The director of search marketing for Red Door Interactive explains how to put the right media in your dashboard for analysis and action.
In my last article, we went over the reasons for adding SEO to your marketing dashboard. Today's article will focus on the importance of segmenting the sources of website traffic to improve results.
Segmenting sources of traffic to your website from paid search, organic search, email campaigns, banner ads, and TV, radio and print ad URLs (media) is important for maximizing website and campaign performance. This enables you to focus on each subset to calculate its value, using the data to make recurring adjustments and ensuring the highest return for marketing and sales expenditures.
Various prospects place different values on price, volume, technical features, complexity, risk/reward, brand name, options, status quo, social trends and benefits. Therefore, the manner in which a prospect perceives your offer is critical, especially when the introduction to your business is via your website.
The point of site entry, the pathway visitors follow to view your offer and your messaging are all of utmost importance. A dashboard tracking keywords, emails, banners and TV, radio or print ad URLs must match them from clickthrough to landing page. This provides the necessary data to evaluate conversion vs. non-conversion so you can make adjustments improving the right element.
The importance of analytics
All online campaigns provide the opportunity for continuous improvement through analytics. The value of having good analytics tied to regular reporting followed by site optimization can't be overemphasized. Measurement is the key to discovery, and discovery uncovers the factors responsible for your site's maximum success.
If you sell mops, whether you sell through a worldwide, national or regional distribution center, you want to direct your prospects and visitors through an optimized conversion funnel that results in a purchase. As obvious as it seems, few websites consistently use analytics for continuously improving conversions.
Your website performance is directly related to the changes triggered by the regular use of analytics. Without a dashboard in place to monitor key performance indicators (KPIs), you will experience opportunity loss. By reviewing data to improve your media spend and maximize website performance you have a clear advantage over traditional, pre-1995 business strategies.
Finding a centerline
Running a business at the speed of light is a major challenge in today's business environment, and on the web, it's more like warp speed. If you are accelerating to 1,000,000 mph, you'll need a centerline to follow.
Analytics, KPIs, periodic reporting and ongoing website optimization can serve as your centerline. They are the key to increasing conversions and accomplishing your business goals.
First impressions count
To over-simplify what is going on with many websites: Every day, search engines and humans seek to understand your subject matter as quickly as possible and then leave.
First impressions are critical, and the first thought consumers experience upon arrival to your website is based on the very first piece of information you present to them.
It doesn't matter if "they" are a search engine or a human being; when they see your site, there is an expectation. This is also true of your ad campaigns on the web or TV, radio and print.
Human expectations are often set through marketing and advertising initiatives. For example, in its simplest form, companies set an expectation with keywords in Sponsored Listings at Google and Yahoo!. Each keyword you use is setting a specific visitor expectation. When that expectation is matched with a highly relevant landing page, the visitor is satisfied. When the links and supporting information on the landing page are relevant to the first impression (their keyword query), the visitor will go deeper and is much more likely to convert or take the desired action.
Make your landing page relevant
Don't you just love it when you ask a question and you get an answer relevant to that question? Wouldn't you dislike it if you asked a question and got a lame answer?
The content or landing page generated for a keyword search (or email campaign, banner ad, TV radio or print ad URL) is of utmost importance and should address the customer's query. This page should provide the visitor with a first impression that answers their query. The page and its content must greet the visitor at the highest level of relevancy in order for that visitor to feel good and move on.
Improve marketing ROI
Placing strategic variables in your dashboard and adhering to sound marketing principles can further enhance your website and marketing campaign performance. By putting all the right media in your dashboard for analysis and action, you will get the best return on ad spend and marketing ROI.