Website conversion and copywriting

[Frank Girard]

We all know a web site owner can drive all the traffic he/she wants to a site but without converting those visitors into sales, or at least the most wanted action, the goal of monetization is never reached or poorly reached

In my opinion, many web site owners make the mistake of concentrating too much on traffic and not enough on conversion. I'd like to ask everyone to contribute web specific copywriting strategies for improving conversion.

I'll start with one we all know - testing...testing headlines, offers, guarantees etc. A combination of Google analytics and the new Google optimizer provide interesting tools I'm just learning about. It uses a concept called Tagucci which is an automated way to test multiple variables. I believe it was developed originally in a manufacturing environment and later came to the web. I would be interested in any copywriters experience in using this- How easy is it to use? How long does it take? What has been your experience?

Again, please provide any web specific tips for optimizing conversion rate online using copywriting. Thanks in advance for "jumping in" to this discussion.

[Clay Cotton]

in the "authority site" model ( see http://onward.authoritysiteprofits.com ), you can set a presell context in posts , cloaked in info-rich content, which then spread thru web2.0 channels - - put a link somewhere deep in the text (think "placement") which takes em to the converting page or better yet to another incremental step for even more info -

we used to call it "multi-step", but these it's more like "transparency" and social proof a la cialdini

in a wired age, it's about rapport over multiple contacts thru repeated interchange - create a habitat, baby... and prove your worth by giving first - issue Value Worthy of Devotion(TM)

i introduce them gently to the possibilities in my "culture" long before they get the full gamut of my most glorious mojo...

it's a seduction vibe, not a "rape and pillage", maximum-extraction machine, imho

/clay
- "At least 90% of mental activity that leads to perceptions, thinking and decisions takes place outside the conscious mind."
- "Successful marketers allow people to tell themselves a story they want to hear. Great marketers then do work that they're proud of, using their leverage to create value-rich outcomes that people might not appreciate fully in the short run but are delighted in later on."

but u already know this, don't u?

[jackforde]

Hi Frank,

Could you explain the Tagucci concept?

Thanks,

Jack

[Carolyn Grantham]

It's actually Taguchi--developed by a Japanese statistician, initially (I believe) to improve manufacturing processes. It's a way of doing multivariate testing, so rather than just comparing variable A to variable B (e.g. landing page with/without image) you can try testing image, offer, headline, signup, etc etc on a larger number of pages to get the most efficient result.

There's a detailed (too detailed for me!) overview on good ol' Wikipedia:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Taguchi_methods

[Patricia Skinner]

The most important thing to start with is the keywords or phrases that you select as your search terms. It's important to select target niches that will ensure highly targeted visitors. Lets say you're selling a range of furniture. It's modern and sleek. you wouldn't pick just 'furniture' as a search term, because you'll get visitors who are looking for classic, rustic, country, or even baroque furniture. You'd pick search terms like 'modern sleek furniture' so that the visitors who arrive are looking specifically for what you have.

This is over-simplified of course, but it's the best way I can illustrate the theory. This is the basis of getting good traffic.

[Soni Pitts]

You'd be surprised how many sites I see that just don't lead to a specific or compelling call to action. Not only does the call to action need to be there, it has to A) give the visitor something useful or interesting and B) relate directly to what you want them to do at this point in your funnel.

For example, if you sell diamonds then a reassuring and welcoming landing page with download of an educational booklet with basic info on what to look for, a sizing chart, a care guide, a purchasing checklist and so on (complete with a bonus coupon for free cleanings or some such) would increase conversion significantly over a basic showroom or welcome page with a link to the products page - that's just to big of a leap - or with no real call to action at all other than a navigation bar - to much like being set adrift in unfamiliar waters.

Such a simple thing, but if you get it wrong all the traffic in the world won't help you.