high performance sales and marketing for the web

High Performance Sales and Marketing for the Web

CLICKS THAT COUNT

38 Sure-Fire Tips for Increasing Your Website Conversion Today without Breaking the Bank

Amy Africa, [email protected]

mailto:[email protected]


What are the 5 most important things every website should have?

• Solid entry pages (12+)

• Streamlined and easy-to-use navigation (including text search function)

• The perfect shopping SYSTEM (includes cart and abandoned programs)

• Thrust and trigger e-mails

• NCASE (includes organics and alternates)


What is the #1 most underestimated thing online?

• Evidence. Proof that someone else just like them was already there.

• Comes in all forms – ask the experts, polls, surveys, user reviews, and most important, PICTURES OF PEOPLE


What are the 2 most important things every entry page should have ON THE FIRST VIEW?

• E-Commerce SitesATC or Buy Now ButtonsPerpetual Cart in at least two places

• Lead Generation Sites6-12 CTA for the inquiryPerpetual Lead Form in at least two places


What is the length of time in which the user stays or goes on your website?

• You need to measure from the time the user types what they’re looking for into Google.

• Men make faster decisions than women.

• Strangely enough, older people make faster decisions than younger ones.


What is the #1 tactic that you can use on your website to get people to stay when they’re about to leave?

• Plugs and SAB’s

Purpose is to get users to drill deeper into the site.

Should be like mini-advertisements.

Every plug or SAB should have CLICK HERE NOW at the bottom of the box.

Provocative messages work best. These include teasers, facts, quizzes, polls, and the like.


What is the maximum amount of traffic that any one entry page should account for?

• 6 to 10 percent.

• Block any non-viable entry pages from search engines.

• Entry pages have a direct, and HUGE, impact on conversion.

• Solid entry pages become RTP’s.


What is the maximum amount of time that the user should spend on the entry page?

• 40 seconds the first time they see it.

• 7-18 seconds thereafter.

• If they’re spending more than a minute, your navigation is too complicated.

• If they’re spending less than 10 seconds, your navigation is not complicated enough.


From a user perspective, what is the “perfect cart?”

• One-click.• Second choice:

View Cart (sometimes, not always)Welcome PageBill-ToShip ToPayment InformationReview Your OrderConfirmation Page


What is a perpetual cart and do I need one?

• A perpetual cart is a cart that stays with you at all times and EVERY site should have AT LEAST one.

• Best of breed sites have a perpetual cart in the upper righthand corner, the right column and the bottom.

• They also have a larger-than-life, red PTC button at the bottom of the middle column.


What things should be in my perpetual cart?

• Number of items and total $

• Red checkout button when the user has item(s) in their cart

• 100% secure shopping guaranteed tag

• Shopping cart icon

• Links for view cart, print cart, e-mail cart and save cart


What things truly make a difference in the cart from a user perspective?• Speed

• Dynamic and/or pre-filled information

• Alternate contact information

• Picture of Wilford Brimley

• Security and privacy guarantees

• Single view presentations

• Simplicity in colors and fields

• Temperature bars


I don’t have a cart. How do I create the perfect lead form?• Use vertical capturing fields only.

• Prefill any/all information that you can.

• Format the page, using the middle column only.

• Use the colors that work.

• Use as many submit now buttons as you can.

• Ask ONLY relevant questions.

• Make sure to address privacy and security on every view.

• Use full contact information.


What is C-Navigation?

• Top Navigation

Product tabs

Action bar

P/S Navigation

• Left-Hand Navigation

Index of your Store

• Bottom Navigation

Repeat of top navigation


What should be in my right-hand navigation?• There’s no such thing as right-hand

navigation. The sole purpose of the right-hand column is to “save” the user from exiting.

Offer box with deadline

Bestsellers lists

Recently viewed items

Highlights of specific products or categories


We have a two-column site. Is that ok?• No. (Read: absolutely not if you want to

maximize your conversions.)

• Yes, I know. Three-column sites are ugly.


What percentage of success does my navigation really account for?• 40-60% at a minimum.

• Navigation is a self-fulfilling prophecy.

• Text search should be a bonus. You should not include it as a means to your success.

• Users don’t want to search, they want to find. You need to give them a variety of ways to find what they are looking for?


I just heard about backwards navigation. What is it?• Things like breadcrumbs, recently viewed

items, and Q-blocks, make up backwards navigation.

• You should employ it any (and every!) chance you get.


Where should I put my text search box?• If it’s perfect (or close to perfect) put it in the

upper middle column (a la Amazon.)

• If it’s not, place it in the top of the lefthand column, under the e-mail sign-up box. (The e-mail sign-up box should disappear if you have already collected their e-mail address.)


What is the average number of FS and what can I do about it?• Failed searches account for about 2/3 of

searches on an average B2B site.

• You can help fix them with generic recommendations for no finds, improving your search results presentation, developing a dictionary and a thesaurus, using an abandoned search program (test e-mails and telemarketing) and so on….

• Searchers have #2 highest propensity to buy.


What is this BTF line that usability folks always talk about?• The Below-the-Fold line is critical when it

comes to web design.

• Web designers design pages. Users see views. They are incredibly different.


How can I improve my product page conversion?• Use more Buy Now/ATC buttons

• Employ multiple visuals

• Use pictures of people

• Use H1, H2 and quick facts – don’t assume that your users can and/or are reading anything

• Ask for the order on every page


What is theming? Is it that thing that used to not work?• Theming allows you to feature a different

topic every time a user visits your site.

• Two years ago, it was the kiss of death. Now, for most sites, it works like gangbusters.

• You need to develop a theme calendar.


Should I really put in the effort to cater to my repeat visitors?• Repeat users should account for about half of

your traffic.

• Page personalization works well. Start with “Welcome Back Mark.”

• If there are items in their carts, take them there immediately.

• Your main entry page should change based on your traffic pattern.


What is a RURL?

• A referring URL is the last place the user was before they came to your site. It has a huge impact on your conversion.


All these metrics drive me bananas. What should I look at first?• Your top exit pages. They’re often the easiest

things to fix. (The exception is text search.)


What’s an AAUS?

• Average Active User Session. It’s the length of time that the user spends ACTIVELY on your site.


What’s the difference between a page view and a drill?• A page view is just that – a view of the page.

• A drill is an action the user takes.

• You should look at your drills in conjunction with your AAUS.


What things should I look at that nobody has ever told me to look at?• CTS and DTS.

Clicks-to-Sale

Days-to-Sale


What should my AR really be?

• Shopping Sites

60% in checkout

View cart page will have the most abandons. That is NOT part of your checkout.

• Lead Generation Sites

50% on forms


What’s the difference between thrust and triggers?• Thrust – assigned groups of people • Trigger – aka Good Dog e-mails (start with the 3 abandons)

• To • From• Subject line• First two lines of your e-mail• Format • Deliverability


What are the best ways to create an integrated strategy?• Watch your metrics, especially users paths and waves• Use different landing pages or sites for offline users• Emphasize Quick Order in at least 3 quads • Utilize P/S and redundant navigation • Feature a perpetual cart in the URQ/Offer Box Area• Use deadlines and/or test theming• Integrate e-mail deployment plan with offline circulation plan

(thrust)• Focus on PCE’s and organic searches


What is hubbing?

• Concentrated strategy to connect all your microsites with ONE main site, called a hub.

Design it with the purpose of eliminating text search but build it for the search engines.

It’s not a landing page, it’s a specific site.

You need to be aggressive. The user has already proven a propensity to buy. Customize your cart and personalize as much of the site as you can.


Thank you!

Questions? Comments?

[email protected]

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