So you have a client that is asking you to make many changes to his/her website based on conversion optimizations. What is conversion optimization you ask? Well according to Wikipedia (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Conversion_optimization) “conversion optimization or conversion rate optimization is the method of creating an experience for a website or landing page visitor with the goal of increasing the percentage of visitors that convert into customers.”
The only problem is that your client is making changes based on her opinions. Changes that she thinks will work better… but they often don’t. To make matters worse, you hardly have any data you can analyze. The client isn’t allowing the tests enough time to run.
Every time a visitor lands on your website, it is an opportunity to gain a customer. This visitor will probably reach your site by clicking an advertisement or an organic link that leads to your landing page. Your landing page is responsible for converting your visitors into a paying customers.
A website might have different marketing strategies, and they need to be tested in order to find out which ones are having the desired effect. For example, with pay-per-click advertising, people would write two different ads and put them up on the web anywhere from a week to a month to find out which ad receives the most clicks. The one that does not perform can be dropped, while the one that does live up to its potential is given more time.
A conversion for your site can be just about anything. It can be getting someone to stay on your site for more than a specific period of time, it can be a lead generated by your site, it can be getting someone to sign up for an email subscription, or it can be an actual purchase . Your conversion rate refers to your ability to make those things happen – i.e. how many people visit your site versus how many of them convert(or do what you intended them to do).
Multivariate testing can help you determine the best way to optimize your site. It’s different from split testing in that it can include more than two versions of your site. Split rate defines only two versions of your site to be tested. Multivariable testing allows you to test an unlimited amount of versions.
A visually appealing and technologically advanced website might seem sufficient to be successful online, but it doesn’t end there. The secret lies in increasing the number of visitors a site receives through SEO (
Any page on your website that is found through the search engines, the social media or any other referring website or directory can qualify as a landing page. Being found is a victory online because it means you did what’s necessary to make the page visible. The process of Search Engine Optimization (SEO) is the continual process of making all pages visible for relevant keywords and phrases entered on Google, Twitter, Bing and all other internet sources of content. However being found is only half the battle. You make no money just by being found. Your website has a job; a purpose. There is always an action that you wish to have taken by the visitor. These actions are conversions and your landing pages is the focus of all landing page design and
Your landing page is the first thing your visitor sees after clicking an organic or paid (sponsored) listing. 5 seconds on a landing page is how long it takes for someone to leave a site if they feel they are not seeing what they were searching for and what they hoped to see. Just consider what you would do if you were watching TV, clicked on ESPN but got the Weather Channel; how many seconds would it take you to change the channel? Your landing pages are no different.
Building a strong online business isn’t just about the product or services offered. Developing a strong product line and implementing a marketing plan based on Internet Marketing is essential; but just marketing is not enough. The single greatest factor for determining the overall success of an online business is the conversion rate. The conversion rate or the number of visitors who ‘convert’ to paying customers, can often be improved by addressing the design elements on landing pages, whether they exist on the website itself or are specific landing pages linked to sponsored ads (Pay per Click).Understanding what a landing page is and how design elements can influence a visitor is critical. Landing Page Design and Testing is one of the most effective ways to achieve growth in your online business.
A quick look at the analytical data provided by your website is likely to tell you several things. First, the vast majority of your visitors are leaving your website within seconds of hitting the page. Second, the next largest group may attempt to convert by making a purchase or providing their contact information, but will become frustrated by the process. Finally, the smallest percentage of your visitors will actually convert to either paying customers or new leads. This poses a problem to every website owner, regardless of their marketing budget. The solution, quite simply, is landing page design for conversions or
Improving your website isn’t simply about design or SEO (
So, you have put in the time, done the research and completed the perfect optimization plan for your website. You have been noticing a steady rise of your site on the major search engine result pages and are even receiving an increased flow of visitors to your website; but you are not making that much more money! What’s up? Simply put, you are not converting as many customers as you should be, and it’s time for a new kind of optimization: