Whether it’s a homepage, landing page, blog post or email, the content needs to be powerful enough to get the reader to take the action you require. That action may be a purchase but it could also be the completion of a form, a download, an email newsletter subscription or even a social share.
Done right, good quality content is like a salesperson that never clocks off. Each and every piece of content you publish has the power to influence your customers. However, in order to create valuable content that achieves its goals, you first need to identify what your audience actually considers to be valuable. Use that as the driving force behind your content process. Try these tips to get started:
Add a personal touch
The best salespeople in the world are the ones who add a bit of personality and a personal touch to their pitch. So much so, that sometimes you don’t even know you’re being sold to. And writing copy is no different. After all, you are trying to sell something. Simply adding the words “you”, “your” and “you’ll” adds a personal appeal and enlists a sense of trust from your customers. This is key to establishing a connection and hopefully, closing the deal. Even if your aim isn’t to make a sale with a particular content piece, you will have an objective that it should fulfill so consider how personalization could best be used to move the reader towards that end goal.
Be positive
It’s widely known that people respond well to positivity, so using positive language in your copy can significantly help improve conversion rates. McDonald’s successfully jumped on this bandwagon with their “I’m lovin’ it” slogan. The word love signals warmth, pleasure and affection, which are all positive emotions. By creating positive connotations– something not easily done in our increasingly health-conscious world – McDonald’s have amplified the power of their content.
Add user generated content
When looking online for a product or service, two of the most compelling resources for potential customers are recommendations and reviews. Adding user generated content such as reviews, blogs, tweets, images and even videos can significantly help to improve the authority of your brand to customers, and consequently, help to improve conversions.
Keywords, keywords, keywords
Google is dedicated to providing a top-quality service to its customers. And although we are all effectively its customers, those searching are the top priority. Making sure it provides them with the results they are looking for is the number one point on Google’s list. Keywords tell Google’s spiders what your content is about. So the only sure-fire way to make sure you’re constantly competitive in the marketplace is to focus on your keywords. However, we’re not talking about keyword stuffing here.
Being conscious of using natural, flowing language that includes some of your keywords will not only help with your SEO but show your customers you speak the same language they do. Search terms and patterns of speech change, so being aware of exactly what language, words and phrases your customers are using when searching for your products or services and then using those same ones in your content, shows your customers you literally speak the same language they do.
Make calls to action direct
To some extent, customers need to be told what to do and shown what action you’d like them to take - this is where content comes into its own. It needs to be the driving force behind actions in order to have a positive, bold assertion. Instead of using the wishy-washy phrase: “If you’re looking for great conversions, then contact us today”, be direct: “Contact us now to start reaping the benefits.” Ensure your calls to action are compelling, clear and direct.
Give your customers something in return
Content must be useful if you want your reader to progress to a second step with you (the conversion). Blatantly selling your product isn’t enough; you need to provide your customers, followers and readers with information they can use day-to-day. Good quality white papers, webinars, podcasts and videos are some of the best ways to cement yourself as a leader in your field and keep them coming back time and time again.
Support with data
Quality data is an excellent way of showcasing just how great your products are, but don’t be fooled into thinking it’s the be-all and end-all. Yes, data in the form of facts and figures is important for emphasizing how products have helped people but using data to support exciting, relevant, positive language is much more successful than simply firing statistics, which can come across as aggressive and pushy.
Do you use any other tips in your own content to increase conversions? Share your recommendations in the comments.
