When you’re planning Search Engine Optimisation (SEO) strategy, we strongly encourage you to consider the ‘bigger picture’, and think in terms of your overall objectives for Internet marketing, rather than just being found on Google and getting ranked. Otherwise, you will find that either though SEO will bring traffic to your website, the conversion rate is poor.
SEO is just one activity of many for you Internet Marketing strategy. You need to make sure your site is optimised for a healthy CONVERSION rate to see a solid ROI.
People might be visiting your website, but they are not taking the next step to contact your business either via email or phone call. Below are some tip to consider for your website.
Design EVERY webpage as a landing page.
While it depends on the structure of your website, the days of deciding which page will be a ‘landing page’ are long gone. Search engines don’t look for relevant websites. They look for relevant PAGES, and will rank pages that have the information that the person is searching for.
You need to design every webpage as though it were a free-standing landing page… complete with a strong call to action to encourage visitors to take the next step.
Internet marketing means catering for low commitment.
One of the challenges with converting website traffic is the reality of a low commitment level from your potential customer.
To illustrate, let me compare your website to a retail outlet.
Let’s say that you have gone to the hardware store to buy a hammer. You have a clear purpose, and you have made a fair commitment to walk in the door.
- You set aside the necessary time.
- You drove to the shop.
- You found a park.
- You walked in.
With that much commitment, if you can’t find the hammers immediately, you are VERY unlikely to turn around, walk out and start over looking for another hardware shop. You’ll have a good hunt around. And if you still can’t find the hammers, you’ll ask for help from an assistant.
Your website is not like this!
The only commitment people made to get there was to do a quick search and make a few clicks. So, if you don’t have a clear path to what they are looking for, it is VERY easy for them to click away to a competitor.
Clearly, you need to be mindful of this, and make it very easy for people to take the next step!
So what WILL get the conversions you are looking for?
1. Don’t make people think – keep it simple
Keep it simple, with one (perhaps two but no more) “next step†offers on the page.
It is fine to present it a number of times and in different ways, but keep the options to a dull roar. The underlying message should be “I understand your problem. I know how to fix it. HERE is what to do to get the soothing benefits you are looking forâ€.
2. Show a clear path.
Make sure your call to action is obvious. If you want people to register an email address or other details, make the form prominent on the page. If you want them to ring, make the number very easy to see.
Whatever you want people to do, make it EASY for them to do it and tell them, clearly and persuasively, how to go about doing it.
3. Ask for less.
In an ideal world, every prospect would happily give you their email, phone number, postal address, and anything else you want.
Alas, ours is not an ideal world.
Generally speaking, the more information you ask for, the fewer people will respond.
4. Add value to your offer.
This is associated with the point above. You must ALWAYS remember that buyers don’t know all the wonderful things that you know about your product or service. Nor do they know all the good things there are to know about your offer.
So, you have to tell them!
Look, I know this is supposed to be an informative article, and not gratuitous promotion for our marketing services. But seriously, the amount of lost opportunity and lost business resulting from poor web copywriting is staggering. Time after time, we see websites with what COULD have been a compelling offer made weaker by poor writing.
For goodness sakes, get your web copywriting done properly! It is a VITAL part of your website, and it must be as persuasive and compelling as i t can be.
Understand the differences between web copywriting and print copywriting…
5. Test different offers
Finally, to take us right back to my earlier point…  you must TEST various offers and angles over a period of time to see which has the most appeal — or how the SAME offer can be presented differently to increase its appeal.
- Is a free consult more appealing than a paid one? Test and find out!
- Is an on-site visit more appealing than an in-house one? Test and find out!
- Is a complimentary 2 week trial more appealing that “14 days FREE� Test and find out!
Last words about Internet marketing …
To finish off… you must take a holistic view with Internet marketing. SEO might get you ranked on the search engines, but that is only part of the story! Make sure your website also works.
Article source: http://www.etravelblackboardasia.com/article/76329/internet-marketing-how-to-increase-your-conversion-rate