Posted: May 06, 2015
We all know that content is one of the most powerful pieces of a website, and everyone wants magical content that will instantly lead to conversions. And you’ve probably wondered how you can encourage site visitors to click “learn more”, “contact us” or “buy now”.
There have been studies to determine which words and phrases can spur more conversions and which content-focuses strategies have worked the best. While phrasing and keywords are important to your content, there are other ways to reach your target audience.
First, you need to evaluate your audience based on demographics, budget, perception and openness.
All of these factors are used to create content that is relevant to your target audience in order to encourage them to make a purchase or choose your business for services. And while high-quality content is foundation to a great website and content marketing strategy, if you’re willing to learn more about your audience, you can try out different content marketing tactics.
Content doesn’t have to be flat or boring, and we’ll show you how you can drive conversions with unconventional content strategies.
We aren’t talking about the kind of workplace humor that makes everyone groan. We’re talking in your face, laugh out loud, humor that is relevant or trending. This might be out of the comfort zone for a lot of businesses, and that’s OK. If you aren’t willing to go all in, then your attempt at humor is going to fail.
The homepage for Cards Against Humanity includes an area where visitors can submit their own ideas for cards. But instead of a “Submit Your Idea” button, the site uses a “Submit bad idea” button.
Does it work? Yes. The off-brand humor of the call-to-action button fits in perfectly with branding of Cards Against Humanity.
But, your business doesn’t have to be grounded in snark to take the humorous approach. Consider using the popularity of a viral video or photograph to market a product.
In addition to humor, and along the same idea, you can add some humor and flair to your website through navigation, sorting options and even how customers can contact your business.
Hipmunk allows visitors to sort their flights by “Agony”, a combination of price, number of stops and trip duration. Are customers setting out to find the most agonizing flight? Of course not, but this approach is likely getting some laughs from site visitors, and has been shared on social media. It’s also a unique approach to the same old method of sorting that thousands of websites use.
So, how can you implement something similar? Think of less conventional ways to sort your products or services, or come up with new terms for sizing and pricing. Is a medium just a medium, or is it a bucket-full?
If humor isn’t your thing, that’s OK. Being an authority in your industry might be your thing, and your consumers probably love you for it. If that’s the case, then wow them with your insights.
You should already be staying up-to-date on the goings on in your industry. So, use that information to share your insights about what the latest trends or happenings could mean for the big picture. Business blogs and social media are the perfect platforms for sharing with your consumers.
In a common and successful form of marketing, altercasting, advertisements project a likable or favorable identity on the audience. In turn, the audience wants to act accordingly in the new role, so they are more likely to complete a relevant call-to-action.
In March 2015, GymIt used an advertisement that read: Superheroes don’t sit on the couch.
Of course, we all want to be a superhero instead of a couch potato, even if it’s just in our minds. But there are those who will think about that phrase and act, in superhero fashion, by working out instead of lounging around.
The best forms of altercasting will pair the idea with an urgent call-to-action to get visitors to act sooner rather than later.
Products, services, shipping explanations and even terms of services are generally filled with less-than-dynamic content, but they don’t have to be boring. Yes, you want descriptions to be accurate and it’s a good idea to include real information there. But, you can have some fun with the more boring portions of your website as long as your audience is open to the humor.
CD Baby goes a little above and beyond when it thanks customers for making a purchase. The shipping confirmation email begins:
“Your CD has been gently taken from our CD Baby shelves with sterilized contamination-free gloves and places onto a satin pillow. A team of 50 employees inspected your CD and polished it to make sure it was in the best possible condition before mailing.”
Is the whole routine (which includes the entire town of Portland waving “Bon Voyage!” to the CD) a complete work of fiction? Yes. Does it matter? No.
A more personalized shipping confirmation can serve a few purposes:
At Jumpem, we specialize in using the best Internet marketing strategy for your brand. If you want to try something a little different, let us know! Contact us to discuss your content marketing tactics and discover what can happen when you work with the best.