case studies: turning browsers into buyers

Case Studies Turning Browsers into Buyers

Brandon Finch

Director eBusiness, Jelly Belly Candy Company bfinch@jellybelly.com

SEO and SEM Landing Page Conversion Optimization through

A/B and Multivariate Testing

Brandon Finch Director of eBusiness,

Jelly Belly Candy Company

•  Hands-on in ecommerce since 2000 •  Started with Patagonia’s Web Team •  Worked for leading brands encompassing outdoor,

footwear, apparel and motorsports •  Currently Director of eBusiness for JBCC

A Quick History of Brandon Finch

•  My perspective is mine –  You’ll have to develop your own perspective

•  I don’t know what you don’t know –  We’ll start at the beginning

•  You can’t do it all –  Prioritize –  Do what you can do

Some Things to Know

•  There are so many “conversion” scenarios –  Define “conversion” for your business

•  Email and/or SMS sign-up •  Lead generation •  Product purchase •  Or…?

•  And there are so many factors influencing conversion

•  We’ll focus most on SEM by Retailers –  Applicable to other marketing efforts

This is a Huge Subject Because…

I went looking for a hotel…

…and here’s what I got

Next!

Ah – much better!

Agoda.com paid for the click, not my business!

Conversion doesn’t happen in a vacuum – consider the complete funnel. •  Other pages contribute (or detract)

–  Product page –  Shopping cart –  Checkout pipeline – …and more

•  Other factors contribute, too

The LP isn’t Everything

The accepted triumvirate for success is: 1.  Traffic 2.  Conversion 3.  AOV

Taken together, these are your Revenue Per Visitor (RPV) factors.

Conversion isn’t Everything

To maximize conversions, get visitors to the right page: •  The page has a specific purpose •  The page is somehow tied to a campaign

–  Accidental LP: already exists and is indexed (SEO) or chosen (SEM)

–  Planned LP: created for indexing (SEO) or for a campaign (SEM)

•  The page meets the customer’s expectation

LP Conversion Basics

•  Relevance… –  Search’s secret sauce (both SEO and SEM) –  Prominent content is key –  Natural language is best

•  …which is provided by Information –  What question does the page answer? –  Is there a clear value proposition? –  Can the customer accomplish the goal?

Good LP Design has:

The “level” of the Landing Page MUST match the “level” of the search: •  More specific means more specific

–  Brand-level phrases = brand pages –  Category phrases = category pages –  Product phrases = category or product pages

Where to Land?

Search Phrase “Polo Shirt”:

Relevance and Level #1

Resulting page:

Relevance and Level #1

Why not this?

Relevance and Level #1

Search Phrase “Polo Shirt”

Relevance and Level #2

Resulting page:

Relevance and Level #2

Why not this?

Relevance and Level #2

Page design should be… •  In line with your brand •  In line with the ad •  User-focused

–  Pay homage to what they need, not what the business needs –  Strip out the excess – avoid overload –  Give a clear value proposition (quality, price, differentiation) –  Give a strong and clear CTA

•  Refined –  This is your first date! –  Use your best copy –  Use your best images

Best Practices for LP Conversions

Search Phrase “A/B Testing Tools”:

Who Got it Right?

Search Phrase “A/B Testing Tools”:

Who Got it Right?

WiderFunnel distills it to PIE: •  Potential

–  What pages are worst according to analytics and the customer?

–  How much can they be improved? •  Importance

–  What pages get the most traffic and drive revenue? –  How much does the traffic cost?

•  Ease –  What’s realistic, technically and politically?

Test, Test, Test

•  Font –  Typography, Size, Color

•  Images (types, not specifics) •  Content (more complex decision = more

information needed) •  Product organization (list vs. grid vs. ???) •  Refinement (facets and filters)

–  Price, Size, Color, Shape •  Social proof

–  Ratings, Reviews,Testimonials

Test the Elements

Revenue per Visitor (RPV) per LP •  Traffic – good traffic •  Conversions – the right images, information, CTA •  AOV – easy to accessorize/up-sell

Ask – How does your landing page support this?

Measure your Success

Home Page Split Buttons

Jelly Belly Testing, What Worked:

Shop with Trust Seals

Jelly Belly Testing, What Worked:

International vs. No Tax Green vs. No Tax Red

Jelly Belly Testing, What Worked:

Results Page Info Banner

Jelly Belly Testing, What Worked:

3x vs. 4x Grid

Jelly Belly Testing, What Worked:

Left Navigation Removed vs. Left Navigation

… And What Didn’t

Roll-over Button

… And What Didn’t

•  SLI Systems’ Conversion Optimizer (www.sli-systems.com) •  Optimizely.com •  SearchEngineLand.com •  KissMetrics.com •  WiderFunnel.com

Additional Resources

Thank You!

Brandon Finch Director of eCommerce,

Jelly Belly Candy Company

bfinch@jellybelly.com

Case Studies Turning Browsers into Buyers

Brandon Finch

Director eBusiness, Jelly Belly Candy Company bfinch@jellybelly.com