Mima Summit 2010 Presentation:

Basics of Conversion Rate Optimization
Mima Summit 2010
Scott Miller, CEO Vertster.com
@optimizeit

What is Conversion Rate Optimization (CRO)
PPC Traffic
PPC/SEO/ Demand Generation widens the top of the funnel
CRO makes the bottom of the funnel fatter
End result- more leads, sales, customers, happiness
Conversions

4 Things to do Before you Begin
Make sure your site works!!!!!
Double check your forms
Improve Load Times
Consider upgrading old HTML- CSS Based layouts work best

Before you Begin
Make sure your site works
Double check your forms
Improve Load Times
Consider upgrading old HTML- CSS Based layouts work best

Table Layout

CSS – XHTML Layout

5 Tactics for Increasing Conversion Rates
Your Gut/ Bosses Gut Instinct
Follow the Herd/ Best Practices
Leverage Public Test Data
Run your Own Tests

1. Use your Gut Instinct
It “Feels” right
Have to do it to keep your job
Requires no research or effort
Relies on your own Expertise
PROS

1. Use Your Gut Instinct
Usually wrong
Completely Subjective
Could lose your job if you are wrong
“Experts” are wrong frequently
CONS

2. Follow the Herd/Best Practices
Ideal if you don’t have enough traffic
Easily Accessible
There are a wealth of “experts”
Great starting point for new sites or if you need to start testing
PROS

What works for many does not work for all
Your competitors can are doing it too
CONS
2. Follow the Herd/Best Practices

Best Practices: 7 C’s of Conversion Optimization

1. Capture Attention
Use “YOU” in your copy
Write to the benefits of the user
Use “action” phrases

2. Maintain Consistency
PPC creative to Landing Page Message Match

3. Make it Clear- (Keep it Simple, Stupid)

4. Clarify Offer/ Value Proposition

5. Boost Credibility

6. Create Scarcity

7. Close the Sale

7 C’sSummary
Capture the attention of the Customer
Maintain Consistency throughout the experience
Make it Clear What the User is Supposed to do
Communicate the Unique Value Proposition
Instill Credibility in your Company
Create Scarcity to Increase Demand
Close the Sale

4. Leverage Others Test Data
Similar to Best Practices
Proven Data
More and More resources all the time
Difficult to get Test Data for similar sites
What works for one site does not work for all
CONS
PROS

5. Run a Test on your Site
Get real, actionable, objective data
Tools are available for all budgets
Ever increasing number of “experts”
It is technical
Requires a statistically significant amount of traffic (lots).
Can give false positives.
CONS
PROS

How to Roll your Own Tests
Plan your Strategy
Have clear, defined goals
Select an Agency/Vendor or use GWO
What type of Test should you run?

What Type of Test?
A/B:
Easy to understand
Requires less traffic
One in Three tests get a lift
Multivariate:
Increased odds of seeing lift
Takes longer to get results
Requires up-front investment

Easy High Impact Tests
Buttons: Size, Position, Copy, Color
Value Proposition: Headlines, Copy, Product Shots
Offer: Scarcity, Credibility, Promotion
Usability: Font Size, Number of Form Fields, Length of Page
Media: Animation, Video, Audio, Spokespeople

Tech Talk: What is Possible
Simple Stuff:
Different Complete URLs
Headlines
Images
HTML
Advanced Stuff:
AJAX/Jquery
CSS Style Sheets
Javascript
Dynamic Content Injection

Case Study: Search Landing Page

MVT – Four Variables, 81 Recipes
Header
Top Navigation
Main Nav
“Pre Results”
Goal: Click on Outgoing Paid Ads
Overview of Test Design

Results
Removed Message
Removed Navigation
Removed Breadcrumbs
40% Lift

Example: Sitewide Credibility
The Age Old Question…
Is the Security Seal worth the money?

Example: Sitewide Credibility
With a Twist…
What if you make your own seal??

A/B/C Split Test
All Traffic/ Pages (SWO)
Several Hundred Online Stores
Goal: Sales Conversion/ RPV
Overview of Test Design

What do you think?

Results
“Name Brand” Seal was best
Better to have no seal than homemade seal
Homemade reduced RPV by 5-10%

3 Takeaways
People spend/share more when they feel safe
Be cognizant of experimental noise
Don’t Ignore Segments- Dayparting, URL parting, etc are important with SWO.

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Mima Summit 2010 Presentation:

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