Quick Win Clinic 5 simple ways to improve your webpage copy right - - PowerPoint PPT Presentation

5 simple ways to improve your webpage copy right now

Quick Win Clinic

Flint McGlaughlin CEO & Managing Director MECLABS Institute

@FlintsNotes

Session Speaker

2

• Dr. Flint McGlaughlin – Director, MECLABS Group

Flint McGlaughlin is the Director of MECLABS Group. The organization has partnered with key market leaders including The New York Times, Microsoft Corporation, and Reuters Group.

• Dr. McGlaughlin also serves as the Director of Enterprise Research at

the Transforming Business Institute, University of Cambridge (UK) and as a former Trustee for Westminster Theological Centre. Dr. McGlaughlin originally studied Philosophy and Theology at the University of London’s Specialist Jesuit College. Today, his primary research is focused on enterprise as transformative

• agent. His work has won multiple awards and has been quoted in

more than 13,000 online and offline sources.

For more, follow @flintsnotes or visit flintsnotes.com

@FlintsNotes

Experiment: Background

Background: A large PR network offering distribution of news releases to Wordpress bloggers. Goal: To increase clickthrough rate. Primary Research Question: Which page will produce the highest clickthrough rate? Approach: A/B split test (variable cluster) Experiment ID: (Protected) Location: MECLABS Research Library Test Protocol Number: TP1635 Research Notes:

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@FlintsNotes

Experiment: Original Page

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Experiment: Treatment

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Experiment: Treatment

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Experiment: Side-by-Side

Treatment Control

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Experiment: Results

321% increase in Click-through

The optimized version increased the on-page conversion rate by 321%

What You Need to Understand: The copy-intensive treatment generated 321% more product starts and a subsequent increase in product previews and purchases. Landing Page Click Rate

• Rel. Diff
• Stat. Confidence

Control 3.0%

• Treatment

12.6% 321%

!

99%

@FlintsNotes

Why did the new page win?

• Much could be said about

all the different changes made to this page, but probably the most impactful was the change in copy.

• It was the strategic wording

used in the copy that intensified the momentum

• f the prospect.

@FlintsNotes

1. Optimizing copy is one of the most efficient levers for maximizing

• ffer-response in your marketing collateral. Indeed, our experiments

suggest that there is a disproportionately high return on efforts to

• ptimize copy.

What you need to understand



Key Principles

@FlintsNotes

1. Optimizing copy is one of the most efficient levers for maximizing offer- response in your marketing collateral. Indeed, our experiments suggest that there is a disproportionately high return on efforts to optimize copy. 2. As we have taught elsewhere, optimizing copy comes down to understanding how people’s thoughts arrange themselves.

What you need to understand



Key Principles

@FlintsNotes

Exposition Climax Resolution

Beginning (The Setup) Middle (The Confrontation) End (The Resolve)

ACT 1 ACT 2 ACT 3 Climax Rising Act. Resolution /Exposition Falling Act.

SUB STORY People’s thoughts arrange themselves in story, therefore understanding your visitor’s thought sequence comes down to understanding the basic structure of a story. Each part of the conversion process can be tied to story…

Synchronizing Copy with the Customer

@FlintsNotes

Exposition Climax Resolution

Beginning (The Setup) Middle (The Confrontation) End (The Resolve)

ACT 1 ACT 2 ACT 3

Thank you

Banner Ad Landing Page Cart/Nurture Thank-you Page

Synchronizing Copy with the Customer

@FlintsNotes

Exposition Climax Resolution

Beginning (The Setup) Middle (The Confrontation) End (The Resolve)

ACT 1 ACT 2 ACT 3

Thank you

Banner Ad Landing Page Cart/Nurture Thank-you Page

Synchronizing Copy with the Customer

@FlintsNotes

Exposition Climax Resolution

Beginning (The Setup) Middle (The Confrontation) End (The Resolve)

ACT 1 ACT 2 ACT 3

Apply Urgency Engage Conversation

Intensify Problem

Foster Conclusion

Present Solution

Achieve Orientation Make the Ask

Synchronizing Copy with the Customer

@FlintsNotes

Today’s Focus

STEP ONE: Achieve Orientation STEP TWO: Build Engagement STEP THREE: Intensify Problem STEP FOUR: Present Solution STEP FIVE: Foster Conclusion STEP SIX: Make the Ask STEP SEVEN: Apply Urgency

Apply Urgency Engage Conversation

Intensify Problem

Foster Conclusion

Present Solution

Achieve Orientation Make the Ask

@FlintsNotes

STEP 1: Achieve Orientation

Apply Urgency Build Engagement

Intensify Problem

Foster Conclusion

Achieve Orientation Make the Ask

Present Solution

@FlintsNotes

1. For every transition in the conversion process, the visitor experiences a moment of orientation. 2. To provide orientation, the marketer must first ensure there is continuity between the channel and the landing page.

Step 1: Achieve Orientation



Key Principles

@FlintsNotes

Step 1: Achieve Orientation

• Headline #1 is

hidden in banner.

• Headline #2 is not

directly connected to the value promised in the ad and causes disorientation Landing Page WordPress Ad

@FlintsNotes

• New headline orients

the visitor by directly connecting to the specific wording of the ad and is given visual prominence.

• Every other element lets

the visitor know precisely what to do on this page. WordPress Ad Landing Page

Step 1: Achieve Orientation

@FlintsNotes

Experiment: Background

Experiment ID: (Protected) Location: MECLABS Research Library Test Protocol Number: TP1306(b)

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Background: Provides end-to-end market solutions for small- and medium-sized businesses. Goal: Increase the email capture rate of an online form. Primary Research Question: Which page will obtain the most form submissions? Approach: A/B multi-factor split test Research Notes:

@FlintsNotes

22

[Bankruptcy] Mailing Lists Quality business mailing lists that Get you results to increase sales! [company-name].com

Experiment: Control

Control

• The control utilizes a general

headline that doesn’t reference the keyword used in the PPC ad.

@FlintsNotes

[Bankruptcy] Mailing Lists Quality business mailing lists that Get you results to increase sales! [company-name].com

• The treatment simply

integrated the keyword utilized in the PPC ad. Treatment

Experiment: Treatment

@FlintsNotes Control – Keyword NOT Present Treatment – Keyword IS Present

Experiment: Side-by-side

@FlintsNotes

144% increase in Total Leads

The new form page increased lead rate by 144%

What You Need to Understand: By strategically placing the keyword from the PPC ad into the headline of the landing page, the treatment produced 144% more leads. Landing Page Conv Rate

• Rel. Diff
• Stat. Confidence

Control 4.93%

• Treatment

12.05% 144%

!

99%

Experiment: Results

@FlintsNotes

1. For every transition in the conversion process, the visitor experiences a moment of orientation. 2. To provide orientation, the marketer must first ensure there is continuity between the channel and the landing page. 3. Next, the marketer has approximately 7 seconds to answer two critical questions in the mind of the prospect: QUESTION #1: Where am I now? QUESTION #2: What can I do here?

Step 1: Achieve Orientation



Key Principles

@FlintsNotes Not this But this

155%

IN CONVERSIONS

Not this, but this

@FlintsNotes Not this But this

189%

IN CONVERSIONS

Not this, but this

@FlintsNotes

Step 1: Audience Activity

Take a moment with one of your printed pages and evaluate the first two inches of your page based on the following checklist:

Rank the first 5 page elements a visitor will see when landing on your webpage. Which of these elements lets the visitor know where they are? Which of these elements lets the visitor know what they can do? Does the language on the page match the language in the channel people come to this page through? Does it integrate specific wording used in the ad or attracting marketing collateral piece?

@FlintsNotes

STEP 2: Engage Conversation

Apply Urgency Engage Conversation

Intensify Problem

Foster Conclusion

Achieve Orientation Make the Ask

Present Solution

@FlintsNotes

1. The key to effective copy is to develop a relationship, and thus guide the prospect to an inevitable conclusion (the value exchange). 2. In order to develop a relationship, one must engage a conversation. In

• rder to engage a conversation, one must employ a “conversation

starter”. This involves two steps: 1. Capture attention 2. Convert to interest

Step 2: Engage Conversation

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Key Principles

@FlintsNotes

• While the control copy

tries to emphasize the customer value, it is vague using company language and logic,

• ffering a seemingly

irrelevant product as a solution

Step 2: Engage Conversation

@FlintsNotes

• The treatment uses the

visitor’s language to connect directly with an immediate need

Step 2: Engage Conversation

@FlintsNotes

• It then presents an

attractive promise directly relative to the visitor’s need

Step 2: Engage Conversation

@FlintsNotes Experiment ID: Survey Spot Location: MECLABS Research Library Test Protocol Number: TP1111 Background: A survey company offering to pay its members to take surveys Goal: To increase qualified survey panelist registrations Primary Research Question: Which panelist registration page will have a higher conversion rate? Approach: A/B multifactor split test Research Notes:

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Experiment: Background

@FlintsNotes

• Using our methodology, we

identified the following potential areas for improving conversion:

• 1. Reduce friction (f) by shortening

the length of the registration form.

• 2. Clarify the expression of the value

proposition (v) by adding a clear headline.

Experiment: Control

Top of Page

@FlintsNotes

37

ID Headline

HL1 Set Up Your FREE Account Today and Start Earning Money! HL2 Get Paid to Take FREE Surveys HL3 Take Online Surveys From Home and Win Cash & Prizes HL4 Get Paid to Fill Out Online Surveys HL5 Surveys – Quick, Easy and FREE HL6 Join the SurveySpot Community and Have Your Opinions Count HL7 Win Cash & Prizes for Online Surveys HL8 Get Rewarded for Your Opinion HL9 You’re Invited to Join the SurveySpot Community and to Earn Rewards For Your Opinions HL10 Here’s Your First Survey, and an Invitation to Join Our Research Community

Experiment: Treatment

• In addition to a

shortening the length

• f the page, we tested

and tracked 10 different headlines with the new changes

@FlintsNotes

Test Your Intuition

ID Headline Tested

HL1 Set Up Your FREE Account Today and Start Earning Money! HL2 Get Paid to Take FREE Surveys HL3 Take Online Surveys From Home and Win Cash & Prizes HL4 Get Paid to Fill Out Online Surveys HL5 Surveys – Quick, Easy and FREE HL6 Join the SurveySpot Community and Have Your Opinions Count HL7 Win Cash & Prizes for Online Surveys HL8 Get Rewarded for Your Opinion HL9 You’re Invited to Join the SurveySpot Community and to Earn Rewards For Your Opinions HL10 Here’s Your First Survey, and an Invitation to Join Our Research Community

Which headline do you think generated the most response? Why?

?

@FlintsNotes ID# Headline Tested CR

• Rel. Diff.

HL1

Set Up Your FREE Account Today and Start Earning Money! 27.35% 5.03%

HL2 Get Paid to Take FREE Surveys 28.76% 10.44% HL3

Take Online Surveys From Home and Win Cash & Prizes 26.81% 2.95%

HL4

Get Paid to Fill Out Online Surveys 27.98% 7.46%

HL5

Surveys – Quick, Easy and FREE 27.52% 5.67%

HL6

Join the SurveySpot Community and Have Your Opinions Count 26.92% 3.36%

HL7

Win Cash & Prizes for Online Surveys 27.37% 5.12%

HL8

Get Rewarded for Your Opinion 27.92% 7.23%

HL9

You’re Invited to Join the SurveySpot Community and Earn Rewards For Your Opinions 27.14% 4.24%

HL10

Here’s Your First Survey, and an Invitation to Join Our Research Community 28.35% 8.87%

Best Performing Headline

Why did this headline outperform the others? Do you see any patterns in the best-performing headlines?

@FlintsNotes ID# Headlines Tested CR

• Rel. Diff.

HL2 Get Paid to Take FREE Surveys 28.76% 10.44% HL10 Here’s Your First Survey, and an Invitation to Join Our Research Community 28.35% 8.87% HL4 Get Paid to Fill Out Online Surveys 27.98% 7.46% HL8 Get Rewarded for Your Opinion 27.92% 7.23% HL5 Surveys – Quick, Easy and FREE 27.52% 5.67% HL7 Win Cash & Prizes for Online Surveys 27.37% 5.12% HL1 Set Up Your FREE Account Today and Start Earning Money! 27.35% 5.03% HL9 You’re Invited to Join the SurveySpot Community and to Earn Rewards For Your Opinions 27.14% 4.24% HL6 Join the SurveySpot Community and Have Your Opinions Count 26.92% 3.36% HL3 Take Online Surveys From Home and Win Cash & Prizes 26.81% 2.95%

Step 2: Engage Conversation

Results: Sorted by relative difference in conversion

• The highest performing

headlines focus on what the potential registration will get (i.e. value-centric).

• The lowest performing

headlines focus on what the potential registration has to do. (i.e. action-centric)

@FlintsNotes Not this But this

331%

IN CONVERSIONS

Not this, but this

@FlintsNotes

Not this, but this

Not this… But this

104%

IN CONVERSIONS

@FlintsNotes

Not this, but this

25%

IN CONVERSIONS

Not this.. But this…

@FlintsNotes

Not this, but this

Not this But this

16%

IN CONVERSIONS

@FlintsNotes

Step 2: Audience Activity

Take a moment with one of your printed pages and evaluate your headline and sub-headline using the following criteria:

Do you have a headline? Is it distinguished enough to be the first thing that visitors see when landing on the page? Does your headline arrest the visitor’s attention? How is it converting attention into interest? Is your headline clear? Does it have a transparent tone? Does it use quantitative language? Does your headline give the visitor a reason to stay on the page? Do you have a sub-headline? Does your sub-headline link the headline to the first paragraph?

@FlintsNotes

STEP 3: Intensify Problem

Apply Urgency Build Engagement

Intensify Problem

Foster Conclusion

Achieve Orientation Make the Ask

Present Solution

@FlintsNotes

1. Simply identifying a customer need does not inspire the need to act 2. To inspire action, your copy must transform a customer need into a customer want. This can be achieved by using one or more of three problem intensifiers 1. Importance 2. Urgency 3. Relevance 3. The degree to which you intensify the problem is directly relative to the degree to which it is already “felt”.

Step 3: Intensify the Problem



Key Principles

@FlintsNotes

• Benefit-based messaging

throughout the treatment is presented in point-first (relevance) and translated into the context of the visitor’s desire (importance).

Step 3: Intensify the Problem

@FlintsNotes

Step 3: Intensify the Problem

• An alternate

explanation of the blogger price is used to add a sense of urgency

@FlintsNotes

54%

IN CONCVERSION

Not this, but this

Not this But this

@FlintsNotes Not this But this

Not this, but this

262%

IN CONCVERSION

@FlintsNotes

Not this, but this

198%

IN CONVERSIONS

Not this But this

@FlintsNotes

Step 3: Audience Activity

Take a moment with one of your printed pages and evaluate all body copy, headers using the following criteria:

Does your copy focus on an existing want in the mind of the visitor? Is your copy building a problem prior to presenting the solution? Is the problem relevant? Is it connected specifically to the customer's situation? How important is the problem? How urgent is the problem?

@FlintsNotes

STEP 4: Foster Conclusion

Apply Urgency Build Engagement

Intensify Problem

Foster Conclusion

Achieve Orientation Make the Ask

Present Solution

@FlintsNotes

1. The aim of the marketer is not to present a claim, rather it is to foster a conclusion. 2. To foster a conclusion in the mind of the customer the value proposition must first be conceived (understood) and then be

• believed. One may use three types of content:

1. Explanation 2. Evidence 3. Inspiration

Step 4: Foster a Conclusion



Key Principles

@FlintsNotes

Step 4: Foster a Conclusion

Explanation

• New copy includes a 4-

step explanation of how the customer uses iReach to generate more traffic

@FlintsNotes

Step 4: Foster a Conclusion

Explanation

• And for those who

wanted even more explanation, the page included links to modal boxes providing additional explanation and data points.

@FlintsNotes

Step 4: Foster a Conclusion

Evidence

• Key evidentials are

used to bring credibility to the claims

• Testimonials are used a

third-party credibility indicators

@FlintsNotes Sample Evidentials

Step 4: Foster a Conclusion

@FlintsNotes

Step 4: Foster a Conclusion

Inspiration

• The blending of copy

and powerful imagery is used to present a blogger’s inspirational story.

• Also, the testimonials

are written with a narrative style.

@FlintsNotes

Audience Activity

Take a moment with one of your printed pages and evaluate all body copy, headers using the following criteria:

Is your offer clear? Or does it need more explanation? How specific is your copy? Can general statements be replaced with specific facts? Is your copy using qualitative language or quantitative language? Can exact numbers be used in any of your claims? Are testimonials or other forms of third-party verification used in areas of natural hesitation or questioning? Can narrative (stories or testimonials) be infused in your copy for inspiration?

@FlintsNotes

STEP 5: Make the Ask

Apply Urgency Build Engagement

Intensify Problem

Foster Conclusion

Achieve Orientation Make the Ask

Present Solution

@FlintsNotes

1. A conversation must go beyond a conclusion; there must be an ask. 2. The ask is the culmination of a series of micro-yes(s); it is the attempt to achieve the macro-yes. 3. Sequence is essential; one cannot skip the necessary micro- yes(s). If they are not ready to answer, you are not ready to ask.

Step 5: Make the Ask



Key Principles

@FlintsNotes

Step 5: Make the Ask

• The call-to-action is strategically relocated below the main conversation

to match the customer conclusion sequence

@FlintsNotes

Step 5: Make the Ask

• The call to action text is adjusted to

focus on the process-level value proposition appropriate to this stage

• f the buying process.

@FlintsNotes Not this But this

304%

IN CONVERSIONS

Source: ContentVerve.com

Not this, but this

@FlintsNotes Not this But this

Not this, but this

220%

IN CONVERSIONS

@FlintsNotes Not this… But this

357%

IN MONTHLY CLIENTS

331%

IN CONVERSION

90%

IN CONVERSION

99%

IN CONVERSION

Not this, but this

@FlintsNotes

Audience Activity

Take a moment with one of your printed pages and craft one (or more) optimized calls-to-action. You may find it helpful to walk through the following checklist:

How many calls-to-action (CTAs) does your page have? Can you reduce the amount of CTAs? Are the CTAs cost-oriented or value-oriented? Does your CTA ask for too much? Is your CTA in the main eye-path? Does your CTA look clickable?

@FlintsNotes

Summary

STEP ONE: Achieve Orientation STEP TWO: Build Engagement STEP THREE: Intensify Problem STEP FOUR: Present Solution STEP FIVE: Foster Conclusion STEP SIX: Make the Ask STEP SEVEN: Apply Urgency

Apply Urgency Engage Conversation

Intensify Problem

Foster Conclusion

Present Solution

Achieve Orientation Make the Ask

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Submit Your Page for Live Op To have your webpage reviewed, send it to: paul.cheney@meclabs.com

5 simple ways to improve your webpage copy right now

Quick Win Clinic

Flint McGlaughlin CEO & Managing Director MECLABS Institute