Tim Ash — author of Landing Page Optimization Book
Siteturners Multivariate Testing Website Optimizers
@tim_ash
I’ve somewhat deconstructed Tim’s blitz “Conversion Engine Toolbox” session at Search Engine Strategies last week. It really was about tools for testing (see below). For me, and I hope most of us, these side notes (mostly regarding landing pages) may be more helpful. Let me know what you think. I do have incomplete notes on the pros of the tools and would be happy to share … lemme know and also make sure to click here to get the best ideas
Conversions = sales, forms completed, sign-ups, whatever your call to action or desired outcome is
The purpose of your home page is to get people off your home page
- Let them discover: Who are you?
- Then guide them here and there to get into more relevant content
Website design formula for conversions
2 columns only
Left column = your content, what you want visitors to do
Right column = validation, why you’re trust-worthy (see 4 types of trust, below)
Left column content
- Headline: What is the page about? Underneath have 3-5 bullet points that summarize
- Action block: colored box with pastel background call to action
- Desired visitor thought-process: “What do I get if I push the button?
Finer details to keep in mind
- Guide the user from general to specific
- There has to be a clear visual hierarchy
- Don’t give everything
- Don’t surprise
- Have a tagline that actually says what you do
- How far do people scroll? put trust symbol near the top
- Do they actually reach the bottom of the page?
Don’t do anything unexpected or surprising
- No hoverovers
- No whitebox popovers for testimonials
- No scrollbar
- Only supply them when someone asks for it
How to determine whether your forms killing your conversions (recommended tools, below, enter in)
- Which form fields are left blank?
- Which forms/fields causes the most delay?
- Which links are hovered over but not clicked?
- Funnel: Landed on the page, filled out the form, finished the form
- Look at how long it’s taking to fill out each field?
- Do we need to ask that?
- Are we asking in the right order?
- Why is this happening?
- Which fields are blank?
More design and usability take-aways
- All visual elements distract from goals
- Determine exact amount of emphasis for key elements
- Don’t let others’ logos take over attention, don’t make them full color
Improve a landing page design before you publish it
- Why go live with a page you’re unsure of?
- Think about wasted time
- Provide a cleaner visual profile
- Streamline your content
4 types of trust
- General clean site
- Appeal of authorities
- Social consensus: 1 million downloads
- Trust marks, not a trust mark if it’s not recognizable, use most relevant
Bottom line: Your visitors don’t care, have 8 seconds to get them to care
Recommended tools
UsertesTing.com
Mosquito Interactive
CrossBrowserTesting.com
AttentionWizard.com