Increasing Conversions Through Landing Page Copy & Messaging [CRO Chat Streamcap]
Our latest #CROchat was another great one where the topic and question set covered “Increasing Conversions Through Landing Page Copy & Messaging.” The following is the transcribed Streamcap from the live chat:
Q1: How do you approach initial landing page copy & messaging to ensure conversions do not fall flat at the beginning of a campaign?
- I initially tailor messaging and page copy for audience segment. Often that means having multiple pages of copy for a campaign.
- We look at previous campaigns and analyze the copy used. If target demo & traffic is similar we write in a similar fashion.
- It’s almost like a 2nd test on an existing test.
- You can always ramp up the traffic to your test page as you go.
- Great point. I just wanted to keep stat significance on people’s minds when they are splitting at that rate.
- Start with best practices then test from there! CTA, simple (functioning) form, messaging that aligns with the ad copy.
- Highlighting benefits and features within the copy, as well as a clear and leading call-to-action, is a must.
- I like to focus on the page layout and benefit oriented copy.
- Best practices take the cake when you’re starting from scratch.
- 1st understanding visitor’s profile, motivations after some research. Then scratching from brand / product to get the message.
- I start by aiming my initial copy and headline for SEO and quality score and move out with that as the control.
- If a control pg exists, segment your traffic with most of it (80%) going to the original control page. If starting from scratch, use personas, and data to drive decisions.
- Good tip. As a 50/50 split on an unproven new page would be more risky than the 80/20.
- 100% agree, I like that. Personas, data and business sense is a must of any commercial action.
- Matching Value Props between copy and ads, if you tease it in the ad, deliver it on the LP!
- Clarity and focus are the goal for both CRO and SEO. It’s not double duty, it is efficiency.
- value proposition to increase relevance: This is the place where you’ll find your item/service.
Q2: When, and what factors, do you consider for creating long copy over a shorter condensed message on landing pages?
- Long copy often comes into play when the shorter page cannot answer all the questions that a visitor may have. I also take into consideration whether a multi-page experience might be a better experience than a long page. Sometimes it is. To clarify: I find that multi-page experiences work better for things w/ longer sales cycles where trust and experience matter.
- Symbols of trust vital to get people to commit to long copy. Show these early to make most of content.
- I like using less copy with more action points: more to measure, and less of a burden on visitors to make a decision. Ecomm is more of an iceberg, with the minimal info needed is visible, & more content is avail on the page w/ clear CTAs.
- Great landing pages need have: Headline-Demonstration-Value-Support-Action. Make your page as long as needed to communicate those.
- Like this. Throw in customer segmentation (where possible based on traffic numbers/knowledge of cust) and its a winner.
- Long copy is very effective for decision making stage and research modality visitors. Long v. Short is a question about Who.
- When Long: +Age,need of precision on technical stuff supported with visuals, anti internet negative space fashion visitiors XD.
- Every decision, no matter how big, is a series of small decision, including scrolling down a page, w MP they dont know whats next. If they need a lot of information, that’s a commitment, so they need to download it & it will only cost them their email addy
- Now seriously. Research a lot from personas, data and business, this we’ll get your long vs short copy winner.
Q3: How does your messaging and page copy for the same product vary by source? Any differences for search, display, email, social..?
- Short Answer = Copy is contingent on the source offerings. Context is key.
- Page copy will vary by source if predicted volume and campaign budget warrants additional resources to tailor for each segment. In a perfect world, budget and volume would be enough to allow for custom messaging by source, and segment of each source.
- Messaging by source goes back to the visitor intent / motivation from each respective source.
- I look to the source if the landscape is different (competitors, messaging, value props) most of the time they are the same.
- A PPC visitor may have an immediate need where as a banner visit may just be browsing.
- I think that Source is an independent and often meaningless variable. Copy should be connected to the message, not the media.
- I respectfully disagree. Different sources bring in different audiences that have different needs.
- Your channel doesn’t change your Benefits or your Function. Dig in2 your multi-channel reports 2 see ppl w/ many paths.
- I think there’s something to source, but that ‘something’ is over shadowed by the importance of the message.
- Well said. It’s important though that the messaging matches its audience on both sides of the table.
- Message depends also from receiver’s motivation & engagement. So, media or context may change ur copy impact
- You can’t force motivation or engagement. Let your ads do their job. Making the LP do all the work is going the wrong dir.
- I respectfully disagree. Different sources bring in different audiences that have different needs.
- It’s about the goals, and how your product/service fits in the market. That is universal.
- Conversion rates will vary by source though.
- Yup, but having tests effect traffic from many sources will bring more stable results.
- So then, you’d better segment and measure accordingly so as to not cloud your picture.
- Yup, but having tests effect traffic from many sources will bring more stable results.
- Conversion rates will vary by source though.
- Just because you want a consistent message that matches your goals, doesn’t mean you can’t change tone & phrasing.
- Yes, but, tone change should be on the high lvl. Speak to ppl like your satisfied customers no matter what source.
- That goes without saying. But different segments of customers react differently to different CTAS, value props, etc.
- Social Media is precisely changing this. Personalized LP helps to connect goals and audience.
- Do you really feel that you have a close enough correlation btw Source and Customer Type to call them equal?
- Equal? No. The visitors vary enough by source to test … which is really what CRO is all about.
- That goes without saying. But different segments of customers react differently to different CTAS, value props, etc.
- Yes, but, tone change should be on the high lvl. Speak to ppl like your satisfied customers no matter what source.
- In my honest opinion the big issue here is pesonalization and targeting the source its just a part of it… Can it tell me the purpose of visit?
- It depends how well you structure your PPC copy, if done right it can tell you intent. price shopping vs etc.
Q4: Do you test entirely different pages of copy or sections of page copy? What factors do you consider in testing this?
- I typically prefer to test entirely different pages over sections of page copy as I’m looking for large conversion differences.
- It often depends on what stage of testing you’re in. Have you been testing for years? Or are you just starting?
- Treating the entire page as a variable has a better chance of higher conversion gains and can correct multiple sins at once.
- Completely new pages can be scary for some people. It also depends on philosophy and level of risk.
- Also, if you fail you fail fast and move on.
- I like completely diff sets of copy when running ‘innovation tests’ & run tests small sec when drilling down conv factors.
Q5: How do visitor attention and eye flow affect landing page copy if at all?
- Copy is an element that goes along with CTAs, images, navs, & headlines, the balance & flow is important.
- I first run gaze plot and heatmaps for landing pages to help determine where visitors are predicted to be looking. Next I see if I can, and need to, shift focus towards the page copy away from unnecessary distracting elements.
- In the simplest sense, helps you design layouts & place CTAs.
- Same here, as well as 5 second tests & click tests to make sure people know what the page is abt & where to click.
- Affects layout design &, of course, negative space, colors, position and symbols. Let them flow, they’ll tell us how to convert.
- Show the page to someone that knows nothing about your product for 10-sec. You will discover a lot of probs.
Resources
- CROChat Member List – on Twitter
- 35 Beautiful Landing Page Design Examples to Drool Over
- Five Second Test
More CRO Chats
Don’t forget to stay tuned for the next #CROchat on Thursday at 12 noon Eastern, 9 am Pacific and 5pm in the UK. Same Chat time, same Chat channel.
PPC Chat
Also, join us for #PPCchat on Tuessdays 12 noon Eastern, 9 am Pacific and 5pm in the UK for a similar sessions revolving about everything PPC. Those streamcaps can be found on Matt Umbro’s PPCChat Blog
CRO Chat Participants
Check out the CRO Chat Twitter list to see and connect with all current and prior participants.
- James Svoboda – Host (@Realicity)
- Justin Rondeau (@Jtrondeau)
- WhichTestWon (@WhichTestWon)
- Paul Kragthorpe (@PaulKragthorpe)
- Bobby Hewitt (@Bobbyhewitt)
- Carlos del Rio (@inflatemouse)
- Cassie Allinger (@_CassieLee_)
- Chris Kostecki (@chriskos)
- Joe Web (@JoeWeb)
- Simon Cahill (@Simon_CRO)
- Theresa Baiocco (@theresabaiocco)
- Tracy Henry (@tracy_a_henry)
- Unbounce (@unbounce)
- Xavier Colomes (@xavier_colomes)
About the Host
SEO since 1999. WebRanking CEO. MnSEARCH.org Co-Founder. MarketingLand Contributor. #CROchat Host. #PPCchat Faithful. Husband & Father in Eden Prairie, MN. If you like this post and want to find others related to it, then you can find me on LinkedIn and Twitter:
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