There is no doubt in this that marketing teams are tailoring all their efforts on driving traffic toward websites as they believe that this traffic converts to sales. But this is far from the truth and is not enough to get the desired results.
Conversion rate optimization comes from the existing traffic and leads as this is what brings long-term and sustainable growth. Optimizing your content and blog posts is what will get you conversions.
Compared to other things, it is blogs that have the potential to get you maximum conversions and sales. But the question is how? Not many marketers know how to optimize blogs to get the most conversions.
Consequently, we have come up with this post to help you maximize your conversions by focusing on the conversion rate optimization (CRO) of your blogs.
Blog CRO
We understand how painful it is for marketers to see that their campaign is not running properly and is not bringing the desired results. The key is to analyze, measure, hypothesize, and implement.
This is what is known as conversion rate optimization (CRO). Here’s how you can initiate CRO on your blog.
Testable hypothesis
Before conducting CRO, you need to understand the key metrics and user experience data. The main key performance indicators (KPIs) include visits, user testing data, click-through rates, submissions, conversions, engagement, and sources.
Once you have identified the key performance indicators, the next thing is to test them to check if the current hypothesis is effective or not. The key propositions for this are design, content, call to action, list building, and user experience.
Design
The design of your blog should be optimized for mobile. Also, compare it with the previous design so that you know what changes are to be made. Avoid keeping too many graphics and images in the design as the main focus should be on CTA.
When you have finalized CTA, conduct A/B testing on different CTAs to see which version gets the most click-throughs and which does not. If there are large blog images, then do not forget to provide clarity and then take note of engagement.
Compared to previous reports, optimize the load time of your blog posts. Experiment with the sliders such as try placing them at the bottom to see if users engage with them or not. In addition to this, insert pop-ups with valuable offers and attractive colors as this goes a long way in boosting conversions.
Do not forget to include key brand elements for loyal visitors as this will make them connect with you instantly. Lastly, use heatmap tools to analyze the best and average-performing sections so that you can make desired changes.
Content
As far as the content goes, it is better to have long-form content as it showcases your expertise and helps you to win trust. Make sure the content is original and has a story. Usually, marketers have the basic CTAs in their content which is the blunder committed by them.
Instead of having basic CTAs, try to have personalized and actionable text in your CTAs as this provokes immediate action. If you are having some pop-ups, then use specific headlines to get attention and avoid beating about the bush.
Also, never ask for immediate commitment, and add numbers in your blog to create interest. Consequently, ensure that your content is up to mark.
User experience
Next comes the user experience. The easiest way to enhance the user experience is by having high-quality blog images and no stock photos. As you come towards the end of the blog post, you can consider having reviews at the sidebar to build trust.
Make your blog post engaging by including key elements in it. Include certifications and logos of clients to build trust. Another way to improve user experience is by adding auto suggestions for blog searches.
Do not forget to conduct A/B testing with and without videos to figure out which version has more engagement and conversions. Provide directions to your users regarding forms and call to action.
Call to action
Calls to action are the ones that help in conversions. As far as CTA’s are concerned, these should be placed above and below the fold. So, CTAs should be placed at different locations. Also, permanently insert your CTAs at various locations on the sidebar with various offers along with the blog. Try to experiment with the colors of the CTA. Do the same with the size of your CTAs. Too big or too small CTAs fail to get the user’s attention.
Besides this, have a personalized and actionable copy that persuades your customer to purchase the product.
List building
List building also helps boost conversions. It guides users with helpful in-line validation which in turn boosts conversions. Try to provoke instant submissions by reinforcing the statements. Check out competitors’ blogs and figure out ways in which you can distinguish yourself from them.
When developing a form, do not forget that the majority of users see it from their mobile phones. So make the form mobile-friendly. Titles should be easy to understand and not complex. Lastly, be careful while setting the alignment of labels. The alignment should be such that it boosts engagement and submissions.
Final Thoughts
While performing the conversion rate optimization, do not forget to analyze as this is what matters the most. Consequently, gather all metrics and fine-tune them with the user’s expectations. Following the tips mentioned above, you can optimize your blog and perform CRO on your blogs.