CRO from scratch. Part 3.
Alright, we’ve already scratched our hands, and after the previous 2 introductory and not-so-introductory advice we can share life-saving content conversion tips for you to stay at the top of your game.
Even if you’re super familiar with the subject, you’ll enjoy backing up your knowledge with facts and figures.
In the CRO from Scratch. Part 2, we said that you should take a close look at the elements of your site. Some of them, like headlines, covert big time if done right.
Now answer this question:
What do you hate most about sites?
We hate when the site doesn’t clearly explain what it does. How can you enjoy something if you have to double check everything or if you just don’t understand what the site is about?
The more clearly we understand the product, the more likely we become customers.
However, in Neuromarketing is gold? we suggested that it’s a journey that matters, not just a product. There is no controversy. Because novaday the product = journey. Therefore, content, copy, navigation, and the product itself are paramount and must work together.
Website checklist:
- Make sure your product is clearly communicated. Keep text simple and short. Cut out the jargon. Customer-first approach.
- Build trust. Social proof, reviews, likes, downloads are the numbers that work.
- Organize content. Hierarchy of content encourages action. Keep it simple and to the point. Bullet headlines, images and videos, and clear CTAs.
- Drive action. CTAs should be consistent and contain clear messages that save the customer steps.
- Create a frictionless journey. The number of decisions the user has to make should be as few as possible so as not to overwhelm them.
- End on a high note. Build an emotional connection with your customer at the end of the purchase. “Thanks”, “See you later”, reviews from other people – this is what makes people stay your long-term customers.
Сontent. Split, surprise and satisfy
When it comes to showcasing your product or service on your website, a picture can speak volumes. No offense, copywriters, it’s always best to combine different types of info.
Quick tip for copywriters: An interesting study by Outbrain found that negative words in headlines like “worst” and “never” are 63% more effective than positive words like “best” and “always.”
To learn more about the conversion power of video and gifs revisit: CRO from Scratch.Part 1
As for content conversion tips pertaining to images, high-quality ones can make a big difference in converting a visitor into a customer.
However, it’s not just about displaying an attractive image. You also need to guide the user towards taking action by creating a clear design hierarchy.
For example: Place a CTA on top of the site to encourage users to take action immediately. And don’t just rely on the text; use buttons as communication points. Assume that the user might miss some essential information, so make sure that the button clearly states what you are offering.
CTAs should look like buttons and feel clickable. Users enjoy clicking buttons, and it gives them a sense of satisfaction. While creating buttons, remember to keep the design simple and straightforward.
When offering a product or service, ensure that you display the price prominently. Nobody wants to click on purchase button without knowing the price beforehand. You should also clearly indicate the payment options.
Build trust and drive action
What builds trust? Customer Reviews. Marketing is good, but person-to-person works very well. Social proof can take various forms, such as positive reviews, press mentions, or a large number of subscribers or customers all sending the message that others have tried and endorsed your product or service.
Likes, shares, downloads, and other trusted numbers work similarly. If you’re already using social signals on your landing page but they’re not working, try A/B testing, replacing one type of signal with another.
Design and Conversion. Use a minimum of information on action pages. For pages with signup forms, checkout, and other pages that require an action from the user, you should use especially short landing pages.
Progress Bar. If a user has to go through several steps to complete a certain action, you should use a progress bar – it motivates users to finish what they started and makes the process clear and meaningful.
More content conversion tips
Show the product benefits. Instead of giving endless descriptions of features and benefits, try to demonstrate the benefits of the product to your customers. It’s more important that people see what they personally get out of the product, not why you think you’re cooler than the competition.
Make the “About Us” page more human. The “About Us” page is one of the top five most visited pages on all websites. Don’t miss this opportunity to show users what your business is all about. Let the photos show personality and let the page tell the story of your values, led by a customer or common interest.
Present numbers. Use statistics as advantages. Anything that can be counted should either be optimized or demonstrated. Numbers can impress and persuade.
Introduce Live Chat. A must-have for SaaS products. A report from Zendesk shows that 92% are satisfied with the use of chat on websites and 42% use chat to avoid “hanging up” on the phone line. Whenever possible, study the history of your customer correspondence. Answer recurring questions and include them on landing pages.
There is a bonus.
Create more landing pages
Interestingly, according to analysis by Hubspot, companies with ten landing pages generate 55% more leads than companies with five landing pages.
Why this is so? The higher the number of landing pages, the more traffic and possible personalized offers. Make sure you don’t duplicate content, though. The pages should be more than 90% unique (different texts, images, CTAs, etc.).
