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Optimizing, and Conversion Blogging

Scott Frangos — Tue, 17 Feb 2009 02:49:22 +0000

Hello -

This eNewsletter is now “The Optimizer”: I’ve changed the name to “The Optimizer,” to focus on one concept — optimization. Optimization, in a word, expresses the work leading to success at your websites. Not only do websites need optimization for search engines (SEO), but also efficiency and content marketing gains using an automated, dynamic CMS solution — another form of optimizing your work. Factor in the ongoing R.O.I. improvements you get from optimizing your landing and conversion pages, and you have my recipe for online business success — a la Optimization. We’ll be talking about tips, traps, and techniques for Optimizers in every issue.

Are Conversions Gender Specific?: Hey, should have reported this prior to Valentine’s day… but you can bring up even now with your mate. As you know, we have an ongoing poll at LinkedIn on “How well does your website convert visitors to leads or customers?“. Well, this poll shows that so far (it’s live, go add your own one-click vote), women get more leads (at their websites), while men do more optimization. Yet… more men than women don’t understand conversions. Hmmmmm. No wonder there are relationship psychologists:

Publishing Persuasive Content: Speaking of optimizing — your content itself is the place to start. Today, Marketing is Publishing, and Publishing is Sales (when you’re a “Conversion Blogger”). Every company online is in Publishing. Take a look at this article covering success results of businesses that create quality content. Now that’s the way to do it.

Blog for The Conversion: Remember that a conversion happens when a visitor to your site moves one step closer to a business mission goal you have. What goals? Convert a visitor to an interested prospect who might return (give them a whitepaper to download), a lead (they fill out a form), or a customer (the pay for, or at least order a product or service). And your blogs should provide meaningful and engaging content, which also asks for a sale.

Two examples: The first client, in the business of providing tradeshows to Sportsmen, has a new business blog (from WebFadds) and while providing hunting and fishing tips, they also ask for online ticket sales to their expositions (see SportsExposBlog.com). That’s doing it right.

A second client, in the business of providing travel fare specials, has been writing lots of jibber-jabber blog posts just for the “SEO juice”. Huh? That’s an old-school concept where you just fill up your posts with keywords and phrases and hope Google picks you up. This is a bad strategy for three important reasons: Visitors will “bounce” right out of your site if content is not engaging; Google has filters to block out sites that aren’t really relevant; and without conversions in mind as you create content that really connects with visitors… no sales will be made. Instead, give your visitors some real meat in your content, and let them get to know you. People buy from someone they know. Then, ask for the sale. You’ll see conversions and ROI stats from Google Analytics that justify your effort.

So… how is your site converting? Contact me, and we’ll explore the value to your company that increased conversions will bring.

How well is your website converting?

Scott Frangos — Sun, 08 Feb 2009 20:44:02 +0000

WebFadds.com Conversion Marketing Program

How well is your website converting? If you can’t answer this question, or you don’t know what “conversions” are – you’re not alone. Conversions are when a visitor to your website takes one step closer to an important business goal for you. That is, when a visitor a converts to a prospect (downloads a whitepaper), converts to a lead (fills out a form), or becomes a customer (makes a purchase).

We took a poll about conversions at LinkedIn.com, and while no one was brave enough to answer “Huh, what’s a conversion?” — 22% may well have answered that way. They’re not tracking conversions and don’t know how well their site is performing. And what’s worse — they aren’t discovering ways to increase their conversions, and so their sales.

We recently optimized a lead form landing page for a client, and over the two following months they saw their leads increase by 43%. The client values each lead at $100, since they close one in ten leads for a $1000 sale. So, in a two month time period, after installing Google Analytics, optimizing the landing page, and running an Adwords PPC campaign to bring traffic for the test — they had 80 more leads worth $8,000 to the company — $48k more business per year. In national surveys, companies of all sizes focused on optimizing for conversions report gains ranging from 20% to 150%.

What’s makes a successful Conversion Site Marketing Program? It’s a process we’ve boiled down into three words: Optimize, Connect, Convert. First, Optimize your site with a smart, SEO savvy CMS (Content Management System) solution, and install Google Analytics. Custom configure it for SEO — Search Engine Optimization. Optimize your landing pages for conversions. Second, connect with your prospects and customers using a Business Blog, eNewsletters, and Social Marketing. Use a good Google Adwords targeted PPC campaign to bring qualified prospects to your landing pages. Third, make conversions, and analyze your statistics (particularly your “sales funnel” at your site) to continually test and optimize to increase your conversions. That’s the strategy for maximum R.O.I. for your web business mission.

An ongoing process: How a WebFadds Conversion Marketing Program helps you:

Custom Design & Configuration of your WordPress Business Blog, or CMS. This platform both saves you money (it’s Open Source — meaning free to use with frequent free updates), and is optimized for SEO out of the box. We’ll design a blog to match our existing site, or upgrade your old-school side to a dynamic, automated CMS solution for your company. Costs range depending on size and scope of project. Simple Business Blog Set-ups average $499.

Max-SEO Configuration, for WordPress based Business Blogs and CMS solutions. We research the actual terms people search on and weave them into your site, meta-tags, and titles using an installation of five major SEO plugins, plus we install ping services and coach you on blog copywriting. Now, you’re optimized. Starts at $489.

Analytics-MAX service. We’ll install Google Analytics at your site, help you set-up your conversion “funnel”, and site goals, then track and analyze results. $199 mo. – 6 mo.

eNewsletter Service — we offer two options: An installed WordPress plugin for a one-time fee (includes custom template creation), and a pro-service through Constant-Contact that tracks open rate, provides 100’s of templates, tech. support, and an online control panel (set-up and monthly fees apply for this option). WordPress is not required for the second option.

Adwords PPC campaigns. Bring targeted, qualified leads directly to your landing and conversion pages so you can analyze how well your site is performing, make adjustments, and increase conversions. Management fee is 35% of your PPC ad buy ($1200 min. PPC buy), so figure $1620 for a minimum campaign ($1200 PPC ad buy, plus $420 management fee).

Landing Page Optimization: Want to increase leads at your website by 15% – 60% or more? Make your site pay you back – WebFadds will track, analyze and adjust your key landing pages to increase conversion rates – Contact us for estimate.

Your conversion marketing program solution is a combination of the above services — we’ll give you a prompt estimate, once we learn about your business mission. Will it pay off? Just calculate what a new lead is worth to you, and then what an increase of 10% – 60% or more per month will mean for your company over the next two years.

Reach us: email: sales@webfadds.com • phone: 360.566.2451

Content and Connection tips from WebFadds.com

Scott Frangos — Wed, 16 Jul 2008 19:33:00 +0000

By Scott Frangos, Managing Partner — WebFadds.com

Looking for ways to develop your business? Here’s an overview with tips on ways to reach and develop contacts with your clients and prospects, and ways to use new WordPress 2.6 features to create dynamic, compelling content for your CMS websites and business blogs.

New Pro eNewsletter Service Keeps you in Constant Contact…

Trusted Email Marketing

WebFadds.com has teamed up with the highly regarded Constant Contact service to bring you the ability to reach out, connect, and stay in contact with key customers and prospects. Email Marketing by Constant Contact helps you create high-impact, professional-looking emails, and build strong, successful, and lasting relationships with your customers, clients, or members. Why use a newsletter in addition to business blog posts? In a word, for “proactive” communication. Collect business cards and contacts at your trade shows, then make sure you connect on a regular schedule. Read More and take a FREE 60-day Trial…

Business Benefit SlideShows Focus Prospects on Results…

If a picture’s worth a thousand words, our new Business Benefit Slide Shows are worth, well… the value of a good slide presentation on how your business will help potential customers. We recently created one for our client NextBus (see NEXTBusNews.com) which they use on their home page to explain the benefits of using their service. Learn More…

WordPress 2.6 Helps you Get ‘Er Done…

WordPress 2.6 was released yesterday, so let’s take a look at a some ways this new version can help you get ‘er done. I’ve included a short video overview, and highlights of some key features with tips on how they can help you develop successful content. Most of you know that our Dynamic, automated website solutions are built on the WordPress platform as a Content Management solution, and we can help you upgrade to this new version.

Use Post Revisions to facilitate writing and editing with your content team. Scroll down beneath your writing window to “Post Revisions” (bottom), to review your staff content writer’s work:

Post revisions show up in WordPress 2.6 at bottom of editing area showing time and username of writers.
Use Post Revisions to help you hone your writing skills. In Journalism school, writers develop skills by considering different “leads” (opening paragraphs) for their articles. Leads are what hook your visitors and convince them to read your content. They’re important. Finish your first draft, then choose a different way to lead off your post (examples include a question lead, a quote lead, or a summary lead — I’ll write more about this in my series on CopyWriting here). Compare your two drafts side-by-side, and choose the one you think will most interest your readers and grab their attention:

Above, you can compare revisions side by side to gauge which will create a more compelling "lead" (click to enlarge).
Use the new “caption” feature, as I’ve done above, to easily create captions underneath images for clarity, and also to automatically boost SEO since captions are automatically used in “Alt” tags in WordPress 2.6.