Are Your Click Through Rates Being Wasted?

How many of your PPC ads actually convert? With a typical online sales conversion rate of around 2%, PPC (pay per click) rates can easily cost more than they generate. Yet, it is still possible to gain value from every visitor, even those who do not make a purchase.

As I have mentioned before in my blog “Are PPC Advertising Mistakes Costing You?” when using PPC to market affiliate sales, it’s in the marketer’s best interest to build their own landing page. In the earlier blog I pointed out how most websites are far to busy to be considered good landing pages, with way too many links and options. Often visitors simply leave with out making a purchase.

Still there is another huge advantage to landing PPC customers on your own page. Since it is typical for 98% of online shoppers to scan over an advertisement and then leave, by directing them to your landing page you have the opportunity to entice them into signing up for your newsletter.

While these low percentages of conversion rates are universal in online sales, with PPC advertising the problem is compounded. Since those adverts are only shown periodically. This is why acquiring the contact information of your visitors is so important, By staying in contact with possible customers, if handled correctly; you will build trust and future sales.

 Now there are some tricks to persuading visitors into giving out their email addresses. Let’s face it nobody likes spam and people are very skeptical when being ask for their personal information. I for one, have a separate Yahoo.com address I regularly give out if I want to see what someone has to say, but suspect the possibility of spam. The way I see it, is if I like what they have to say I can always give them my regular address later.

A common practice for opt in email magnets is to offer something of value for signing up. Such as a free e-book or short course delivered by e-mails. I’m sure, if you are reading this, you have seen this tactic used, and if you decide to try this yourself to build your own list, it is imperative that you assign a value to the free gift. Never assume that your readers will understand how great of a deal it is that you are offering.

 Also a huge mistake some marketers make is asking for too much information. Keep it simple, A first name and email address is all you need at this point. Later if you want more details for campaign reasons merely add a survey to your newsletter.

The next important factor in setting up your own “opt in” magnet is its placement. There is a large number of landing page entrepreneurs which incorporate popup magnets which a visitor has to sign up or dismiss before reading the article. Personally I’m not a fan of this; to me it screams Spam To Follow.

Marketing research has proven that the first few paragraphs of a page are normally read very thoroughly. With this in mind the upper right hand corner of a page is the leading position for a sign up magnet. Still as visitors first arrive on a new page, very often this position is ignored as they read through the article. For this reason it is always wise to add a second signup box at the bottom of the page as well.

 When setting up an email marketing campaign the most important aspect of the venture is choosing your marketing service. Do not jeopardize having your business black listed by choosing the wrong service! Spam is a serious problem which can lead to having websites and IP addresses banned.

There are some free services out there but be advised:

• Free services won’t allow your users to “opt-in” or “opt-out” automatically.

 

•  With free services, you can’t personalize your e-mail newsletters, unless you send them one at a time.

 

• With free services, you can’t really track the effectiveness of your e-mail campaigns.

 

• With some free services, you’ll encounter strict limits on how many e-mails you can send out in a given period.

 

• With free services, you’re managing your e-mail lists the hard way.

In short with free email marketing you appear to be spam.

 When choosing an email marketing service note their “opt in” and “opt out” procedures. Are they automated so that your precipitants can easily choose to receive your emails or stop them at any time? Investigate the email templates available to you. Can you test your emails before they are sent out? Can you personalize your emails by addressing your subscribers by their name? What types of statistics can they provide you with about the emails you send out? And finally what are the limitation on growth should you require vast amounts of mail outs?

Two email marketing services I suggest are Express Email Marketing and Aweber both companies offer excellent packages and service for a reasonable price.

In closing there is a question which always comes up when discussing email marketing. ”What should I write about?” If you are planning to market affiliate sales, you have nothing to worry about. The company you are promoting most likely has a newsletter or blog of their own which they are more than likely happy for you to promote. Resending their feeds will encourage trust from your subscribers and reinforce you as an expert. Just remember to leave the bylines intact and you will be fine.

If you are marketing your personal business give tips about your industry, read press releases in your field and convey your opinions about the advances happening in your trade. Give insider short cuts you have found for the software you use everyday.

What ever you decide to write about, just remember to write about it on a regular basis!

 

 ENC Hosting Depot, Biker website design and hosting.