When initially looking at a Conversion Rate Optimisation project, it is important to consider the type of site that A/B, Multivariate testing and usability improvements are to be undertaken. Lead generation and Ecommerce sites – typically those that fall into the B2C and B2B categories respectively, behave quite differently because of the different traffic profile makeup and typical conversion paths.
CRO is really a ‘numbers game’ – a methodology which aims to improve your conversion process to increase the percentage of website visitors which ultimately convert into an enquiry. With more limited search volume in the lead generation marketplace, it is essential to make the most of the traffic visiting your site. The cost associated with driving more traffic can be high; optimising the traffic already visiting your site can be much more cost effective. Combine the two and the multiplying factors can result in significantly more leads.
Commonly, average CPC’s are greatest for higher-value product and service search terms – Increasing traffic through paid search by 10% could cost thousands, whereas increasing conversion rates by 10% (1% to 1.1%, for example – a very achievable amount) might cost under half that, and will also have an incremental impact on future traffic. A recent test in place for a Coast Digital client saw that the difference between displaying yellow rather than green confirmation buttons on site represented almost 44% uplift in the page conversion rate – 3.18% and 2.20% respectively.
It is sensible to be sparing with navigation menus and links on pages with a specific intent, such as service landing pages with contact forms. Unlike ecommerce, where browsing and impulse purchasing plays a significant role, with lead generation sites having paid for traffic to arrive, it is vital that visitors don’t leave without submitting the lead form if they are to be successful.
Lead Generation CRO is not without its own specific challenges
With Lead generation sites, there are usually fewer clearly defined stages in the conversion process; the ecommerce model lends itself to CRO as there are usually a number of checkout stages. Overcome this by considering the user-path and journey from Keyword, PPC ad copy or Organic listing view through the site, to contact form submission as the whole process. Think very hard about the level of detail you really need to collect for a lead, as exhaustive forms and over-ambitious ‘required fields’ turn users off quickly.
In comparison to their e-commerce counterparts, Lead Generation sites frequently command a lower volume of traffic to achieve their targets – to ensure that any testing on this traffic volume remains significant, ensure that tests are as efficient as possible; use the A/B where volume is low and don’t spread traffic too thinly across variants. Use PPC and other traffic sources to divert traffic to split test pages
Where Conversion Rate Optimisation pays dividends:
The potential for Lead Generation sites and CRO is clear; the big payout. For many lead generation sites, a single lead can be worth tens of thousands, and in some cases, £500,000+. In cases like this, the price of the initial optimisation work might be covered many times over by the return of a single piece of business.
The effect of the improvement in conversion rates is incremental – Continuing the testing process to ensure that rates keep increasing will improve the number of inbound leads, month on month. These increased conversion rates will have a positive impact on all traffic driving channels, so if a Social Media strategy, SEO campaign, Banner Placements or even offline marketing efforts are being used to drive site visitors, they will all see increased conversions for the same traffic level.
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