Conversions are the actions that a visitor takes on a certain website. These actions include signing up for newsletters to downloading a lead magnet. Or, filling an inquiry form, participating in a survey, placing an order, and registering for an event. As the Internet engulfs almost all the businesses and selling patterns today, digital marketing strategies are increasingly necessary for brands to showcase their existence and products on a silver plate. If done right, these tactics can increase conversion rates significantly. Which traction channel is best for business-to-business transactions will depend on your business type. Here’s more from marketing specialist Priyanka Bijlani.
5 Digital Marketing Strategies for Conversions
Applying digital marketing tactics to increase conversion rates for a website is called Conversion Rate Optimization (CRO). Let’s see how digital marketing tactics can help for a good Return on Investment (ROI), i.e., increase conversion rates, Here are five ideas.
1. A/B Testing
A/B testing is the method of comparing two or more versions A/B/C of the same web page to analyze which one performs better. It is also known as split testing. As per data, 71 percent of companies are doing two or more tests per month. To give a better understanding of A/B testing, let’s look at the basics.
For example, if you are A/B testing one of your marketing campaigns, you need two or more versions of the same page. Then analyze which one performs better on engagement and reaction from prospective customers. These tests help you create a better version of the landing page that appeals to the customers giving a better Return on Investment.
To split test your web pages, you can use Google Analytics, VWO, or another reputable source.
2. Optimize your Website
Another important way to increase conversion rates is to have a mobile-friendly website. This means the website is mobile responsive. In other words, what the user needs is quickly available to them as and when needed on mobile devices. When more than half of the web traffic is coming from smartphones, mobile version becomes a necessity for every website.
As per a recent study, by the end of 2018, 79 percent of web traffic will be from mobile or tablet. Google also has made mobile-first indexing a priority for websites. Another term to add to the CRO is the page load speed. The page load speed of the website is best when not more than 3 seconds. In case of delayed page load of even 1 second, conversions go down by 7 percent and negatively impacts web rankings.
3. Unique, High-Quality Content
Content! Content! And more content! It is everywhere. Whatever you listen, read, watch, everything is content. It is still the king in 2018 as content plays a crucial role in driving traffic to web pages. If the content on the website is informative, unique and adds a certain value to the readers, it will be share-worthy and drive engagement. Doing so will increase conversion rates.
Google gives a lot of importance to high-quality, unique content that informs and interacts with its readers. So, always write your content keeping your target audience in mind. Also, pay attention to how easily your words can be understood by readers. Aim to write content at an 8th grade reading and comprehension level. You need to make people believe through your content that what you offer is not only valuable but trustworthy enough for them to go through the conversion.
Solve a problem with your content, resonate with your readers, and they will like and share it on different social media channels. All of which will increase the organic ranking for your website. Also, for this any of the other digital marketing strategies here, it’s important to “never sound salesy.” Readers are turned off with a sales pitch. Even if it is a marketing campaign, it should aim at solving problems.
4. Call to Action and Easy Payments
A website is not entirely optimized for conversions until you have perfectly timed call-to-action (CTA) buttons on its pages. CTAs are very important for conversions as they guide users where to go on a website to accomplish a goal.
For example, let’s say I know which mobile phone I want to buy online and from where, but I do not know how to place the order. If I can’t see any “place your order” or “add to cart” button, then I might get frustrated and not buy it there.
In this case, the conversion for the mobile selling site will never happen, or it will have delays. But why did this happen? Unfortunately, the website didn’t have a call-to-action button in a highly visible location. Having CTAs with the right message mentioned and at the right spot on the website can quickly increase conversion rates.
As per statistics, more than 90 percent of visitors who read your content will also read CTAs. Not having enough modes of payment is another pain point for customers while placing their orders. Therefore, offer diverse and accessible modes of payment for quick conversions.
5. Social Media
Social media is more crucial than ever for brand awareness and success. Thus, we include it here as one of the top digital marketing strategies. As per Statista, by 2021, social media will have 3.02 billion active users worldwide.
With nearly half the world’s population on social media, it is an instant online place for brands to engage with users and build a loyal customer base. Let’s see some ways social media actions can increase conversion rates:
1. Real-time experience. Social media is a traction channel where users look for some fun while learning. Plus, for brands, there’s an opportunity to engage directly with its consumers using:
- Live behind-the-scene videos
- Employee interaction videos
- Customer feedback and testimonials
- Interactive learning posts
- Customer reviews
- Influencer or celebrity interviews
A mixture of the above suggestions can increase engagements and brand awareness. For customer reviews, in particular, research shows that a whopping 84 percent of customers trust web reviews as much as a recommendation to them personally.
2. Mobile friendly landing page. About 80 percent of the time, users browse social media through a mobile device. So, ensure that you mobile optimize a landing page that you direct users to as well. When users click on a CTC on the social media page, ideal they go to a mobile-friendly website. But if the landing page is not mobile optimized, users will bounce back and it will lower the brand’s web rankings.
Another note about social media. Social media is a place where brands need to be real and transparent to gain the customer’s trust. So keep experimenting and looking for ways to be creative with social media posts. Moreover, the fear of missing out or #FOMO is always one of the go-to strategies for brands to gain quick conversions with exciting offers.
The Marketing Funnel
Lastly, the marketing funnel is a representation of the different stages through which a user goes, from the first awareness of a brand to the end sales or conversion. To increase conversion rates it is vital to understand the stages in a marketing funnel, which are:
- Brand awareness. In this stage, brand awareness comes from social media posts, videos, ads, etc.
- Consideration. Users now take the lead, making inquiries about whether a brand is legitimate. Prospects read company success stories, customer reviews, and testimonials. They make sure the brand addresses and solves their problems.
- Decision. This is the final part when the user is satisfied with all the information about the brand and finally decides to go ahead with the sale.
Marketing funnels form the basis for good digital marketing strategies. Understanding and following these funnels can increase conversion rates higher, undoubtedly. Companies need to make sure that they add a certain value for users at every stage of this funnel. To do so, they must post and share content that resonates with their target users. Each stage in a marketing funnel takes time for the user to go through, from an unknown person to a lead and then to a customer.
Conclusions about How to Increase Conversion Rates
Every company is delving into the pool of digital marketing for quick and cost-effective methods to increase conversion rates or get a sale. Multiple traction channels that improve conversions through digital marketing have a lot to offer companies.
On the other hand, various ongoing and upcoming trends in digital marketing add to the pressure of keeping up to date on marketing processes. However, there is no other option for marketers but to follow these trends to stay on top of their game.
Some of the trends that will likely rule Internet marketing in the coming years are:
- Chatbots
- Video marketing
- Influencer marketing
- Artificial intelligence
- Visual search
Also, don’t forget about the various tools like https://www.semrush.com/, Google Trends, https://buzzsumo.com/, and Google Keyword Planner. Plus, there are many others available online to help marketers get through the conversion marketing journey. So, immerse yourself in the sea of the latest trends and gather both your resources and knowledge to gain maximum results with digital marketing strategies.
About Today’s Writer
Priyanka Bijlani is a content writer and a digital marketing strategies professional from India helping solo entrepreneurs and small businesses in their digital marketing journey across the globe. Find her at Twitter and LinkedIn.