Conversions are one of the single biggest metric that marketers use to determine ROI in their marketing campaigns. So, naturally, we are always trying to improve conversion rates for our clients.

An evergreen article by LinkedIn highlighted the “Favorite Metric” of ROI obsessed marketers. 3 of the 8 marketers in the article said conversions or conversion rate were their favorite metric. Other metrics included client churn and retention, buyer intent metrics, and market share. These are all important, in my opinion, but when it comes to what we do, here at Digital C4, we want to show our clients ROI through conversions.

To improve performance on any paid marketing campaign you have to A/B test. A/B testing ads, headlines, forms, buttons, and content to name just a few things that should be testing if time permits.

Keep Your Content Short, and Your Forms Shorter. Right?

Most of us have been told or trained to keep your landing page copy short, and your lead gen form even shorter. Reduce the barrier to entry, right?

We all want to reduce the hurdle that someone must jump to convert and become a lead. In some cases, we (at DC4) still believe this, but it’s not a given. Here’s my experience…if someone is interested in what you offer, they will fill out the form, or complete the conversion. Whether you have 1 field, 3 fields, or 5+ fields on your form won’t really matter. I mean, it might matter in small percentage increments, but the offer and your service/product are the most important thing that will determine the conversion rate. Have a good offer and service. Period.

Also, if we’re (Digital C4) sending the right prospects to your landing page, through smart and strategic ad copy, targeting, and quality keywords, then, again, it comes back to the offer and content on your landing page. And, if it comes back to your offer and content then what happens when all you have on your landing page is a headline, a brief description, and a form (long or short)?

Well, those whose interest was piqued by your ad will probably be less likely to convert because they didn’t receive the needed additional information to make an informed decision. The barrier to entry, in this case, wouldn’t be the form, it would be whether the prospect trusts you enough to give you their information. Content is the only way to provide that trust if they don’t know anything about you.

So, Don’t Keep Your Content Short? Yes, Mostly.

In short, we feel that the more content on the page that supports the offer, provide decision making information, and builds trust for those who took the time to visit your landing page, the better the page will convert. This isn’t ALWAYS the case, but in general, it is.

We’re not saying make sure your landing page has 1,000 words. We are saying that you need to provide exactly what content is needed to convince your prospect to fill out the form. Most of the time that is more than a title, paragraph, and a form.

Ok. What Content Is Most Important?

Simple. The content that will convert your prospect into a lead. I know that’s NOT real helpful so here are three quick ideas.

1. Show “trust building” social proof.

There’s not much more trust building than client or customer testimonials. It’s called Social Proof. Real people who have used your product or service that have spoken out on your behalf. Whether it’s other companies or people, including testimonials as high on the page as possible is number one.

These might come in the form of a Tweet, a Facebook post, or an direct email. We recommend asking for permission before using a direct email quote. Tweets and Facebook posts are generally public but asking for permission is another trust building action which helps in retention of clients/customers.

2. Show “trust building” certifications and awards.

This legitimizes you as a company and can show that you’re good at what you do. If you don’t have any awards or certifications make some up. NO, I’m kidding. Do not do that.

If you don’t have any awards or certifications start the research today and find out what you, or your company, can do to get some. Most industries have awards. There are also general business awards, local and national, like best place to work or fastest growing companies. They’re at least something. Get memberships to organizations like the Better Business Bureau and place their logo on your landing page. We can’t stress enough how these things build trust with your prospects.

3. Give “trust building” citations.

Have you been featured in a magazine, on a website, or in the media in general? Be sure to mention that in your copy. Add a “Featured In” title and place the logos of magazines and sites you’ve been mentioned. This adds a level of legitimacy to users who can see that your company has been noteworthy enough to be mentioned online.

Let’s Wrap This Up. More Content, But Not Too Much.

In general, the more content you provide a prospect the better, as long as it’s not too much content. Be concise. Be helpful. Be convincing. Be trustworthy. And, always be converting.

Be sure to reach out if you have any questions or needs around landing page optimization, conversion optimization, or digital marketing in general. We’d love to work with you!