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Excess Voice Newsletter
October 2006, Issue # 117
In this issue:
>> Intro: Our dislikes at work are real
>> Review: Search Marketing Benchmark Guide
>> Article: Do too many graphics reduce sales page conversion rates?
>> Experiments: Can viral videos drive targeted traffic to your web site?
>> Survey: What would YOU like to ask?
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Greetings,
In the last issue I asked what you disliked most about your work. The answers were varied…from impatience with bosses who don’t respect your skills or include you in key decisions, to frustration for freelancers who have trouble making their families understand that even though they are at home, they are also at work.
There were plenty of replies, but each and every one of them has something in common…and that was passion. It seems that whatever our problems with work, they are deeply felt and clearly impact our lives.
Anyway, I hope you enjoy this issue and, as always, I hope you take a moment to reply to the survey.
Until next time,
Nick
Nick Usborne
>> Feedback: mailto:nick@excessvoice.com
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REVIEW: MarketingSherpa's Search Marketing Benchmark Guide
This is one of MarketingSherpa's huge, annual reports. It comes in at over 250 pages, with 185 charts and tables and 18 eyetracking heatmaps.
I have yet to get through it all, so I will review it for the next issue. But I can tell you right now, this is the definitive guide to the state of the SEO industry right now, and includes a whole section on search tactics and measurement.
If you don't want to wait for my review, you can check out the details on the MarketingSherpa site here:
>> Previous Reviews
::: At ExcessVoice.com :::
#1. Landing Page Handbook - How to Raise Conversions
This report from MarketingSherpa is the first I have seen that provides solid data on what does and doesn't make a difference to landing page conversion rates. Tons of data on copy and design strategies. Dozens of before and after examples and the improvements achieved.
Read my review:
http://www.excessvoice.com/landing-page.htm
::: At Freelance Writing Success :::
#1. Productivity Engineering - A hypnosis program to help you improve your performance at work.
If you don't get enough work done, if you procrastinate, if you struggle to maintain an optimal, impressive level of performance with your work, read this review. I tried this program and it has helped a lot.
Read my review:
http://www.freelancewritingsuccess.com/hypnosis.php
#2. The InfoGuru Marketing Manual
A manual by Robert Middleton that delivers a wealth of hands-on information, strategies, techniques, examples, stories and ideas to help freelancers attract more clients.
Read my review:
http://www.freelancewritingsuccess.com/infoguru.php
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ARTICLE: Do too many graphics reduce sales page conversion rates?
Optimizing an offer page to maximize the number of people who make a purchase or pay for a subscription is a delicate process.
You need to get the balance just right.
And one of the most difficult aspects of achieving that balance is the use and placement of graphics on the page.
Here are a few questions to ask yourself about the use and placement of photos and images on any page where your primary purpose is to close the sale.
>> 1. Does the photo or image help communicate the value of what you are selling in ways that text alone cannot achieve?
In other words, if every element on a sales page should be working towards securing a sale, do the photos and images play an important part?
Or are some of them merely decorative?
Sometimes you have to be hard on yourself when deciding. A particular image may make the page look nice but, unless it supports the core sales message, it may be doing you more harm than good when it comes to conversion rates.
Why?
Because strong, but largely irrelevant image can be distracting.
To maximize conversions you need people to read your sales text from top to bottom, without distractions or interruptions.
If an image truly contributes to that sales message, that’s fine. But if it doesn’t, then it’s a distraction and should be removed.
>> 2. Is the photo or image in the best position on the page?
There are a couple of issues to address when it comes to the position of images on a sales page.
You need to make sure it does not disrupt the natural eyepath of the page.
That is to say, if you design the page to encourage visitors to start with the headline and then move down the center column, reading your sales text sentence by sentence, right through to the end, then you need to keep this eyepath undisturbed.
What can go wrong? Perhaps you have a strong image over in the right side column, half way down the page. So a prospect gets half way through the sale text and then stops to look at the image on the right. Maybe he or she even clicks it, if it is linked – and you just lost your sale.
However, there are some graphics which can contribute significantly to conversion rates, simply by being placed in the right location.
As an example, let’s say you have a subscription sign-up form at the end of the page, including a request for credit card information. The request for the credit card information is a barrier. People will hesitate and ask themselves if they are quite sure about making this commitment.
In this circumstance you may want to place a graphic just next to the form, and include words like, “Risk Free. 30-Day Money Back Guarantee”.
That’s the right message, placed in exactly the right place.
>> Concluding thoughts...
It is a mistake to think that the inclusion and positioning of graphic elements on a sales page can be either random, or for the purpose of simply making the design look nice.
If your purpose is to close sales on that page, you need to make sure that every graphic supports that purpose.
Choose only those images and graphics that will contribute to increasing conversions, and be sure never to position these elements in such a way that they might disturb the natural eyepath of your readers.
To close the sale, you depend on your readers paying close attention to your sales message, from beginning to end, from top to bottom.
** If you found value in the article, please forward this newsletter to colleagues and friends who might be interested.
** And if you want to pass on a url, this article is not at excessvoice.com. It's on my nickusborne.com site at: http://www.nickusborne.com/articles_art20.htm
>> Feedback: mailto:nick@excessvoice.com
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MARKETING EXPERIMENTS: Can viral videos drive targeted traffic to your web site?
Teleconference call, no charge:
Wednesday, October 18th, 4:00PM EDT
Millions of short videos are being created and shared through sites like YouTube. But can videos be used to drive qualified traffic to your site? You'll find out the answer in this week's webinar.
Sign up here:
https://www.gotomeeting.com/register/110879340
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SURVEY: What would YOU like to ask?
Each issue I ask a question in this survey. But if you were editor, and wanted to get a feel for what Excess Voice subscribers were thinking and feeling, what questions would you ask?
3 questions you would like to ask other subscribers:
1.......
2.......
3.......
Comments: ....
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