To boost conversions, try something new

When marketers find something that works, we tend to stick with it.

This makes sense, of course—find success and then replicate it. But sometimes we don’t recognize when the very thing that was serving us well has stopped working as well as it once did. Or when that workhorse champion doesn’t serve us well in every scenario we apply to it.

What am I trying to say? The ultimate point is that to drive improved results we can’t only stick with the tried and true. We can’t simply find one thing that works well and then sit back and expect the conversions to roll in. We must keep innovating and experimenting in order to find the levers by which we can greatly impact conversion results. And often times what works well for one slice of your online marketing might not work as well for a different slice.

It goes without saying that without testing we are most certainly leaving conversions on the table. If you want better results from your online marketing you are going to need to test. But what to test? Testing it and of itself isn’t going to magically boost your conversions. You need a sound approach. And one approach I don’t see being used enough is to “try something new”. 

Right now most, if not all, of us have to try to squeeze more results from the same dollars. We can do that with greater impact if we try new types of conversion experiences. ‘Experimentation’ can be a scary word when budgets are being scrutinized from every angle. But with a small risk, the payoff can be great. And with a well-designed test an experimental approach doesn’t have to be that risky at all. Why not try something new and divert a small portion of your traffic to it—just 15 or 25%? This lets you try a new & innovative approach without jeopardizing your overall results. Where to start?

If you are using a landing page, try a conversion path or a microsite.

Using a microsite? Try a conversion path.

Conversion path fan? (we are too) Mix it up with an interactive wizard or assessment tool.

There is a lot to explore, and when you try something new, you may just stumble upon a much higher conversion rate. Now isn’t the time to rest on your laurels, it is time to amp up your results. 

Comments

[Anna Talerico]

Timing is everything. See the Media Post Research Brief post today:
http://www.mediapost.com/blogs/research_brief/?p=1834

Megan Slabinski, executive director of The Creative Group, opines "… when budgets are lean, it can be an opportune time for firms to try new or unproven promotional strategies and distinguish themselves from competitors."

Same holds true if you are in house team or an agency.