What Type of Content Converts?
I’m fond of saying that, “Nobody likes to be sold but everybody is buying.” Generally, we don’t like to be ‘sold’ especially if we’re being pitched something we don’t want. But even if we do need the product or service being presented, we like to do our own research. This sentiment is what drives people to search for answers online. You could have exactly what I want but because I don’t know you, I’ve decided to do my own due diligence. For most people that due diligence is searching for answers online. If the answers I’m looking for, what are referred to as search queries, deliver results that link to your website or social media accounts, and I click on them then that content has converted me.
The obvious way to measure this is when your website and social media accounts are filled with content that appears in above-the-fold, first page, organic search engine results. Easier said than done, but if content does appear at the top of a search organically then your content has passed the first test. Your content has been optimized for search and it appears as a possible answer to the prospect’s search. If your content answers the questions the prospect has about the subject and they find those answers credible then your content has passed the second test. If your content is compelling then it has passed the third test as the prospect SHARES, LIKES, FOLLOWS, and/or SUBSCRIBES for more information. That is content that converts visitors into leads.
Many businesses think that content that converts is content that generates a sale or some type of business deal or relationship. And while that is generally true, the reality is that the final conversion, the actual sale or agreement to do business is your responsibility. We call that “the last mile.” This final conversion, or sale, is based on criteria that a digital agency like VOX can’t be responsible for including price point, perceived value, online reviews, and overall presentation; i.e., user experience on your website and with your staff.
All of these criteria play a role in the sales process, but one universal approach seems to consistently produce solid results. Content and sales people who educate rather than ‘sell’ tend to close more business. If when addressing a qualified prospect, the content and the sales staff project confidence regarding the overall subject that the product or service addresses, then that prospect is often converted into a customer. Content that converts like sales staff that closes deals is based largely on the fact that they both appear to know what they’re talking about.
