Category: Conversion Optimization

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Conversion Optimization Insights Media & Analytics
cro optimization
cro optimization

The perfect call to action should enhance the website’s marketing message, tell people exactly what they’ll get, and prompt them to take the desired action.

After spending a tremendous amount of time researching audiences, designing a user interface, and planning a content strategy, so many marketers and website developers slap in the call-to-action button at the last minute, almost as an afterthought.

Yet, Michael Aagaard of Unbounce referred to the call to action, or CTA, as the vital tipping point between a website bounce and a conversion. During a time when conversion rate optimization can make the difference between profits and losses, it’s important to make certain that the CTA tips in the company’s favor.

10 great CTA button alternatives to “Learn More”

Move beyond the old standbys like “Learn More,” “Continue Reading,” or even worse, “Click Here” to propel website visitors to the next stage of the buyer’s journey. The biggest problem with these kinds of CTAs is that they’re overdone, vague, and not very engaging. Look at some better alternatives for CTA button texts.

1. “Sign Up”

It’s annoying to click a “Learn More” button only to get presented with a signup form. If marketers want to encourage people to enroll, they should transparently urge their website visitors to do just that. Even better, make sure to emphasize what benefits the visitor will enjoywhen they do enroll.

2. “Try It for Free”

“Free” always makes the list of motivating marketing terms. Prospects might not feel ready to buy something. It’s much less risky to try something for free. “Try it for Free” makes a good introduction for a free trial or demo or of course, a completely free service. It’s fine to replace “it” with the actual name of whatever the visitor is signing up for.

3. “Subscribe”

Like the previous suggestion, subscriptions don’t make visitors commit to a purchase. At the same time, an email subscription provides businesses a chance to nurture leads with more content. If space permits, make it clear what the subscription offers.

4. “Get Started Now”

After promoting a product or service as fast and simple, a phrase like “Get Started Now” provides the right mix of encouragement and urgency.

5. “Give Us a Try”

Instead of using “us,” the button might use the brand name. Either way, this phrase works well after promoting the sort of good experience that the business provides. By asking visitors to just try, it won’t sound like asking for too much of a commmitment.

6. “See Our Work”

Sometimes, the CTA really does need to encourage the viewer to learn more by viewing a gallery of pictures, a list of case studies, or demo videos. If that’s true, a phrase like “See Our Work” provides a more accurate description. Otherwise, it’s fine to make the text more specific by describing exactly what the viewer will see.

7. “Join”

It’s possible to get a little more more precise or even clever with a “Join” button. As an example, Panthera promotes the conservation of big cats, and they label their subscription form with “Join the Pride.” As an alternative, “Join Us” offers instant relationship building.

8. “Send Me Deals Now”

If the page promotes a subscription that includes notifications about deals or specials, cement the message with a CTA button that reinforce its value. Obviously, if the page offers price quotes, the button could say “Send My Free Quote Now.” If the CTA promotes something of value, let people know about it.

9. “Save Now”

As an alternative to a “Buy” button, why not use the CTA to promote the reason that the website visitor would want to buy? If the promotion doesn’t include a discount, use the CTA to empahsize quality, uniqueness, or whatever special qualities customers will find most important.

10. The personalized CTA

Amazon, Netflix, and many other popular websites perform so well because they personalize a lot of their content. Similarly, HubSpot found that personalized CTA buttons perform over 200 percent better than static ones. They tested against single CTAs and different CTA buttons for more than one offer.

For their example:

  • For visitors who had not interacted with the site before, they offered memberships to HubSpot Academy.  This provides online classes where people can learn about marketing.
  • For visitors who had already taken the courses, they offered access to a marketing tool.

This takes a bit more coding. Still, the investment in CRO marketing may prove worth the investment. As an example, if somebody’s already logged into a website, it hardly makes sense to offer them a chance to “Join for Free.” In that case, it’s time to coax them into making a purchase.

How to craft the perfect CTA button text

Emphasize the benefits while letting people know exactly what they’ll get by taking action. This tactic will prompt action and never risk disappointing website viewers. In order to tune results, conduct some testing to see which ideas perform the best.

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Conversion Optimization Insights Media & Analytics Uncategorized
conversion rate optimization
conversion rate optimization

In an age of complex, multi-channel marketing, conversion rate optimization can offer quick ROI improvements without a large investment.

Online sellers generally think of their shopping cart as the bottom of their sales funnel. The problem is, according to information gathered by BigCommerce, is that the funnel’s not only expensive — it’s also leaky. In the U.S. alone, marketers spend over $20 billion to drive visitors to their shopping carts and enjoy, on average, just a 2.68 percent conversion rate.

One of the biggest leaks commonly occurs right there at the bottom of the funnel. That’s when potential customers abandon their shopping carts. For instance, BigCommerce found that average businesses suffer an abandonment rate of close to 70 percent. On the positive side, at least a high abandonment rate can narrow down the problem to one point in the marketing funnel. In other words, the position of the problem can also offer some clues to finding actionable insights.

With that in mind, consider some conversion rate optimization tips to reduce cart abandonment and recoup more of that marketing investment.

Use a CRO marketing perspective to reduce abandoned shopping carts

CRO simply refers to conversion rate optimization. To find a shopping cart’s own abandonment rate, simply compare the number of purchase to the number of filled shopping carts. As an example, one purchase for every three filled shopping carts equals an abandonment rate of 67 percent, which is just about average. Businesses should start out by calculating their own rates, so they can have a handy metric to gauge improvement.

Six tested tactics to reduce cart abandonment rates

Few companies can completely eliminate shopping cart abandonment. At the same time, even moving the needle just a few percentage points can dramatically improve revenues and profits. Better yet, better conversion rate optimization generally doesn’t require a large investment and may even employ tools and information that businesses already have.

1. Make total costs more transparent

Online shoppers may arrive at an eCommerce site because they saw promotion that advertised a great deal. Very often, they can only see shipping, taxes, handling, and extra costs after they’ve already added items to their cart for viewing. Businesses should not assume that customers will hit the buy button just because they’ve already gone to the effort to fill up their shopping cart.

Even worse, consumers may feel tricked and less likely to revisit the seller again. Some businesses have thrived by offering free or discounted shipping with minimum orders. Not only does this promote transparency, it even encourages customers to make larger orders.

2. Offer more payment options

Not every customer wants to use a credit card for online purchases. Some may prefer a digital wallet, debit card, or even a draft from a checking account. Many businesses have also optimized conversions by offering financing plans for big-ticket items, like TV sets and bicycles. Some customers may even prefer to split a payment between methods, and most local stores allow this.

In any case, offering flexible options for payments generally leads to quick conversion rate optimization. In contrast, retailers that only accept one payment method will probably lose business to more flexible competitors. 

3. Exit popups

At the least, an exit popup might gather information about the reason a customer decided not to commit to their purchase. At best, they might offer a promotional discount on the price or shipping. The popup might also display an offer to enroll in a loyalty program which will provide customers with future incentives. This will also benefit the business by adding more people to their subscriber list. 

4. Followup emails

Less intrusive than popups but somewhat less likely to get viewed, emails can also help recover abandoned shopping carts. As with exit popups, businesses can use this form of communication to offer discounts, especially in return for information about the reason the customer abandoned the shopping cart in the first place.

5. Employ social proof

Testimonials from satisfied customers, links to third-party reviews, and ratings from such business sites as the BBB can also prompt customers to complete their purchase. Social proof can help build customer confidence because it gives customers and other independent parties the chance to tell their own stories about a business.

6. Earn customer trust

Search Engine Land called Amazon’s ability to earn customer trust its true competitive advantage. Not only do consumers rely upon Amazon’s transparency, refund policy, and customer service, a majority of them trust this large retailer to protect their privacy and personal data.

Some steps that any eCommerce step should take to build a trusting relationship with customers include:

  • Clear refund and return policies
  • Responsive customer service, perhaps including chat boxes customers can use during their purchase
  • Transparent prices and other costs
  • Communication of privacy protection and data use policies
  • Other trust symbols, like security and compliance logos

Why start optimizing conversions by reducing shopping cart abandonment rates?

The list above addresses common reasons why customers abandon shopping carts. Still, some other causes might include an unintentionally difficult or complex checkout process or consumers arriving at an early stage of their buying process. That’s why businesses may also want to conduct some A/B testing with various processes and collect customer feedback.

Still, on the positive side, most companies have complex, multi-channel marketing plans. At least, isolating conversion optimization problems at the shopping cart stage means the customers have traveled pretty far along the funnel. This stage offers a narrow focus and a good place to earn some quick gains in sales.

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Conversion Optimization Media & Analytics
fabio santaniello bruun 763644 unsplash 1 scaled
fabio santaniello bruun 763644 unsplash 1 scaled

In the world of sales, the letters “ABC” have their own meaning — Always Be Closing. That mantra reflects the salesperson’s idealized and conversion marketing-based strategy, one that relentlessly nudges the prospect toward a sale at every point of the interaction. Throughout the stages — from rapport-building to parrying objections to asking “do we have a deal?” — the prospect is managed in such a way that the only logical response is “yes, we do.”

Digital marketers have their own ABC’s — Always Be Converting. The goal of converting site visitors into paying customers is mission critical for just about every business.

To help you master that process of conversion marketing and bump up that all important conversion rate, we’ve captured eight strategies for improved conversion marketing.

Use heat maps

Heat maps are graphical representations of data where color is used to represent values. They offer an easy to understand visual summary of information. If that sounds too technical, just think about a television weather forecast and how it uses red to signify hot and blue for cold.

When used with a Web page, a heat map will tell you which areas are generating the most interaction; red for high interaction, yellow for medium, blue for low. These maps are essential for understanding how you can maintain the interest of prospects.

Refine your call to action

Too many businesses opt for boilerplate copy when it comes to CTAs. If you want to boost your conversion rate, you need to close with strong, persuasive material.

A CTA doesn’t have to be two simple sentences; you can use video, add links or simply dangle a “cliffhanger” style ending that piques the interest of the reader and prompts her to find out more.

Heighten the urgency

Creating a sense of urgency is one of the oldest tactics in the sales and marketing textbooks for good reason — it works. This tactic plays on one of the strongest cognitive biases people have, so it’s as timeless as it is effective. If potential customers feel like something valuable is slipping away, they will be highly motivated to act.

Test, test, test

Are you A/B testing? If not, it’s time to get started. Create two versions of a page with different CTAs, header copy, design etc. Track the number of conversions each page generates. The one with the best numbers is your path to more conversions. Apply A/B testing wherever possible and retest frequently.

Optimize your funnel

Buying is a journey — in most cases, a potential customer cycles through the same series of considerations before “getting to yes.” Interrupting this process by asking for a sale prematurely can reduce conversions, so make sure your funnel is well developed.

Use copy that converts

Great copywriting is an art. It needs to:

  • Reflect your brand voice
  • Position you as trustworthy
  • Be calibrated for your specific audience
  • Seize the reader’s interest immediately
  • Be creative yet also universal

And that’s hardly a comprehensive list. If your copy isn’t meeting those basic criteria, however, you’re losing conversions.

Illustrate the value proposition

Why should your potential customer convert? Boil it down into an elevator pitch. And let the gist of that pitch flow through all of your copy and marketing materials.

Stress the social proof

People don’t innately trust marketing. Yet they do trust other people, which is why word of mouth is so effective.

If you want to convert people sitting on the fence, show them all of your satisfied customers. Use testimonials with photos and reap the benefit of the “halo effect” by partnering with influencers.

The takeaway

Armed with the above strategies to improve your conversion marketing efforts, you’re ready to increase conversion rates and increase ROI.  Yet if you want to truly move the needle, contact our team of experts today.

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Conversion Optimization Media & Analytics Media Planning and Buying
Why smart marketers are allocating ad spend to OTT media 1 1200x600 c default
Why smart marketers are allocating ad spend to OTT media 1 1200x600 c default

If a person from the year 2005 were to visit us today, they’d find that most things in our daily lives hadn’t changed dramatically over 13 years.
Until they decided to watch a film or a television show, of course. Then they’d realize the way people consume content has been radically altered in a brief span of time.

In 2005, you didn’t watch a movie on Netflix — you watched a movie from Netflix (and only after waiting two days for it to arrive in the mail). If you wanted to watch your favorite TV show, you had to view it live or record it. Hulu didn’t exist, and the very idea of video-on-demand was in its infancy.

Now, just a bit more than a decade later, a video store is all but extinct. The idea of a snail-mailed subscription DVD service seems quaint and faintly ridiculous. We watch what we want, when we want, on the device we want.

In other words, we watch Over-the-Top (OTT) media — and that’s something with profound implications for marketers.

Cable vs. OTT

Over-the-Top is a term to describe the process by which content is streamed directly to consumers over the Internet by media services. Much like cable technology revolutionized broadcast media by greatly expanding the viewing choices available to consumers, OTT media has transformed modern viewing habits.

Instead of the need for a conventional cable or satellite over the top box, OTT media streams directly to the viewer, bypassing television and telecommunication platforms that have historically acted as distributors of video content. Today’s most popular forms of OTT media include subscription-based services such as Netflix, Hulu and Amazon Video.

In addition to offering content created by TV networks and film studios, these OTT platforms also create significant amounts of original material, making them full-fledged competitors to traditional content creators and distributors.

Why OTT media is critical for today’s marketers and advertisers 

This profound change in viewing habits, content creation, and distribution models hasn’t gone unnoticed by marketers and advertisers. Today, eight-in-ten U.S. homes have an OTT subscription, according to a PwC study, while emerging markets are embracing OTT at an even faster rate. Additionally, Ericsson projects that 75% of all mobile traffic will be dedicated to video streaming by 2023.

OTT media is particularly popular with younger people, who subscribe to OTT services at even higher rates than the general public. As society grows younger and more tech-oriented, marketers are changing their media buying habits and designing campaigns optimized for OTT.

In years past, marketers were hamstrung by single screens and a limited pool of content. Today, content is available on multiple devices and programming options have never been greater.

OTT media platforms have led the way in using data analytics to accurately gauge what their viewers are interested in seeing. This has resulted in a proliferation of new films and series that are focused on niche audiences who have been historically underrepresented on broadcast networks and cable. Because this content is targeted and deeply relevant, viewers tend to be hyper-engaged — music to the ears of marketers and advertisers.

The OTT model also allows for more control of how and where ad content is displayed, and how ROI is tracked — all key considerations for a multi-platform campaign.

How multi-platform campaigns can derive maximum benefits from OTT media

Recently there have been studies undertaken to gauge the effectiveness of multi-platform OTT advertising. The results are compelling: According to a joint study by market research firm Kantar Millward Brown and Hulu, OTT significantly outperformed in terms of ad performance.

In cross-platform testing, OTT and mobile were the most successful in terms of reaching key ad objectives. Overall, among PC, mobile and OTT distribution, OTT ranked highest in aided awareness and brand favorability, while mobile ranked highest in purchase intent.

OTT also plays an important role in preventing potential ad fatigue generated by a multi-platform campaign with high ad frequency. The aforementioned study showed little to no decline in an ad’s effectiveness even after up to nine OTT media exposures.

Ultimately, the case for greater OTT focus in a multi-platform campaign comes down to a few key factors. First, advertisers need to reach people where they are — and OTT media is quickly becoming the default mode of content consumption, as traditional TV providers are losing millions of subscribers each year.

Second, the tools available to create OTT strategies and measure their effectiveness are becoming ever more refined. Today, marketers can identify campaign targets via demographic segments across multiple platforms. The ROI from ad campaigns can be quantified by the use of measurement tools that show how OTT ads perform relative to other platforms.

Taken together, all of this information helps marketers reach an informed understanding about how to optimize their campaigns and allocate their advertising spend.

BIGEYE and OTT

At BIGEYE, we’re proud to be a technology-forward marketing agency. We have the expertise and the tools to help you create the kind of compelling multi-platform campaigns that generate real, measurable results.

We believe that OTT media is going to be an essential part of successful campaigns moving forward — and we encourage you to look for the next in our series of articles about getting the most from OTT strategies.

Contact our media buying experts today to incorporate OTT media into your next campaign!

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Audience Audience Analysis Branding Consumer Insights Conversion Optimization Digital Targeting Services Identity Media & Analytics Real Time Monitoring & Tracking
3 Tools every brand strategy agency uses to increase conversion 1 1 1200x600 c default
3 Tools every brand strategy agency uses to increase conversion 1 1 1200x600 c default

A strong brand strategy agency knows there are a few tried and tested tools that will boost conversions across every industry. At BIGEYE, we pride ourselves on championing multi-channel marketing so our clients can meet their customers’ needs on any device, across any platform, and raise the collective benchmark for digital marketing best practices. These are the three tools we use to help our clients transform their  brand within months – guaranteed.

1. Segmentation is more important than ever

While content is still king, a one-size fits all model will quickly overthrow the throne. Partner with a brand strategy agency like BIGEYE to fully understand your audience and the different segments shopping for your products. Create custom content for each segment and use tokenization, analytics tagging, social sign on, or self-identification to recognize and adapt to your site visitors by serving them content relevant to their needs. This will increase customer loyalty and boost the likelihood for conversion. Segmentation will also help you understand what types of customers are most valuable so you can budget your marketing dollars around their potential.

2.Invest in omni-channel marketing

It is rare for a customer to enter the marketing funnel and complete a conversion in the same visit, or on the same device. Investing in an omni-channel marketing strategy allows you to anticipate the natural jump your visitors will make between devices and across channels throughout their customer journey.

In addition to anticipating your customers’ needs and increasing the likelihood of being able to serve compelling content, retarget, and ultimately convert your site traffic, omni-channel customer engagement also boosts retention, which can increase your lifetime value and returning site traffic. According to Invesp, brands with omni-channel engagement retrain 89% of their customers compared to 33% for companies who do not invest in this strategy.

3.Don’t make assumptions about your competition or your customers

When clients ask us why a brand strategy agency will help them succeed, we often highlight assumptions they may be making about their competitions or their customers. It’s natural for product and brand leaders to make assumptions based on their own experience using their products day by day. Having a fresh pair of eyes set up the a/b testing, seek answers, and translate data into actionable insights is one of the most valuable outputs of working with an agency.

Amp up your conversions by working with a brand strategy agency today. Contact our team of experts to learn more about how we have helped brands like yours grow and scale for success.

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Conversion Optimization Creative & Production Media & Analytics Website Development
4 commerce marketing metrics every B2C digital expert should track 1200x600 c default
4 commerce marketing metrics every B2C digital expert should track 1200x600 c default

As big data and robust analytics information becomes more accessible and affordable thanks to platforms such as Google and Adobe Analytics, commerce marketing experts are becoming spoiled by choice. With so much information, it can be hard to determine which metrics are most important. To help you cut through the clutter, we recommend tracking these four B2C marketing metrics as the foundation of your true north to provide an insightful benchmark no matter what industry you’re in, or how mature your analytics team is.

Conversion rate

The single most important metric any business should focus on is conversion rate. This KPI is calculated by dividing the number of sales by the number of visitors to your site. Regardless of industry, the average conversion rate on most websites is between one and two percent. This means that even small changes to your conversion rate can have a big impact on your bottom line. Work with your analytics team, or partner with a digital marketing agency like BIGEYE to track the fallout throughout your booking funnel so you can reduce friction and boost this critical KPI.

Average order value (AOV)

Understanding how much people spend on average when visiting your site will help you unlock information about your customers’ lifetime value and gross margins. This is an easy metric to calculate by referencing your revenue against the number of orders over a given period of time. Once you know your average order value, you can also determine whether your business would make more revenue with fewer, large sales, or have greater success with many small sales. Armed with this information, you can tailor your marketing experience to your customers’ and business’s needs accordingly.

Website traffic

While knowing how many people hit your site used to be an important KPI for success, total visitors has grown less popular as more nuanced tagging has become available. Instead of focusing on total traffic (although this figure can provide insight into whether you need to boost your search strategy or advertising dollars), we recommend digging one click deeper into your traffic metrics. Understand how long people are spending on your site, how many pages people view per visit, and whether you have more unique or returning visitors. These metrics will help inform your content strategy and highlight areas where your information architecture could use support.

Cart abandonment rate

Unexpected fees, shipping or services costs, buggy credit card processing, and confusing or cumbersome form fields are just a few of the reasons customers abandon a purchase. Track your cart abandonment rate to understand how your commerce systems are performing and preemptively tackle areas that may be pain points to your visitors. Regardless of how high your cart abandonment rate is today, it’s one of the easiest metrics to improve by streamlining the checkout process.  

These four metrics are the anchors for every analytics strategy. So the next time you find yourself pondering, “what is commerce marketing,” or “how can I harness site data for my B2C marketing strategy,” come back to these KPIs. Learn more about how we can help you on this journey by contacting our team for an in-depth analytics consultation with our team.  

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Conversion Optimization Media & Analytics
5 Conversion marketing tips and tricks to turn propects into sales scaled
5 Conversion marketing tips and tricks to turn propects into sales scaled

Once a prospective customer reaches the top of your marketing funnel, they may need a gentle nudge to complete their sale. Facilitate this process by reducing friction across your shopping platforms and by creating a seamless marketing experience that is as inviting as it is enticing by using these proven conversion marketing tips and tricks

1. Keep messaging consistent across platforms

One of the quickest ways to lose a prospective sale is through a disjointed marketing experience that is confusing or jarring. Invest time in creating a consistent, multi-channel conversion marketing strategy that accurately reflects your brand wherever your customers find you. If an ad looks and feels a certain way, your website and social media should mirror that tone.

Similarly, if you promote an offer or gated content through one channel, make sure the messaging across your corresponding landing page makes sense and reiterates the promotional style your visitor saw before clicking.

2. Examine your sales cycle

Gather as much data as you can about how long it takes successful customers to move from prospect to sale. Chart cycle variations between products, with promotions and without, and based on seasonality.

Once you have this data, ask yourself whether there are opportunities to shorten this cycle and convert prospects faster or move prospects through the funnel more effectively. As an example, you may extend or target certain promotions before a holiday season or create “free-mium” products that introduce potential customers to your brand, while enticing them to buy with premium, paid upgrades.

3. Don’t underestimate the importance of remarketing campaigns

We firmly believe the saying that when salespeople hear “no” it automatically translates to “not now.”  According to InvesP, the average click-through rate on PPC campaigns is only 0.07%, while click-through rates on retarget ads jump to 0.7 percent.

The trick to making retargeting effective is to get focused on segmented audience lists that have expressed interest in a certain product, offer, or task on your site. If you aren’t sure how to create more granular remarketing lists, click here to learn more about how our team can help.

4. Personalize your shopping experience

In a study by PeopleMetrics, average Net Promoter Scores (NPS) increased from 37 to 51 out of 100 when prospects were exposed to personalization efforts that led them to believe the brand was going above and beyond for their benefit. Leverage social media to engage directly with your prospects by answering questions, giving shout outs, and addressing service gaps.

These efforts combined with carefully retargeted ad campaigns can dramatically differentiate your brand and create an instant human bond that makes people want to complete their sale.

5. Conversion marketing starts with great content

More leads mean more people are viewing your brand. And more people viewing your brand gives you more opportunities to turn a prospect into a sale. Use content marketing to help prospects discover your brand or reinforce what sets you apart from the competition. Always couple your inbound marketing campaigns with robust paid ads that ensure prospects have a connection to your brand no matter what platform they are browsing or where they are in the customer lifecycle.

Reach out and share with us! We would love to hear your experiences turning prospects into sales. Click here to connect to our team and learn more ways to increase your conversions.

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Conversion Optimization Media & Analytics
AB split testing Timeless benefits of conversion optimization 1200x600 c default
AB split testing Timeless benefits of conversion optimization 1200x600 c default

Tried and tested digital marketing methodology, like A/B split testing or growth hacking, ebbs and flows in popularity based on the latest trends in market. While we like to stay on the bleeding edge of digital techniques, we encourage all our clients to stay true to their testing roots.
There are few more simple and effective marketing tactics than A/B split testing. In case it’s been a while since you have reviewed your testing roadmap, here are a few reasons why a robust A/B split testing culture is important for your business, or feel free to learn more about the types of testing support our team can provide.

1. There Are No Bad Ideas:

Consistent, A/B split testing supports a constructive space for your team members to share ideas. Because testing allows you to try ideas safely and quickly, every team member can see their ideas make it to the light of day to be validated through data, or trumped by a preferable guest experience. When team members see their ideas live, they will feel more ownership over their work. Understanding test results will also help them understand their customers’ preferences, and ultimately uplevel your ideation process as the virtuous feedback loop created by testing allows your team to make more choiceful decisions about what your content looks like and where it lives within your digital ecosystem.

2. Ditch the HIPPOs:

HIPPOs – or the friendly acronym for the highest paid person’s opinions – sometimes distract team members from pushing for a less popular, but potentially more impactful, ideas. A/B split testing disrupts this hierarchy and grounds decisions in data, according to behavior studies from the Harvard Business Review. Testing is an easy way for individual contributors to let their voices be heard, break through groupthink, or squash any embarrassment the team might have about telling a senior leader there may be other options. The data speaks for itself.

3. Fail Fast, Learn Quick:

A/B split testing also dramatically reduces risk when introducing revolutionary ideas into market. Because you can control what percentage of your audience sees various test branches, this allows your team to take more meaningful risk instead of taking safe, but less impactful, swings to drive results and incremental value for your customers. You can safely try, then scale semi-crazy ideas, or experiment with new features and pricing lineups knowing only 5% or 10% of your customers will see it until you’re ready.

4. Show Me The Money:

Last, but certainly not least, A/B split testing makes sense (and cents) for your bottom line. According to Optimizely, testing drove an average lift of 20% in revenue within the e-commerce sector, and nearly 70% increases in lead generation within the SaaS world. Testing accelerates business growth by allowing you to get a clearer understanding of your customer and what works faster so you can stay competitive within the market.

If you are just getting started on building a testing culture or want to revamp your current strategy, we’re here to help! Click here to contact our team and learn more about how we can partner on your next A/B split testing initiative.

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Campaign Creation & Development Conversion Optimization Creative & Production Media & Analytics Video Production
blog header 1200x600 c default
blog header 1200x600 c default

Just because cable and network broadcasting subscriptions are dropping, doesn’t mean people aren’t watching videos and rich media. In 2016, Google announced that more then 500 hours of video are uploaded to YouTube per minute. That’s right, we said per minute. Last year, that number was only 300 hours per minute. In other words, that’s a 200% annual increase in video production. In addition to user-based video hubs such as YouTube or Vine, streaming video sites such as Netflix, Hulu and PrimeVideo are all on the rise. There is no sign that video production is decreasing – it’s just being consumed in a different way, which is why videos for businesses are becoming such an integral part of the marketing mix. If you’re still on the fence about the value of a strong video marketing campaign, here’s our two cents on the matter:

Videos drive engagement:

Studies show that you have less than 3 seconds to grab your consumer’s attention. So yes, first impressions seriously matter. Three seconds isn’t enough time to read detailed copy about your customer service and product features, but it is ample enough to allow viewers to become drawn into a powerful video showcasing your brand values in a way that makes your audience want to learn more. Good video production will engage your audience and hold their attention longer than text or static images ever could. In a recent study by Implix, companies found that people were 96% more likely to click on an email if there was an introductory video embedded in the content. If the very act of showcasing a video can drive double-digit engagement, imagine what watching compelling videos for businesses has the power to do.

Conversion, conversion, conversion:

We’re not shy. We know your main goal is to drive business and conversion, which is why we love videos. According to Forbes, more than 90% of retail consumers cite video as a key part of their purchase process and that they are 64% to 85% more likely to buy a product after watching an informational video. E-commerce sites such as Zappos and Amazon rely on videos to showcase their products in a real-world setting, while hotels and tourism sites use video to show off their venues and unique experiences, and business service organizations employ video production to explain complicated products or add service value. No matter what industry you’re in, video can capture your value proposition and translate it in a way that drives consumer engagement by building trust and clarity.

Videos help people do business with brands they like:

It’s no secret that the general public trusts social media, user reviews, and viral content more than carefully curated ad campaigns and polished publicity stunts. While this isn’t surprising, the shift has thrown marketers into a tailspin over the past decade. Are marketers becoming obsolete in a world where consumers have the power to oust bad brand behavior and share their real-life experiences with your products? No. But we do need to start communicating with our audience from a place of authenticity and transparency. Corporate video production is your chance to show your brand’s personality from a genuine perspective that allows your audience to choose if your value proposition resonates with their needs. Whether you’re working with user-generated videos or a professional video production company to craft your media, there is something deeply humanizing about watching other people just like us on film. And at the end of the day, most people want to do business with people and brands that they truly like.

It’s okay to be trendy:

Whether you’re a YouTube or Netflix junkie – or neither, the internet has exploded with video content. And each episode of your favorite sitcom and trendy YouTube tutorial usually comes loaded with a video ad. ComScore estimates that more than 45.4% of internet users view at least one video per month. If your audience isn’t watching your viral video that just hit 1.5M views, they could at least be watching the video ad you ran before their next funny dog clip. People are self-selecting video content as a primary way to learn about brands and communicate with each other. Corporate video production gives you the unique opportunity to take advantage of this trend and get in on the action while it’s still a relatively new and emerging media.

The trick to successfully driving video marketing campaigns is to target the right audience at the right place and at the right time. A strong video production company or social marketing agency can help you define your strategy and begin building your voice or help you find tools to serve and measure your audience’s needs. From there, it’s a simple matter of being you and letting your brand shine. Video production can be as simple or as complicated as your budget or taste allows, and it can be as inexpensive or cost-intensive as you’d like. It’s one of the most flexible marketing tools we have at our disposal as well as one of the most efficient. In all honesty, we can’t think of a reason why producing videos for a brand don’t just plain make good business sense.

Are you ready to put video to use when engaging with your prospective audience? Contact our team of video production experts today – we’ll show you how video can align perfectly with your existing branding efforts!

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chipolte blog header wFilter
chipolte blog header wFilter

Let’s get controversial. You’ve probably heard the saying, “no news is good news.” You’ve probably also heard the saying, “there’s no such thing as bad publicity.” But when your company is the target of bad press – such as fast-food behemoth Chipotle’s recent scandal, thanks to the “Chubby Chipotle” smear campaign running in the New York Post – which maxim do you stand by?

The reality is, there’s some truth to both statements. If you suddenly find your brand at the center of unwanted attention, take a step back and remember that your response can radically influence how the public weathers the news. If we were in Chipotle’s shoes – this is what we’d do.

1. ENJOY THE CLICKBAIT:

First and foremost, publicity equals free advertising. We hate to be reductive, but in terms of raw numbers, an article in the New York Post is the public relations equivalent of a $300,000 ad campaign. Even though the article questions Chipotle’s ethics, a feature in the Post means more people will be surfing to the Chipotle site and thinking about their products. And when your burrito brand is at the top of mind, it’s also more likely to be the go-to dinner spot after a late workout at the gym. Clickbait – those scandalous headlines that blur the line between journalism and gossip while begging to be clicked – may not always yield the best online traffic, but they do increase visitors, have the possibility to go viral, and keep people talking about your brand.

2. DON’T FORGET TO ASSESS THE DAMAGE:

That said, we aren’t suggesting that you ignore the gravity of the situation. Take a step back from the immediate impact of the article and ask yourself if the situation is really going to turn customers away. If you’re a loyal Chipotle customer and you see the Chubby Chipotle ads, you may be tempted to surf onto the Chipotle website and join the conversation. If you’re anti-Chipotle, you might want to do the exact same thing. The article doesn’t reveal anything most Chipotle fans or fast-food followers don’t already know, so it may be safe to assume that this story will line tomorrow’s waste bins and little or no response is needed. If you were in Chick-Fil-A’s shoes back in 2012 when they were brought to task over their religious intolerance toward same-sex marriage, this may be a different story. Only your target audience, the severity of the article or accusations, and how brand loyal your followers are can answer that question.

3. DECIDE IF YOU NEED TO RESPOND … AND HOW:

If a response is needed, recognize the power an influx of online traffic and social media attention has on this situation and your brand. You’ve just increased your reach and given yourself an organic platform to handle the situation with grace, uniqueness, and class. A well-timed article, blog post, or Facebook campaign could turn a scandal into a sensation and validate the values your brand stands for. No one likes to be criticized, but a memorable response can make or break the public’s reaction to even the worst faux pas. For example, on August 6, Vanity Fair ran an article chastising Tinder for supporting an unhealthy “hook-up culture.” Thirty-one rapid-fire Tweets later from one of Tinder’s employees, and the abashed dating site went from zero to hero. The company never admitted whether the response was planned or not, but the results prove our point entirely.

We feel for you, Chipotle. But when life gives you lemons  … we recommend that you make a big ol’ burrito with all the fixin’s.

Is your brand in need of some repositioning to positively impact consumer perception? Contact our team of brand strategists today to learn more about how we can help!