Conversion rate is a crucial metric for digital marketers. It indicates how well your ads are working—since conversions are the main reason you're running ads in the first place. If your conversion rate is low, your advertising dollars are going to waste. But if it's high, you'll have much more money to spend on other marketing campaigns, like PPC. If you're running display ads and not seeing the results you want, it might be time to tweak your strategy. So, what exactly can you do to increase your digital ads’ conversion rates?
In this article, we'll walk you through eight tips to help boost conversions so you can reach a larger audience and increase sales. Remember, there are no hard and fast rules when it comes to conversion optimization, but following these tips will help get you started on the right path!
What is conversion rate and why is it important?
Conversion rate is a tricky concept. It's not as simple as measuring how many customers you get out of each ad. Instead, it's a measure of how many people who see your advertisement actually do what you want them to do, like download an ebook or make a purchase.
By increasing your conversion rate, you can make the most of your digital marketing budget and maximize your return on your investment.
A high conversion rate is a result of:
- A streamlined and appealing sales funnel
- A well-designed website that is formatted effectively
- A unique and compelling brand and proposition
- An effective call-to-action
A low conversion rate means your website’s performance or design may be lacking. This could be as a result of slow loading pages, forms that are broken, or content that doesn’t accurately convey the offer’s value.
Through conversion rate optimization (CRO), you can allocate your PPC budget more efficiently and persuade prospects to take action.
How to calculate your conversion rate
To calculate conversion rate, divide the total number of conversions by how many visitors clicked on your ad. To get the percentage, multiply that result by 100.
Leads Generated ÷ Website Traffic x 100 = Conversion Rate %
This formula can be used for every conversion opportunity on your site. Count only the number of visitors on the web pages where the offer is listed.
8 tips for improving conversions
Identify your conversion goals
To optimize your conversion rates, create a robust conversion optimization plan. Consider what your prospective customers really want from you so you can make the conversion path as smooth as possible. Conversion goals help you optimize your advertising objectives more easily. With defined goals, you can also measure your marketing performance and set benchmarks for improvement. Clear objectives will lead to more successful campaigns.
Make sure your landing page copy is clear and concise
There are a few ways to make your content more accessible and clear to readers:
- Your landing page copy must be short, simple, and easy to understand.
- The tone should be conversational so it makes a natural connection between you and the reader, rather than sounding like an overly formal marketing pitch.
- If possible, use bullet points to highlight key benefits that would appeal to the specific type of customer who is visiting this page.
- Separate long lists into multiple sections so they don’t create readability issues when viewed all at once.
Create a sense of urgency to get customers to act now
“Accelerators” offer the extra push users sometimes need to convert. To increase conversions on short-lived deals and offers, use copy that provokes a sense of urgency such as “Limited time only,” “Last chance,” or “While supplies last.” As part of your ad creative, add direct call-to-action buttons to increase conversions. Offer limited-time discounts or free shipping for orders placed in the next 24 hours with no coupon code needed! This will help drive traffic and increase sales, especially for those final hours before major holidays.
Add an interactive element like an online chat window or live demo for more engagement opportunities
By engaging customers with a live chat capability, you can increase both customer satisfaction and conversion rates. Live chat tools are perfect for consumers who are on the fence. This is one of the best ways to respond quickly when a customer has a question about your product or service, which can lead to increased sales.
Offer content upgrades that are relevant to people who have already converted
If someone has bought a product, they might be interested in learning more about the topic or how to get even more value from the purchase. If someone has signed up for your email newsletter, they're probably interested in staying up-to-date on new products and promotions. Content upgrades can include:
- More information on the same topic
- A free trial of a paid service
- A coupon code for a discount on future purchases
- A digital download
Use social proof such as testimonials from other satisfied customers
Social proof is a powerful persuasion tool that we've all seen in action—and reviews are one of the most instrumental forms: 89% of consumers read reviews before making a purchase. Social proof builds trust and when your customers have established trust in your brand, they’re more likely to convert. Here are some tips:
- Build a strong online presence
- Incorporate social proof into your digital ads by including links to where others have left reviews
- Include testimonials from happy customers
Reading reviews and testimonials puts consumers at ease. If it’s not apparent that your customers have faith in your product or enjoyed using it, your conversion rate will likely suffer.
Create a FAQ page so customers can find answers quickly and easily
Include a search button on each landing page where a customer can type in their question or issue so a link to the answer appears at the top of the page for them. Next, make sure you include links to the FAQ page from both your homepage and contact page, or wherever else is relevant. This ensures that anyone who uses Google to research your business before clicking on one of your ads will be able to find this valuable resource immediately after landing on one of these pages.
Surround buttons with lots of negative space
When your button stands out from its background, it becomes more obvious and easier for users to spot when they're scrolling through pages of content or shopping carts filled with products. This means that more people are likely to click on the button than if it was surrounded by other things like photos and logos, which can make buttons less visually prominent or harder to see.
Get started improving your conversion rate today
There's no doubt that digital advertising is one of the fastest-growing industries in the world. In fact, display ad spending is projected to increase by 20.9% in 2022 alone. So if you're looking for a new way to increase conversions and improve your bottom line, MarinOne can help.
Knowing how to improve the conversion rate of your digital ads is critically important to the growth and development of your business. With MarinOne, you can create, manage, and measure your digital ads so you can gain insights into what's working and what's not, allowing you to make adjustments that improve your results. MarionOne’s automation tool enables you to track ad metrics and conversions automatically.
Learn more about MarinOne’s ad automation tools. Or reach out to one of our MarinOne experts today to schedule a demo.
