A One-Two Approach to Improving
Web Conversions
Everyone’s talking about improving web conversion rates these days, but what exactly is a web conversion, and why does conversion-focused content make such a difference to the success of a website?
First, a quick explanation of a web conversion …
The goal of most business websites is to convert as many site visitors as possible into paying customers; and, ideally, improve those conversion rates over time.
Here’s what I mean.
Let's say target prospects arrive at your client’s website via a Google search result, an email, a TV campaign, or other means of driving traffic. If they're delighted with your client’s site and they find exactly what they're looking for, they'll take the next step to make a purchase, subscribe to a service or newsletter, complete a survey, become a qualified sales lead, etc.
So through these actions, they convert from being a prospect to an active customer in some way.
Now for the second part of the question: Why does conversion-focused content make such a difference regarding the success of a web page?
Let me illustrate through an example.
Recently I decided to see what comes up in a Google search when I use a certain keyphrase related to SEO (search engine optimization) content … as if I were a businessperson looking for companies who provide SEO services.
The top two Google organic search results were for a specific company offering SEO services, as I'd expect. But what happened next is my topic for today's article.
Top search rankings do NOT equal conversion success
Knowing this will help you be a hero to your clients … and give you an edge over copywriters or search-engine service providers who don’t understand this.
The Google organic search display for that SEO company I mentioned above was filled with the right keyphrases, such as “SEO company,” “SEO services,” etc. But, when I clicked on the Google display and landed on the company's website, I found content that included the same keywords repeated several times throughout the banner, the headline, the main text, the footer, etc. It was practically unreadable.
This is what is known as keyword-stuffing or “spamdexing,” which is frowned upon in the search industry because it's considered unethical or "black hat" SEO … its sole purpose is to drive traffic to a site, without considering what happens next to help web visitors find what they need once they arrive on the site.
(Important note! Spamdexing can cost a company its ability to be found in search engines at all. According to Wikipedia and other reliable sources, “Many search engines check for instances of spamdexing and will remove suspect pages from their indexes.” This means companies who stuff keyphrases into web pages can lose their rankings entirely and even be banned by search engines!)
In addition to spamdexing, the company's messages were all about how great the company is. "We're the world's leading … we are unequaled … we have tons of clients … we're number one,” we we we (you get the picture).
There was very little content about solving the visitors' needs.
Visitors usually find no value in this kind of web content and they abandon the site as quickly as possible, looking for someone who can TRULY help them.
This example shows how a company achieving #1 and #2 Google search results for a certain keyphrase is actually useless to someone seeking real help.
Therefore, to make sure you’re writing web content which improves Google results AND ALSO converts site visitors into customers, you’ll want to follow these two best practices.
- Make sure your client’s web content weaves the 1-3 most relevant keyphrases into clear, helpful sales copy on any given page in an ethical, helpful manner, and
- Make sure your client’s web content includes information that's 100% focused on solving the site visitors’ needs. Make them a promise they can’t resist … and make it easy for them to become customers! (This best practice follows the AWAI principles of how to write successful direct-response copy.)
Yes, Google and other search engine results are very important. But, they really only matter if your web content converts visitors into customers.
Conversion-focused content starts with a thorough understanding of your client’s target audience and the solutions they’re looking for … and how to keep them happy on the website … all while using SEO keywords in a smooth and balanced manner.
All web copywriters need at least a basic understanding of SEO copywriting techniques to create clear, persuasive web pages that WORK.
The foundation for my SEO knowledge is from Heather Lloyd-Martin’s, SEO Copywriting Success: How to Profit From Writing for Search Engines.
Heather showed me (yes, showed me, through a series of upbeat and highly useful videos), each step in using a masterful blend of keywords and sales copy to help clients rise above their competition. This skill has never been in higher demand than it is right now as online marketers jockey for traffic.
Nothing beats being a hero to your clients! So, I highly recommend this program if you’re interested in writing web copy which truly makes a difference.
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Wow! I’m out of breath! I have been studying copywriting material so much lately that I haven’t had time to check the latest AWAI articles—that was a mistake. If I had read this article when it was first published I could have saved myself quite a bit of time. This article includes multiple major / critical copywriting issues and principles that I have been reading about over the last several weeks from multiple sources trying to come to some cohesive picture of how to progress down the critical path of learning web-related copywriting. Well—it’s all here in two pages! For those of you reading this review I would strongly recommend you print out this article and post it in some conspicuous place and review it once a month. I’m convinced that if you do—you will make more income than you would if you don’t. This article also makes a high-value recommendation to learn Heather Lloyd-Martin’s, SEO Copywriting Success: How to Prof
KB Johnson-Ohio – November 18, 2009 at 10:51 pm