How to Get Started on Landing Page Optimization
Tips for getting buy-in from high-level executives and other team members.
Tips for getting buy-in from high-level executives and other team members.
A landing page testing program for on-page optimization has to be established before becoming an ongoing or periodic activity in the online marketing department. The success of the first test is critical for establishing the long-term momentum for subsequent tests. Let’s look at some strategies you could pursue as you get started.
Start Small
Start with a small test. Once you’ve demonstrated your ability to pull off an end-to-end landing page experiment, you should have enough support to continue. The key to this approach: appear nonthreatening and don’t ask for a lot of help.
Components of a small test may include:
But remember, your test must still produce meaningful results. Your data rate must be high enough to complete the test in a reasonable period of time, and the financial impact (or at least the percentage of improvement in the conversion rate) must be significant. Don’t run your test if the data rate will be too low, or if the proposed test elements are unlikely to produce conversion improvements on the landing page.
Stay Below the Radar
Another option for running your first test is to do it out of public view. Sneak it into your normal activities.
To do this, divert a portion of your existing budget to testing activities. You and your testing team can also run tests “off the clock” in addition to your normal activities.
Many online marketing programs run on a CPA basis. If you bring in a reasonable volume of leads or sales at the target CPA, then people won’t care exactly how you do it.
In this environment you can spend some of your media dollars on testing and still hit your volume numbers by squeezing more conversions out of the lower ad spend. Once you have a case study pointing to a real success, you can go into the open and get additional budget specifically for testing.
Sneak It Through Your Affiliate Program
You can also consider testing as a part of your affiliate program. Because improved landing pages increase lead volume without changing the affiliate’s payout structure, they have a “force multiplier” effect on all of your current and future affiliates. You can legitimately funnel off some of your affiliate program management budget to the landing page optimization effort.
One way to bypass the need for budget approval is to roll your testing into your performance-based affiliate payouts. Try to find a testing company that will run landing page optimization projects on a performance basis (most offer guaranteed-performance fixed-price engagements). Many companies prefer this approach, because there is no financial risk to them.
Outsource
The decision to handle landing page optimization in-house or to outsource can be complicated. But if you’re considering outsourcing strictly for the initial proof-of-concept test, it has several clear advantages:
Make the Financial Case
Most top managers are receptive to financial arguments. They understand that there are two basic ways to improve profits: increase revenues and lower costs. They like and appreciate subordinates who also speak the language of money and understand their contribution to the company’s financial success.
Focus on the mission-critical parts of your Web site and understand the value of the intended conversion actions. Take the time to dig up financial information that allows you to estimate the lifetime value of the conversion action.
Build your own financial model once you understand the revenue and variable cost percentage for your landing page. Remember to use conservative assumptions and estimates to make your business case stronger and more defensible.
Landing page optimization can often mean large potential profit increases. Your project may be the most financially promising marketing initiative available to the company. Once you get high-level executive buy-in based on the financial case for the project, you should have the political support to move it along and get the active cooperation of other team members.
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