The content that will make a long term improvement to your online conversion rates

For many B2B and B2C firms, improving web traffic and online conversion rates is a key focus of attention. However, studies suggest that too much emphasis is placed on generating social media “likes” when more sustainable alternatives exist.  This post looks at some of the options.

Including some form of endorsement on your website can have a significant impact on web conversion rates.  If your customers are end-user consumers, then star rating widgets and mini reviews/feedback pages can be really important.  

Indeed, it has been said that 70% of consumers look at product reviews and site popularity before deciding to buy. So, if you’re a consumer oriented business, including social media icons on your site is a must, provided your site is popular.

If your audience is not prone to declaring its preferences, or you are a B2B businesses for example, evidence suggests it’s better not to show any social icons on your site at all. It’s argued that your conversion rate could actually suffer if you use social icons that have low participation scores (“likes”).

So, what else can you do if you’re a small business looking to increase web traffic and conversions?  One answer is to generate content such as product reviews, case studies and customer testimonials.  These are obviously time consuming to create but offer a more enduring benefit.  Here’s why they represent a better option than social icons for improving your conversion rates: 

1 The Story Factor:

Well written content is more akin to storytelling, and there is strong evidence to suggest that a good story can be highly persuasive in the sales process.

2 Crowd Support:

A carefully crafted review, case study or testimonial can make use of “crowd-power”.  By implying, positively rather than negatively, that peers are already acting on the information being presented, the reader feels more comfortable about acting (deciding to buy) themselves.

3 Flexibility:

Written content allows you to include supporting assets like images, videos and hero endorsements.  They can also be easily tailored to meet the information needs of different groups of people in the buying process.

All-in-all, B2B and B2C firms are better advised to focus on creating strong, powerful articles, reviews, case studies and customer testimonials rather than rely on chasing social “likes” to increase web traffic and conversions.

That’s not to say that social media doesn’t have a role to play.  Social platforms should be used to promote the availability of written content, along with SEO, PR, email and other traditional tactics.

The key success factor in all this concerns the quality of the copywriting involved.  Articles, case studies and testimonials need to be written in a way that really engages your target audience.  Each item of content must consistently highlight your competitive advantage, key messages, and provide a compelling call-to-action.

If you’re serious about improving your online performance, then these points are too important to ignore.  If you don’t have the time or skills in-house to write these articles and case studies, consider outsourcing the task to a professional.  You’ll see the benefit through improved web conversion rates!

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Freelance copywriting for small and medium sized businesses