketing strategy in place. And as your business grows, always be sure to test and refine your strategy. Never stop testing and analyzing!

Are you monitoring your traffic?

If you have a website, you should know how that site is performing and how it is impacting your business. Web Analysis and reporting will tell you a lot about why you’re struggling with conversion. You can use free tools like Google Analytics to get a better sense of your overall traffic health.

Do you know what your key traffic sources are?

Once you have some analytic and reporting in place, you can get a better understanding of where your web traffic is coming from. If you are engaged in a digital marketing campaign, your marketing provider should be supplying you with detailed reports and analysis on important factors related to traffic such as traffic sources, clicks, time on site and click through rate and bounce rate (more on this on our next blog post!). You should be using these reports do conduct data-driven decision making, so that you can track, measure, refine and improve your performance online.

Do you know how many visitors are going to your site each month?

If you aren’t currently invested in a digital marketing campaign, you should be. Driving traffic to your website is a critical component of business growth. And with over 65% of web traffic coming from mobile phones, you want to make sure that you know your numbers! If you have questions about digital marketing campaigns or want to understand key metrics related to your website, just give us a call.

Do you know what your conversion rate is?

If you don’t know how your website is translating into leads and sales, you’re missing the point of your website! A better understanding of what serves a purpose and what needs to be improved will help you develop processes that deliver results, improve and increase your web traffic. Use your conversation rate to hypothesize what issues your visitors might be experiencing and test new material and techniques that will boost activity and engagement on your website.

 

Materials: Going beyond content

It is critical that you know what role your website plays in your business. Make sure your website has all the materials it needs to succeed: great content, substantial value, and a space that is welcoming, engaging and easy to navigate.

What value does your website offer its visitors?

The relationship between your visitor and your website shouldn’t be one sided. You want to not only encourage that potential lead to contact you, but you should also want to reward them for spending the time and taking the effort. The more value you can provide them, the more they will click and potentially convert into business. Clearly stating that you offer free consultations and giving them clear access to that offer is great, but what about adding the actual value of that consultation by stating the monetary value? (save $250) (giving away $250) Pair that stated value with a tangible one like a tip sheet, or a free report or mini eBook and you’ve increased that perceived value tremendously, and given your prospect even more motivation to do business with you because you’ve increased credibility and provided value before they’ve even picked up the phone to call you!

What kind of language are you using to describe your products and services?

It is important that you have active, relevant on-page language and content. Make sure that your language is clear, concise and easy to understand.
That last thing you want is a lost, fatigued or confused web visitor. Your site visitors should know who you are, what you do, what you provide and how to access it right away.

Do you have a face to go with your business name?

Consider adding photos of your staff, the CEO. Make your business more human. Even better, add videos that give your potential customers insight into who you are and what you’re all about.

How do they get a hold of you or your team?

Don’t assume that people know how and where to reach you. Make sure that your contact information is visible throughout your website. If possible, include a live chat feature on your site where your potential customers can ask questions and make appointments directly from their desk or mobile. Accessibility helps build report and trust.

Technique: Design, look and feel

Once you have al the right materials situated, the next step is determining how to use them most effectively. Consider the functionality of your website. You want to make sure all of the material is easy to find, easy to understand and has a direct path to you, your product or your services. They should be able to read and interact with ease, so make sure you have a mobile-friendly, responsive and modern design.

Is your offer clear?

Never assume people know what they are going to get from doing business with you. No one knows your business better than you. It is important that people know what you provide and how you’ll help solve their problem better than anyone else. Make sure you are using consistent tone, language and branding.

Do they have a good sense of where to go, what click and what to do?

Again, it is important that you don’t assume that visitors to your website know where to go to find what they need, or how to get it from your website. Whether it is incorporating the appropriate color scheme, font and button size, links or page styles, always keep the visitor in mind.

Do you have a visible call to action?

If you want your web visitors to take the next step in doing business with you, there needs to be clear content and intentional design directing them to take that action. Don’t assume that people know what to do once they get to your website. Make it easy for them by creating clear steps and options to engage with you. Some examples of clear calls to action are: “Call Us Now”, “Subscribe for More,” “Get a Quote,” “Ask Us” and “Get Your Free Consultation.” Actions should stand out on the page whether that be with contrasting or complimentary color, shape, size or all of the above.

Are you making yourself accessible to your visitors?

Your site visitors shouldn’t have to jump through hoops to get to you or your products. The more people have to click or scroll to find or get what they need; the less likely they are going to contact you or give you their business. If you don’t have clear paths for them to connect or purchase chances are, they’ll lose interest, and take their business elsewhere. If you have a contact form or a landing page that takes your visitors to the next phase of your funnel, provide that form on every page, and keep it simple: name + email. This makes it easy for them, and easy for you to contact them for immediate follow-up.

Taking action on these simple questions will no doubt have a huge impact on conversion. If you’re having trouble identifying or fixing any of these issues, give us a call. Zero Limit Web has over 15 years of Web Development expertise. We can provide you with a FREE, over-the-shoulder analysis of your website. Insight from a professional will help you get a better understanding of what is causing people to leave, and develop a website that will get them to stay.

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Part 3: Social Media Marketing: A Better Alternative To SEO?

No matter where you are in your business stage: caterpillar, cocoon, or full grown butterfly, it is critical that you allocate funds in your budget for marketing. If you’re not invested in taking your business to the next level, then you aren’t serious about your business! People won’t know about all the incredible things you have to offer unless you reach them and tell them. And one way to jump start those communication channels is through Social Ads.

“Another HUGE difference is that Facebook Ads are visual! They allow you to include vibrant photos/videos that catch the attention of your potential buyers and tell a story about your business, as opposed to just a sentence or two on top of the search engine results.”

One of the ways that Google Ads and Facebook Ads differ is you can get started with Facebook Ads, and begin to benefit from new traffic for a much smaller budget (to start). And, unlike Google Ads, Facebook Ads are integrated into NewsFeeds, as well as on-page placement. With Facebook Ads, you aren’t paying for placement, you’re paying for a duration. Another huge difference is that Facebook Ads are visual! They allow you to include vibrant photos and videos that catch the attention of your potential buyers and tell a story about your business, as opposed to just a sentence or two on top of the search engine results. Another has the capacity to “learn” and “understand” who your target audience is, and actually works on your behalf to refine and retarget that audience maximizing visibility, brand recognition, and brand awareness. Speaking of retargeting, have you ever visited a website and then find their ads popping up every place you visit on the web, including Facebook!? That’s something call “retargeting”. The way it works is, a “pixel” is created and embedded and then tracks visitors. Yet Another powerful advantage to harnessing the power of Facebook in your Search Engine Strategy.

“Facebook provides a wealth of data that allows for highly targeted, niche and consumer-specific marketing.”

It’s no secret that Facebook is one of the most powerful tools on the web. With over 934 million daily users, 1.59 billion monthly users, and 1.44 billion mobile users, Facebook has an incredible amount of untapped potential for businesses. And while their frequent and unannounced algorithm changes bring endless frustration to social media managers and digital marketers, Facebook is a platform that will soon be essential to business growth and visibility. Facebook provides a wealth of data that allows for highly targeted, niche and consumer-specific marketing. From their redesigned Ad Platform Power Editor to their brand new mobile storytelling tool for brands and businesses, you can’t afford not to take advantage of these tools to optimize business growth, lead generation, traffic, and engagement.

Zero Limit Web can help you plan, design, and execute an manage your Facebook Ad campaign, install re-targeting pixels on your website and provide you with comprehensive analytics and reporting essential for ROI and strategic planning.

Now that you’re in the know, should you choose social media marketing?

When it comes to choosing the best Search Engine Strategy for your business, it all comes down to budget.
You want to make sure that you are spending your marketing budget wisely and investing in the strategy that will maximize those dollars. We always recommend starting with an SEO campaign, because it allows your business to have an established position in the search results, and most importantly, customer traffic. And, as we’ve discussed, your position online matters.
Obviously, harnessing the power of a comprehensive Search Engine Strategy will bring you page #1 domination. But, not all businesses have that option.
For those businesses with smaller budgets, start with one strategy. Then, as your business grows, take the next step! If you’re still having trouble deciding which step to make first, consider T.C.R.

T = TRUST

What builds trust online? Presence. Value. Access.
If your business holds the top three positions on page one of search engines, more specifically on Google, you earn trust.
If your business provides clear value, solves problems and has high visual appeal (via your website an mobile), you earn trust.
If your business has an active and vibrant presence on social media, you earn trust.
However, if your business lacks these, and relies solely on ads, your business loses trust. Consumers don’t trust paid ads and more often than not, they avoid them. Average searches place more trust in organic rankings than they do in paid positions. And, as soon as you stop paying for Google Ads, you lose trust, because your business is now invisible to searches. And a recent Moz article states that “the cost of SEO is 1/8th the cost of Google Paid Per Click Ads.” Another reason to start with SEO!

C = COST

“87% of search engine dollars are spent on PPC vs. 11% spent on organic SEO efforts…meaning the strategy that’s over 5x more effective {SEO} is only receiving 1/8 of the media spend…It’s hard to justify the expense of a PPC campaign, knowing that SEO is more successful and the over better longterm value” (NMC).

Quick and easy always comes at an extra cost. Taking a quick and easy route like paid ads isn’t going to give your business long term visibility or exposure. It certainly can if you are willing to commit to an ongoing PPC budget. Why not spend your budget on a marketing method that is sustainable, and delegate some extra funds for an Ad campaign when you really need an extra boost? A recent study shows that “87% of search engine dollars are spent on PPC vs. 11% spent on organic SEO efforts…meaning the strategy that’s over 5x more effective {SEO} is only receiving 1/8 of the media spend…It’s hard to justify the expense of a PPC campaign, knowing that SEO is more successful and the over better longterm value” (NMC). Ads should always run in tandem to an SEO campaign, not in place of them. However, if you are a Brick and Mortar, or if you have clients and customers who engage you on a regular basis, you should strongly consider coupling your SEO campaign with Social Media Marketing.

R= RESULTS

Are you in it for the long haul, or are you just looking for instant gratification? Organic ranking takes time. It is part of business growth. If you want your business to have sustainable, long-term visibility, then you’re going to want to start with an SEO campaign and get visible on your social networks. If you want a quick fix, then invest in Google Ads. But remember, you can always have SEO and harness the power of Google Ads when you need a spike in traffic such as a special sale, a new product launch, an event or special product promotion or new service. When used strategically and in tandem, PPC ads will provide you with traffic results. When Ads supplement your overall digital marketing strategy, you gain long term and short term results both working in your favor. Things like Facebook ads fuel your brand awareness and engagement, as well as provide traffic to and from your website and can be used for long-term as well as short-term marketing.

1. Ready to get started on a sustainable digital marketing campaign for your business?

2. Do you want sustainable results and a MAJOR increase in visibility?

3. Is your website in need of a serious modern and mobile-friendly makeover?

4. Do you want to get started on a Social Media Marketing Strategy so that you can actually engage with your customers?

Thank you for reading our 3-part series on PPC (i.e. Adwords) vs Organic SEO. We sincerely hope you learned a lot.

We are here for you! Give us call today and speak with one of our Digital Growth Experts.
We’ll provide you with a free web analysis, and identify and implement Search Engine Strategies that meet your unique business needs.
We look forward to learning more about you and your business!

The post Part 3: Social Media Marketing: A Better Alternative To SEO? appeared first on Zero Limit Web: SEO Expert in Los Angeles.

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