I can never decide on simple things, like where I want to eat. Once I have, there is another decision waiting: what to eat!
However, ask me about inbound marketing, what persona to attract, and when and how to implement it, and I am ready to tackle any decision and objective thrown my way!
Learn how to make decisions about your inbound marketing strategy. This is the difference between attracting the right persona and losing leads because you have not asked them to take action.
This is not the business of “catch and release”! Here's how A/B page testing works.
Related Post: 5 Ways to Solve Your Lack of Leads Crisis
Test the Waters
You have to know where to start. We personally like using HubSpot to track and compare our most visited sites with how the conversion rates are from click to lead.
Analyzing the conversions on highly-visited blogs shows us if the persona is taking action after visiting.
Check how the landing page, content, and conversion flows from qualified leads.
Test the waters and pay attention to traffic and the percentage of traffic that actually continues with the next step. Are you getting the persona’s attention?
Are your strategically placed digital sales reps (landing pages) effective enough to convert those visitors into leads?
The only way to figure this out is by looking at all the given data and numbers. If you do not have time, ask for help.
The return on investment of having someone like us help is greater than trying to train someone in-house. The key here is to make use of your resources, just as you are taking the time to read this blog.
You would not have your marketing department run by your accountant, they belong in accounting.
So why have someone who excels at traditional marketing change gears and handle data and marketing from an inbound stance?
More or Less – The Old Rules Do Not Apply
I know you have probably heard that less is more, and normally this holds true.
When we reviewed our blogs and tested two versions (under and over 1,000 words), we were shocked to find that the longer version 1,000 words and had a higher conversion rate.
It also produced more qualified leads. The proof is in the pudding - or conversion rates in this case.
If we think about this regarding Google and SEO, then content length matters and runs the opposite of what we are taught all these years.
Research the average length of the pages that ranked in the top 10 on Google for any keyword. The results will put this inbound theory into perspective; they all contain at least 2,000 words.
However, there are those who would prefer quick reads, as they may have stumbled upon your blog during their lunch hour or right before work.
So, consider experimenting with the length of your content on pages and see what works best.
Reverse Your Traditional Thinking
It is very easy to fall into the pattern of using “sign up” or “submit” for action from your visitors. That is not enough.
Look at this area as you would an open-ended versus closed-ended question. This concept is similar.
Visitors like to be nurtured and be a part of interaction, not to simply click and confirm the autofill questions. At the same time, be careful not to ask for too much interaction.
There is a fine line between the too-short form and the never-ending, tedious forms.
You are not selling your product; you are offering a solution to their problem. This is why it is so important to understand your persona.
Time is of the essence for you and your visitors. Always consider these factors when designing this portion of your page.
Your visitors want the best of both worlds: interaction but not too many time-consuming forms for action.
Try some long forms, and try short forms. See how your visitors respond.
Landing pages are designed to convert those visitors into leads. This is, after all, the goal of inbound marketing.
Make Your Content Accessible
You can write the best content in the market, but if you do not know how to get it out there properly, you have wasted time and money
After you have run your tests and comparisons, figure out what needs to be changed or merely tweaked to make sure you are easy to find.
Follow the steps necessary: plan, produce, distribute, and analyze.
The biggest piece of advice I can now offer you is this – Distribution is what makes content relevant!
Share your content on a regular basis. We like to have a blog out every day to help all of you out there.
The importance of great content and distribution will make a noticeable impact on your lead generation no matter what your industry is.
Follow the testing and research. Make sure everything you create is helpful to your persona and you will see that this will greatly impact your return on investment.
