B-to-B Insights: Maximize Your Traffic
10 tips for increasing landing-page conversion rates
April 2008 By Robert W. Bly
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There is a good deal of buzz these days about blogging, viral marketing, social networking and other new methods of generating eyeballs and traffic online. But that traffic will not make you money unless you can convert those unique visitors to leads or customers.
Whether you are selling a product directly from your landing page, asking visitors to download a free whitepaper, or promoting a webinar or demonstration, conversion rates can range from less than 1 percent to more than 50 percent. Here are 10 keys to creating landing pages that can maximize your online conversion rates.
1. Build your credibility early. People always have been skeptical of advertising, and with the proliferation of spam and shady operators, they are even more skeptical of what they read online. Your landing-page copy must overcome that skepticism immediately.
To do this, clearly display one or more “credibility builders” on the first screen visitors see. If you are well-known, place your logo and company name in the banner at the top of the page; universities, associations and other institutions can display their official seals in the upper, left-hand corner of the screen.
Place one to three strong testimonials within or under the banner on the first screen. Also, consider adding a prehead or subhead that summarizes your company’s mission statement or credentials.
2. Capture the e-mail addresses of non-buyers. One way to do this is to use a window with copy offering a free report or e-course in exchange for submitting an e-mail address. This window can be served to the visitor as a pop-up or a pop-under. However, pop-up blockers can block both windows. An alternative is a “floater” window that slides onto the screen from the side or top. Unlike the pop-up and pop-under, the floater is part of the Web site HTML code, so it is not stopped by the pop-up blocker.
3. Use lots of testimonials. Like case studies and whitepapers, testimonials build credibility and overcome skepticism. If you invite customers to a live event, ask if they would be willing to give you brief testimonials recorded on video. Get signed releases from customers, have a professional videographer tape the testimonials and post them to your Web site as streaming video. Require Web site visitors to click a button to hear each testimonial rather than have the videos play automatically when they click on the page.
When soliciting written testimonials, customers may suggest you write what you want them to say and run it by them for approval. Politely ask that they give you their opinions of your product in their own words. Their letters likely will be more specific, believable and detailed than your version, which might smack of puffery and promotion.
Whether you are selling a product directly from your landing page, asking visitors to download a free whitepaper, or promoting a webinar or demonstration, conversion rates can range from less than 1 percent to more than 50 percent. Here are 10 keys to creating landing pages that can maximize your online conversion rates.
1. Build your credibility early. People always have been skeptical of advertising, and with the proliferation of spam and shady operators, they are even more skeptical of what they read online. Your landing-page copy must overcome that skepticism immediately.
To do this, clearly display one or more “credibility builders” on the first screen visitors see. If you are well-known, place your logo and company name in the banner at the top of the page; universities, associations and other institutions can display their official seals in the upper, left-hand corner of the screen.
Place one to three strong testimonials within or under the banner on the first screen. Also, consider adding a prehead or subhead that summarizes your company’s mission statement or credentials.
2. Capture the e-mail addresses of non-buyers. One way to do this is to use a window with copy offering a free report or e-course in exchange for submitting an e-mail address. This window can be served to the visitor as a pop-up or a pop-under. However, pop-up blockers can block both windows. An alternative is a “floater” window that slides onto the screen from the side or top. Unlike the pop-up and pop-under, the floater is part of the Web site HTML code, so it is not stopped by the pop-up blocker.
3. Use lots of testimonials. Like case studies and whitepapers, testimonials build credibility and overcome skepticism. If you invite customers to a live event, ask if they would be willing to give you brief testimonials recorded on video. Get signed releases from customers, have a professional videographer tape the testimonials and post them to your Web site as streaming video. Require Web site visitors to click a button to hear each testimonial rather than have the videos play automatically when they click on the page.
When soliciting written testimonials, customers may suggest you write what you want them to say and run it by them for approval. Politely ask that they give you their opinions of your product in their own words. Their letters likely will be more specific, believable and detailed than your version, which might smack of puffery and promotion.
Companies Mentioned:
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Business-to-Business Lead Generation Strategies (2nd Edition)
Business to Business Marketing Research