I’m a strong believer that the point of every content marketing strategy is to create conversions. By obtaining a high conversion rate, you’re obtaining your bottom line, which is to make money. The only barrier coming between you and your content marketing strategy is competition from other bloggers. If you seriously think about this statement, you’ll understand that…
- People are pickier because they have several choices
- Visitors are quick to make a decision because they know they have other options
- You have a split second to make a first good impression
These are just a few elements but you can understand how competition affects your bottom line. I’m a true believer that if you show people the benefits within your content quickly, then you’ll have an easier time obtaining higher conversions. Here are a few copywriting tweaks that will quickly increase your conversions. These were gathered online and are very effective when applied to your strategy.
#1- Optimize Website
Effective copy writing starts with an optimized website, NOT only a page. What good is content that cannot be viewed correctly? An effective web design will ensure that everything is tied in together and your content is part of a bigger project. This means ensuring that navigation, internal links, landing pages, buttons, etc., are all optimized to work well together. Google uses load time as a ranking factor so ranking higher in the SERPs means to have a website that loads under 3 seconds. A faster loading website will have a direct influence on your conversions as you reduce bounce time, holding onto your visitors longer.
I’ve noticed that a solid plan will ensure your copy writing is aligned with everything correctly. Write down the objective of your content and what other elements need to be filled in at the same time. This way, you don’t forget the elements as you create content and publish.
#2- Solution & Benefits
Providing a solution is not good enough because you have to give people the benefits it offers. What good is a solution when people don’t know how it makes their lives simpler? I’m a true believer that when you create simplicity in a person’s life, then you’ll have NO problem making money going forward. Look at both Apple and Microsoft and what they do in society.
Apple developed some of the greatest products to date, creating smart phones that transformed the mobile industry. They even took mobile computing to another level. Microsoft transformed operating systems to work seamlessly, allowing other companies to develop software that’s compatible. The point is both solved a problem and provided benefits to the user. Your copywriting should always provide a solution to a common problem, but you should make it a point to outline the benefits. This can be done by video tutorials, images, and follow-up content.
#3- Add Images
Because the web connects people from all over the world, you want your content to resonate with everyone. This means ensuring your content gets read and understood by people all over the world who speak different languages. One common mistake I’ve seen copy writers make is write content in English, knowing that their readership is mainly from a place where English is NOT widely spoken. For this reason, you lose 50%-70% engagement on your content, equalling a lower conversion rate. Here’s what I recommend…
Always include images within your content because they make understanding your content much easier. The popularity in infographics has increased 5x in the last two years because they provide valuable information that everyone can easily understand, no matter where you’re visiting from. I’m not saying to avoid text, but when things are getting complex, add an image to help illustrate your point.
#4- Allow Simple Skimming
This is a great way to increase conversions because you’re getting your point across quickly. People, when looking for information, are in a hurry and a majority won’t read through 3,000 words of content so it’s important you format correctly. For example, you’ve probably noticed that much of the content we read online has been chopped down into smaller paragraphs. This has been done strategically because it allows for people to find the information they need quickly by simply skimming through. The content has been divided up, keeping the objective in mind with the elements being divided into smaller paragraphs. What does this do?
It allows people to engage with the content longer, absorbing more of it and increasing the chance of you obtaining the end result – a conversion. The more information and benefits you can get in front of people, the higher the chance of getting more value out of your visitors. Here’s what you should do next time…
- Outline content creating intro, headings, sub-headings, and conclusion
- Write out content before cutting it down
- Divide the content into smaller paragraphs but keep all sub-headings together
- Use bullet points if necessary
- Include images and a video
#5- Use Landing Page If Possible
Before copy writing, ask yourself this question: Will a landing page do the trick? Sometimes the best copywriting tweak to increase conversions is simply NOT to write content at all and create a landing page. I’ve seen many businesses who are selling a product do better having a landing page explaining the benefits of their product than writing out 2,000 words of content. Here is a good example,
The page above had a conversion rate of 24%, which is awesome, not to mention, they were capturing email addresses at the same time. This means they were able to run a series of follow-ups to the people on their list, selling their product at a later date. The point is, they used very little text but achieved a solid conversion rate going forward. Over time, they tweaked the strategy to increase conversions even more. Next time, ask yourself if you should use a simple landing page to illustrate your product, which can increase conversions.