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| Image from www.webseoanalytics.com |
Digital marketers know that great websites cause people to take action. When a website visitor requests more information, buys a product, downloads a white paper, applies for membership, or all of the above, they are taking action. Those actions are also called outcomes, goals, or, in a web analytic term, conversions.
According to Digital Analytics Association (formerly known as the Web Analytics Association, conversions are calculated by counting the number of times a desired outcome was accomplished.
Conversion data can reveal invaluable insights for companies that are using their websites to achieve online marketing goals. Whether those goals are to obtain more leads, increase membership, or reduce calls to the customer care center, websites that result in an intended action benefit the business.
If 500 people downloaded a white paper from a company’s website, that number illustrates the total count of conversions. However, if the company realizes that 10,000 unique visitors were on the website, but only 500 of them downloaded the white paper, those action-takers represent a 5 percent conversion rate.
Therefore, in this instance, conversion rate is defined as the websites’ outcomes divided by unique visitors.
Markitekt, a conversion optimization agency, used heuristic analysis of web metrics and design testing to increase the conversion rate for a particular landing page on a professional truck drivers website.
TruckersReport offers an online job-finding service for truck drivers. Their landing page is part of a conversion funnel which leads the truck driver through a few short steps, one which includes a sign-in section followed by a short online resume form. This funnel was converting at a 12.1 percent conversion rate.
In order to increase the conversion rate, Markitekt used a number of research methods to determine how to best improve the landing page in order to increase conversions. They reviewed current page analytics, set up mouse tracking, recorded user sessions, and conducted an online audience survey.
The resulting data revealed that 50 percent of TruckersReport website traffic was originating from mobile devices, their existing landing page headline didn’t resonate with visitors, and the content wasn’t visually pleasing, which also lent to the impression that the company lacked credibility.
With these insights, Markitekt created a new landing page using responsive design, different images, and revised headline text. The team conducted six multivariate tests including the success of a simple versus slightly more complex sign up form, different headline copy which incorporated words used by the survey participants, and the absence of a job match page that was meant to show visitors the progress of their online resume.
Each test result helped Markitekt with further testing, and the results of the testing were finally implemented. The new landing page achieved a 21.7 percent conversation rate, which was an obvious improvement over the original 12.1 percent.
Conversions and conversion rates are important metrics for digital marketers to track because, as in the example above, adjustments to the way a particular conversion funnel or landing page performs can make the difference in achieving marketing goals.
For those companies that do not have the funds to hire an agency, Search Engine Journal offers up four tips to help immediately increase conversions:
- Explain the benefits
- Collect customer feedback
- Make your website easy to use
- Contact visitors that abandon
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