Susan Perez - Page 1 of 2 | Instapage https://instapage.com/author/susan-perez/ Tue, 24 Dec 2024 11:46:19 +0000 en-US hourly 1 Need to Increase Conversions? Optimize Your Ecommerce Website https://instapage.com/blog/ecommerce-cro/ Tue, 15 Oct 2024 18:42:57 +0000 https://instapage.com/?p=196738
Highlights: Are your ecommerce sales down? Optimizing your website can boost conversions significantly Learn why a CRO strategy is essential for ecommerce businesses Follow simple tips to improve your product pages, checkout process, and more Do online shoppers mostly use desktop or mobile devices? Let’s find out Pair your CRO strategy with personalized landing pagesRead More >]]>

Highlights:

  • Are your ecommerce sales down? Optimizing your website can boost conversions significantly
  • Learn why a CRO strategy is essential for ecommerce businesses
  • Follow simple tips to improve your product pages, checkout process, and more
  • Do online shoppers mostly use desktop or mobile devices? Let’s find out
  • Pair your CRO strategy with personalized landing pages to achieve ideal conversion rates

The digital marketplace is highly competitive, simply having an online presence doesn’t cut it anymore.

This statement is truer than ever before.

Ecommerce businesses that want higher sales and lower cart abandonment rates need to employ conversion rate optimization best practices on their websites.

Let’s dive into how ecommerce businesses should use ecommerce CRO to effectively improve their websites for visitors and leads.

What is Ecommerce CRO?

Ecommerce conversion rate optimization (CRO) is the process of making strategic changes and improvements to an ecommerce site with the goal of increasing the percentage of visitors who take a desired action, such as adding an item to their cart or making a purchase.

By improving your ecommerce website with CRO strategies, you can provide a better user experience, increase your conversion rate, and boost revenue.

Conversion rate optimization strategies focus on several key metrics, with an emphasis on increasing sales conversion rates and add-to-cart rates, and lowering cart abandonment rates.

Ways to increase ecommerce conversion rates

Optimize product pages

Product pages play a pivotal role in whether or not visitors take conversion actions. The purpose of these pages is to convince potential customers to make a purchase.

Take the following steps to audit your product pages and optimize them for conversions:

  • Include high-quality images and videos. Online shoppers want to know what they’re buying. To build purchase decision confidence, share high-resolution images from different angles and videos that show the product in use.
  • Optimize product descriptions. A well-written, easy-to-understand, and clearly communicated product description is crucial. Make sure user benefits and product features are represented clearly.
  • Include customer reviews. Social proof lends plenty of credibility and signals to potential customers that this is a trustworthy product. Make sure to include a mix of reviews on your product pages that showcase your product in an authentic and believable way.

The product page for the Peak Design Everyday Backpack has it all: multiple photos that clearly show the features of the backpack, what it looks like from every angle, and what colors you can choose from. Trust badges from notable publications and well-placed CTA buttons to make navigation simple.

This images shows a screenshot of a Peak Design Everyday Backpack product page

Streamline your checkout process

When cart abandonment is high, the first place you should look at is your checkout process. If the process is too complicated or frustrating, visitors won’t hesitate to abandon the page and move on.

Simplify your ecommerce checkout process with these simple tips:

  • Offer guest checkout. Forcing users to create an account before they can complete a purchase makes for a bad user experience. Offer a guest checkout option that allows customers to buy your product without friction or unnecessary commitment.
  • Add trust signals for credibility. People want to feel like they’re making a secure purchase, and visual cues like secure payment icons or SSL certificates can signal to your visitors that their information is safe.
  • Optimize form fields. Keep your checkout form as short and simple as possible. Only ask for information that’s necessary, which will minimize distractions and reduce the risk of a customer abandoning that form.

The Allbirds checkout page is strictly about your purchase – there’s no menu or navigation links to distract you and tempt you to abandon the page, you’re able to checkout as a guest, and the only information you have to input is your shipping and payment information.

This image shows a screenshot of Allbirds checkout page

Use social proof

We are natural vetters – before we try out a restaurant, we’re likely to ask others for recommendations or read reviews on sites like Yelp. We regard the opinions of others when making decisions, so leveraging social proof is one of the most effective conversion rate optimization strategies to improve ecommerce sales.

Here’s how:

  • Utilize customer reviews and testimonials. Positive customer reviews and testimonials are not just a nice-to-have, they are powerful tools. They build trust and can nudge buyers towards that purchasing decision.
  • Encourage customer feedback and reviews via post-purchase emails. After a customer has made a purchase, you can send a follow-up email to encourage them to leave a review and help future customers make a decision.
  • Feature positive customer experiences as case studies. Case studies can also be powerful in the decision-making process. Reading about a successful experience can give potential customers ideas about how to use the product and what their own experience might be like.

Fresh dog food company The Farmer’s Dog knows reviews are essential for potential customers and puts an emphasis on them. As the first option in their navigation menu, their reviews page includes testimonials left on Google, videos, testimonials left by veterinarians, and more customer reviews.

This image shows a screenshot of The Farmer's Dog reviews page

Personalize user experience

Today’s consumers want and expect personalized experiences. To provide a tailored user experience follow these tips:

  • Use A/B testing. Run experiments to understand how variations on your website affect conversion rates. This could be as simple as changing the color of your CTA button or using a different copy in your headline. Customer data, feedback, and A/B tests can help you choose the best conversion rate optimization strategies.
  • Implement strategies based on user behavior. We live in an age where customer data is readily available and can be used to personalize recommendations, on-page content, and marketing efforts. When you personalize based on browsing history, preferences, and demographics, customers feel understood and valued and are more likely to make a purchase.

Dick’s Sporting Goods uses its website visitor’s locations to show them popular items in their area. This kind of personalization shows visitors items that are tailored to their specific interests and encourages them to make a purchase that will benefit them.

This image shows Dick's Sporting Goods personalization example

Improve site speed and mobile responsiveness

Internet browsing is a much quicker experience than it used to be, and customers expect pages to load instantly and be responsive, especially on mobile devices. If your page speed load and mobile responsiveness are not up to par, your performance will suffer. Here’s how to ensure your site is ready to go:

  • Ensure mobile responsiveness. You can’t rely just on desktop experiences. More and more customers are shopping from mobile devices, and it’s essential that your ecommerce site functions seamlessly on any screen. Use a responsive design that adapts to any display size, whether on a mobile, tablet, or desktop.
  • Optimize website loading speed. If your page takes too long to load, customers will abandon it. A tool like Google PageSpeed Insights can help you evaluate your website’s speed and direct you to compress images, enable caching, or reduce HTTP requests to improve speed.

Analyze user behavior and identify pain points

A crucial aspect of ecommerce conversion rate optimization is understanding user behavior. By analyzing how visitors interact with your website, you’ll have data-driven insights that can help you identify what’s working and what needs improvement.

  • Use tools like Google Analytics. With Google Analytics, you can track user behavior, such as how long a visitor spends on your site, what pages they visit, and where they abandon the conversion funnel. This data can help you improve problem areas that are hindering your conversion rate.
  • Gather customer feedback. Your customers’ voices are incredibly important and powerful. Ask your customers for feedback via surveys or forms. Understanding their user experience can highlight pain points and areas for improvement.

Using an ecommerce conversion rate formula

To understand how effectively your website is turning visitors into customers, you’ll want to calculate your ecommerce conversion rate. This is a critical metric with a simple formula:

Ecommerce Conversion Rate = (Number of Conversions/Total Visitors) x 100

You will determine how you define a conversion – this may be a purchase, completing a form, or downloading an asset. Let’s assume a conversion is a purchase. If your ecommerce website had 1,000 visitors, and 30 of them made a purchase, your conversion rate would be:

(30/1000) x 100 = 3%

This percentage tells you that your website is converting at a rate of 3% and provides a benchmark for measuring the effectiveness of your website and marketing efforts on a consistent basis.

Average ecommerce conversion rate by industry

Once you’ve calculated your ecommerce conversion rate, you may wonder if it’s a good ecommerce conversion rate or how it stacks up against the competition. While it’s good to understand how you compare with others in your industry, it’s best to measure how your conversion rate fluctuates over time.

If you employ conversion rate optimization strategies to improve your ecommerce sales, then those efforts should be reflected in your ecommerce conversion rate.
Make sure you’re reflecting on your own performance, as that can help you identify what is and isn’t working.

That being said, average rates vary widely by industry. Having an understanding of these averages can help you set goals for your own conversion rates. Here’s a look at different industries and their average ecommerce conversion rate:

This image shows a chart of e-commerce conversion rates for different industries

Common CRO mistakes

Ecommerce CRO can help you meet your goals and improve your sales, but it’s important to avoid common mistakes that can diminish your efforts. Avoid these CRO pitfalls:

Testing without a clear hypothesis

When A/B testing, don’t make changes just for the sake of making changes. Have a clear hypothesis about what you’re doing so that you’re clear on the changes you’d like to see. For example, if you’re optimizing your product page, you may add customer testimonials because you hypothesize that doing so will make visitors feel more confident and will increase conversion rates.

Ignoring data

Your decisions should be based on data as often as possible, as this will drive meaningful change. Guessing or relying on your gut can result in costly mistakes. Make sure you’re using tools like Google Analytics to understand the impact of your CRO strategies.

Not using the right trust signals

As mentioned, building credibility and trust goes a long way in improving the performance of your website. Reassure customers by using the right trust icons and signals, such as SSL certificates, customer reviews, secure payment options, and transparent return policies.

Testing multiple page elements simultaneously

Remember the importance of isolating variables in science experiments? The same applies to A/B tests. You don’t want to test too many variations at once, as you’ll have a hard time determining which change led to a positive or negative outcome. Focus on one or two elements at a time to get clear, actionable insights.

Not optimizing for mobile

A large percentage of your potential customers are going to shop from their smartphones. Don’t exclude them. In fact, more than 75% of retail website visits are coming from mobile devices. Mobile optimization is incredibly important and failing to focus on that can cost you conversions.

Create personalized landing pages to support your ecommerce strategy

Personalized landing pages tailored to specific campaigns or customer behaviors can boost ecommerce conversion rates drastically.

Instapage is a leading landing page builder that makes it easy to create and optimize customized landing pages, making it a perfect partner for ecommerce CRO. Customers love using Instapage because of its:

  • Intuitive drag-and-drop builder making it easy to create appealing layouts
  • Library of 500+ customizable templates
  • AI assistance for generating headlines, CTAs, and other content ideas
  • A/B testing, with insights on variations that work best and automatic routing to the best-performing pages
  • Personalizations that dynamically pair visitor intent to a relevant landing page experience for each ad
  • Copy-matching based on visitor-level data like keywords, firmographics, and demographics

Want to test how personalized landing pages can enhance your ecommerce CRO strategy? Start a free 14-day trial of Instapage now.

Try the world's most advanced landing page platform with a risk-free trial.

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How to Craft an Effective Product Strategy https://instapage.com/blog/product-strategy/ Tue, 15 Oct 2024 17:19:38 +0000 https://instapage.com/?p=196711
Highlights A formal product strategy acts as a north star for your product development It includes a product vision, clear goals, user personas, and USPs Learn the four business models that drive product strategies Find out how to pair your product strategy with a conversion-optimized marketing strategy A product strategy is a high-level plan thatRead More >]]>

Highlights

  • A formal product strategy acts as a north star for your product development
  • It includes a product vision, clear goals, user personas, and USPs
  • Learn the four business models that drive product strategies
  • Find out how to pair your product strategy with a conversion-optimized marketing strategy

A product strategy is a high-level plan that defines what your product does and identifies who it will serve and how it will benefit them.

Not only does a product strategy define the direction of your product, but it also helps your team stay aligned with the company’s goals and customer needs and explains how your product will achieve those goals across its entire lifecycle.

In this blog post, we’ll take a deep dive into how to craft an effective product strategy, discussing its fundamental components and different business models that support successful strategies.

What is a product strategy?

A product strategy is a blueprint for how the product will fit into the market, what its unique value proposition will be, and how it will evolve over time.

A product strategy defines clear goals, a target audience, and unique selling propositions (USPs) that users will find beneficial.

For example, a product strategy for a company that sells solar panels will outline how solar panels will reduce homeowners’ energy consumption, what impact that will have on the environment, and how much customers can expect to save in costs over time. It would specify the USPs that set this company’s solar panels (or business model) apart from others, such as specialized technology, a green manufacturing process, or a competitive pricing strategy.

Why do you need to have a product strategy?

A product strategy serves as a helpful guide for organizations and is essential for long-term success. Here are the reasons why:

  • Gives you alignment across the team: A product strategy provides clarity on the product’s vision, goals, and initiatives for the entire organization. It ensures that everyone, from the product team to marketing and sales, is aligned on the product’s purpose and direction. Without a product strategy, teams may be unfocused and unable to make impactful decisions.
  • Prioritizes your roadmap: When resources are limited, it’s hard to decide how to allocate your budget. A product strategy allows product managers to make informed decisions on which features to prioritize.
  • Helps with decision-making: Using the product strategy as a reference point, teams can make better tactical decisions throughout the product’s lifecycle. When internal or external changes occur, the strategy provides a framework for adjusting plans while staying true to the product’s core objectives.
  • Magnifies customer focus: A product strategy grounded in user research and insights helps ensure that the product is designed to meet customer needs. It also allows the team to develop features that address specific pain points and differentiate the product from competitors.
  • Increases likelihood of market success: By defining the product’s unique value proposition, target market, and goals, a product strategy increases the likelihood of achieving product-market fit. It guides the development of a product that resonates with the right audience, solves user problems, and is positioned well against competitors.

Key elements of well-crafted product strategies

Effective product strategies have several key elements in common. The best product strategists accomplish the following:
1. Define your product and market vision: First and foremost, they define a clear product vision about your product’s long-term mission. The vision should be aspirational and static, serving as a guiding light for your team. For instance, a fitness company may have a fitness app with a vision to “empower users to lead healthier lives through tailored fitness and nutrition insights.”
2. Understand your target market: Before developing a product strategy, market research must be conducted to identify and understand your target audience. Gather insights on user needs, preferences, and pain points. Create user personas to connect and empathize with your customers and tailor your product to meet their specific requirements.
3. Set clear product goals: Develop specific, measurable, attainable, relevant, and time-bound (SMART) goals that align with your product vision. Your goals need to address key problems and provide a tangible way to measure progress. For example, a clear goal could be to increase customer retention by 20% year over year through improved onboarding and user experience. These goals not only guide your team but also provide a straightforward way to measure success.
4. Identify unique selling propositions (USPs): Determine what makes your product different from competitors in your space. Highlight your USPs that attract your target audience. This could involve innovative features, a superior user experience, or better pricing strategies.
5. Develop the right product initiatives: Translate your goals into actionable initiatives. These initiatives should be significant objectives that your team can break down into smaller tasks. For example, to improve the onboarding experience and achieve higher customer retention, you might introduce a rewards program or in-app incentives to encourage loyalty.

Product strategy business models

There are various business models that can inform the direction of your product strategy and drive growth and revenue. Companies may use one business model or a combination of two or more.

Let’s take a look at four different business models and the characteristics of each:

Product-led growth (PLG)

In the product-led growth (PLG) model, the product itself is the main driver for acquiring and retaining customers. The focus is on making the product so valuable and easy to use that it attracts users without significant marketing and sales efforts.

Key elements of PLG include:

  • A frictionless user experience
  • Popular, viral product features that are easily shareable
  • Self-service onboarding and learning
  • Product improvements based on user feedback

Companies like Dropbox, Slack, and Zoom have successfully used PLG to quickly scale their user bases and revenue.

Slack became a go-to tool for businesses and organizations by offering a user-friendly, feature-rich platform with a seamless onboarding process. Its success stems from a product-led approach, allowing users to explore most features for free while ensuring that large enterprises still receive hands-on support from Slack’s sales team when making big decisions.

This image shows a screenshot of Slack

Product segmentation

Product segmentation involves tailoring your product into different versions to satisfy specific user personas. Doing so allows you to optimize each version of your product to meet the unique needs of those specific customer segments.

Key elements of product segmentation include:

  • Identifying different, specific user personas
  • Tailoring product features for each segment/user persona
  • Offering customized pricing models

During the pandemic, Zoom’s targeted segmentation helped it thrive by catering to diverse groups, from individuals and SMBs to large enterprises, education, and healthcare sectors. Its seamless integration with third-party apps made it a vital tool for remote work, virtual classrooms, and maintaining business productivity.

This image shows a screenshot of Zoom UI

Freemium Model

Offering a free basic version of your product, also known as a freemium model, is a popular strategy for driving adoption, especially for software-as-a-service (SaaS) companies.

It’s a way to attract customers to your product without risk. Users will get value from a basic version of your product and will be incentivized to upgrade to paid plans with premium features.

Many, many companies have used the freemium model to grow their user bases and convert free users into paying customers – a few examples include Spotify, Dropbox, and Slack. This model is best suited for products where the incremental cost of adding a user is low.

Since its launch in 2008, Dropbox reached 100 million users in just four years. Today, it boasts 700 million users and generates $2.5 billion in annual revenue. Dropbox’s pricing strategy, centered on the freemium model and a customer referral program, fueled its growth in the SaaS industry. By offering a free plan with generous storage, Dropbox attracted millions of users and turned them into advocates through word-of-mouth referrals, driving rapid user acquisition and brand growth.

This image shows Dropbox pricing policy screenshot

While the freemium model attracted a large user base, Dropbox’s tiered pricing plans helped monetize and retain customers by offering different features and storage capacities.

Bundling

Bundling is a model where you package your product with complementary offerings to create a more compelling value proposition. Using this model can increase customer value, encourage cross selling or up-selling, and help you reach new audiences.

Key elements of bundling include:

  • Identifying synergistic products or services
  • Offering a discounted price for the bundle
  • Ensuring that the combined offering creates a 1 + 1 = 3 effect for customers; in other words, the bundle should add value for the customer

You can bundle hardware with software or multiple software products together. For example, Microsoft bundles its Office 365 productivity suite with cloud storage, video conferencing, and other tools to drive awareness of and adoption of its broader ecosystem.

Previously, Windows was the go-to platform for running Office, but now users want flexibility to work on any device—whether Android, Mac, iOS, or the web. Microsoft’s focus has shifted to offering a cloud-based ecosystem through Microsoft 365 (M365), which combines management, security, and productivity features using Azure Active Directory. M365 also integrates with third-party solutions, managing devices like iPhones and Androids, while securing data with tools like Azure Information Protection.

This image shows Microsoft Office 365 bundle with other apps

Market your product strategy with conversion-optimized landing pages

Once you’ve created a solid product strategy, you’re ready to go to market. One of the most powerful ways to market your product strategy is through conversion-optimized landing pages.

These pages should be tailored to specific ad campaigns and should clearly and captivatingly highlight your product’s key benefits, USPs, and features.

If you start an ad campaign offering 10% off your product, you’ll want to link to a dedicated landing page with similar messaging and imagery to elaborate on the value of your product and make it easy for users to sign up. A well-designed landing page can significantly boost conversions.

Instapage is a leading landing page builder and is popular thanks to its drag-and-drop builder, intuitive interface, pre-built templates, powerful A/B testing, and plenty of customization options.

With a 14-day free trial, you can dive right in and see how easy it is to design conversion-optimized landing pages and increase leads. Start a 14-day free trial of Instapage today.

FAQs

1. What’s the difference between the product strategy, product roadmap, and product backlog?

A product strategy outlines high-level visions and goals for the product. A product roadmap breaks down a timeline for the product’s specific features. A product backlog is a list of tasks and improvements that the development team will work on.

2. How can product managers build effective product strategies?

Product managers need to invest time and research into building effective product strategies by understanding customer needs, defining clear goals that align with the company’s overall vision, conducting market research to understand the competition, building user personas, and involving cross-functional teams to ensure buy-in.

3. What should a product strategy include?

A product strategy should include the product vision, target audience, key goals and timelines, unique selling propositions, and actionable initiatives to guide the development of the product.

4. What are the different types of product strategies?

There are different business models that inform product strategies, including product-led growth (PLG), product segmentation, freemium models, bundling, and more. Teams can choose to use one business model or a combination of two or more.

Try the world's most advanced landing page platform with a risk-free trial.

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Are These 7 Popular AI Image Generators Worth Using on Your Landing Pages? https://instapage.com/blog/best-ai-images-generator/ Tue, 08 Oct 2024 15:55:56 +0000 https://instapage.com/?p=196606
Every platform you log in to nowadays offers you an AI capability to help make work easier and faster. Whether you’re using ChatGPT to draft outlines, Gemini to write faster emails in Gmail, or AI to come up with LinkedIn posts, AI is everywhere. Although AI content generators have been dominating the spotlight, the powerRead More >]]>

Every platform you log in to nowadays offers you an AI capability to help make work easier and faster. Whether you’re using ChatGPT to draft outlines, Gemini to write faster emails in Gmail, or AI to come up with LinkedIn posts, AI is everywhere.

Although AI content generators have been dominating the spotlight, the power of AI image generators has been around for quite some time.

Deep learning and Convolutional Neural Networks (CNNs) transformed the field of AI image generation in the 2010s, and today, AI image generators are becoming increasingly popular.

Whether it’s fantastical images of galaxies or capybaras cooking in a kitchen, AI image generators can turn your imagination into reality in just seconds.

This is an AI-generated image of a cat flying on a spaceship

But which AI image generators are actually worth using on your landing pages? Let’s take a look at 7 popular tools and what sets them apart.

How do AI image generators work?

Just as AI content generation relies on a user’s prompts, so do AI image generators.

When a user inputs a text prompt, the AI uses Natural Learning Processing (NLP) techniques to convert the text into a machine-readable format. This process involves creating numerical representations, known as embeddings, that capture the semantic meaning of the prompt.

Once the AI tool has processed and understood the text, it taps into its learned knowledge and generates an image that aligns with the input prompt. This entire process – from text input to image output – takes a matter of seconds, creating space for rapid creative iteration and experimentation.

For example, the prompt “capybaras relaxing under the shade of red apple trees” produces this AI image:

Capybaras relaxing under the shade of red apple trees

You can refine your prompts for different styles, and the AI tools can adapt based on feedback, continuously improving their understanding and output quality over time.

This interactivity enhances user experience, making it easier for non-experts to create high-quality visuals. Whether you’re going for minimalism, surrealism, something imaginative, or something more professional, an AI tool can help you achieve your vision.

In a business scenario, you may want to prompt AI to generate a “website metrics” image, which could yield something like this:

This is an AI-generated image representing website metrics

The flexibility and adaptability of generative AI tools make it possible for anyone, regardless of expertise, to generate relevant images for their particular use case.

7 AI image generators and what makes them special

More and more AI tools are becoming available, each offering varying features and benefits that may fit your needs. Let’s take a look at seven popular tools on the market and examine them based on cost, functionality, and features.

1. DALL·E 3

  • How the tool works: DALL·E 3 is an AI model developed by OpenAI. It creates images based on text descriptions or prompts. It uses deep learning and neural networks to generate detailed, imaginative images
  • What it costs: Free via OpenAI’s API; once you reach a usage limit, it switches to a paid model
  • Pros: High-quality output; easy to use; the tool is continuously being updated and improved
  • Cons: Limited free usage; Can produce irrelevant or incorrect images if the prompt is not clear enough
  • What makes it special: DALL·E 3 is known for producing high quality images and for being able to process complex prompts, making it popular with creative professionals
  • Example generation from this prompt: Create an image of a bakery window with floral-themed desserts displayed

This image shows an AI-generated image of a cake

2. Midjourney

  • How the tool works: Midjourney is another platform where users can input prompts into a chat and receive AI-generated images in return. It uses deep learning, operates via Discord, and has a community-driven approach that helps users with prompt explorations
  • What it costs: Midjourney offers four subscription models, with the basic plan starting at $10/month
  • Pros: Highly detailed, stunning images; Hyperfocus on artistic and creative designs; Community aspect that allows users to give feedback on prompts
  • Cons: You must have a Discord account and a subscription to use Midjourney; somewhat limited outside of the community aspect
  • What makes it special: Midjourney is known for generating very detailed images, making it popular for those looking for unique, eye-catching designs
  • Example generation from this prompt: User taylordesens prompted Midjourney with the following text

This is an AI-generated image of an anthropomorphic giraffe

3. Ideogram

  • How the tool works: Ideogram is an AI image generator that creates images, posters, logos, and more. It is well-suited for branding or images that integrate text
  • What it costs: Free, with paid plans starting at $7/month
  • Pros: Focuses on typography, quick generation, great for logos, banners, and posters
  • Cons: Not ideal for photo-realistic images or anything outside of text-based designs
  • What makes it special: Ideogram is ideal for marketers who need high-quality designs and don’t want to or don’t know how to use Photoshop or Illustrator
  • Example generation from this prompt: Create a logo for an advertising agency that specializes in comedic storytelling; the name of the agency is Treehouse

This image shows an AI-generated logo

4. Stable Diffusion

  • How the tool works: Stable Diffusion uses a deep learning model called diffusion model, which uses a large dataset of image-text pairs to learn how to generate images from texts. It operates similarly to DALL·E but with a high level of customizability
  • What it costs: Free to use with the ability to run locally, though hosting it requires a powerful machine
  • Pros: Open source means it is free without hidden costs or subscription fees; highly customizable; fast and efficient
  • Cons: Challenging for those without a technical background; requires significant computational power
  • What makes it special: It is ideal for tech-savvy marketers or developers, as flexibility makes it highly customizable if you know what you are doing
  • Example generation from this prompt: *Note – Taken from the Stable Diffusion gallery. User prompted, “a quirky, steampunk robot with brass gears and a top hat, serving tea in a Victorian parlor, captured in a whimsical photorealistic style.”

This image shows an AI-generated image of a steampunk robot pouring tea into a cup

5. FLUX.1

  • How the tool works: FLUX.1 is a newcomer in the market and it is an open-source image generation model. It focuses on providing polished, professional-grade designs for use in advertising, websites, and social media
  • What it costs: There is a free version, with paid plans available for more advanced needs
  • Pros: Simple to use for beginners; high-quality images; quick turnaround time
  • Cons: Less customization than other tools, and the free plan has limited features
  • What makes it special: It’s known for its ability to process complex prompts and allows for a more natural and descriptive prompting style. FLUX.1 is also adept at creating anatomically correct depictions of humans
  • Example generation from this prompt: Photo of a mid-40s female executive giving a marketing presentation in a contemporary office setting

This is an AI-generated image showing a professional-looking woman in the office setting

6. Adobe Firefly Generative AI by Getty

  • How the tool works: Adobe Firefly is a family of creative generative AI models. The suite of tools is integrated with Getty Images, providing high-quality images for professional use
  • What it costs: Free version available, with paid plans starting at $4.99/month
  • Pros: Seamless integration with Adobe Creative Cloud tools, access to Getty Images vast library; professional-grade images
  • Cons: High-resolution images can incur additional costs
  • What makes it special: For anyone already using Adobe products, this is a seamless integration. You can enhance your Photoshop projects with built-in AI via Firefly. Plus, access to Getty’s library of images ensures licensed, high-quality visuals
  • Example generation from this prompt: *Note – Taken from the Adobe Firefly gallery. User prompted “Capture a close-up portrait of a vibrant green frog, donning a pointed wizard hat adorned with a mystical crescent moon symbol. Place the frog against a serene plain background, painted in soft, light blue hues.”

This AI generated image shows a frog in a hat

7. Canva

  • How the tool works: Canva is a popular design platform often used by non-designers to create professional-grade graphics. Its AI image generation component, Magic Design, allows users to type in prompts and integrate images into their Canva designs. Canva uses OpenAI as its foundational model
  • What it costs: Limited access for Canva Free users, full access for Canva Pro, NFP, and education accounts
  • Pros: Easy to use, especially for non-designers, quick turnaround of optimized images for social media and marketing, integrated with Canva’s vast array of tools
  • Cons: Requires a pro plan for full access, limited creative control when compared with other AI tools
  • What makes it special: With Canva, the process of creating graphics for social media, presentations, and marketing is really simplified, making it a popular choice for lean teams and entrepreneurs
  • Example generation from this prompt: Canva’s AI image generator created the following image with the prompt: “social proof imagery”

This AI generated image shows a group of office people

Should you use AI-generated images on landing pages?

AI-generated images offer significant advantages when it comes to creating attention-grabbing, imaginative art. AI tools can help you achieve your goals faster and without breaking your budget. However, you need to consider which AI images can be used on your landing pages without sacrificing your brand values and aesthetics. Not all images have a home on your page, only add images when it’s absolutely necessary.

Looking to create personalized landing pages that help you drive conversions.

Try Instapage.

Instapage is a leading landing page platform with an intuitive, easy-to-use drag-and-drop builder, hundreds of templates, customization options, A/B testing, seamless collaboration, and much more. With Instapage, create dynamic, creative, conversion-optimized landing pages that deliver results.

If you’re ready to experiment with personalized landing pages, consider starting with Instapage’s free 14-day trial. It’s an easy way to see the powerful boost landing pages can give to your marketing efforts. Start now.

Try the world's most advanced landing page platform with a risk-free trial.

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What is Branding? Why Creating a Unique Brand Helps You Connect and Sell https://instapage.com/blog/what-is-branding-in-marketing/ Tue, 08 Oct 2024 11:11:58 +0000 https://instapage.com/?p=196522
We’ve heard the saying time and again, “People don’t buy products, they buy experiences.” And while this adage is definitely true, it is somewhat incomplete. Yes, people buy experiences, but they don’t buy them from just anyone – they buy from brands they know, love, and trust. Remember when Apple released the iPod and usedRead More >]]>

We’ve heard the saying time and again, “People don’t buy products, they buy experiences.” And while this adage is definitely true, it is somewhat incomplete. Yes, people buy experiences, but they don’t buy them from just anyone – they buy from brands they know, love, and trust.

Remember when Apple released the iPod and used the catchy line, “1,000 songs in your pocket,” to market it? It wasn’t just that line that drove sales. It was also the fact that the iPod was an Apple product – a globally recognized and loved brand that people were willing to wait hours in line for. The power of Apple’s brand is what really drove excitement around the release of the iPod. And that’s why branding is incredibly important.

So, what is branding, and what can it do for your marketing journey? Let’s explore.

What is branding?

Your brand is your story. More than just your logo and tagline, it encompasses everything that makes you unique and helps you differentiate yourself from your competition. Successful branding helps evoke certain perceptions and ideas in the minds of your potential customers.

Specifically, branding serves these critical functions:

  • Differentiation. In today’s saturated market, companies need to distinguish themselves from their competitors. Branding – via messaging, tone of voice, brand story, and more – clarifies what makes a product or service unique and gives potential customers a reason to choose you over others.
  • Customer loyalty. Strong branding fosters consumer trust and loyalty and encourages repeat business and long-term relationships. Companies like Nike and Coca-Cola have done a great job of building strong emotional connections to retain customers and increase customer lifetime value for the long haul.
  • Market positioning. Effective branding communicates a company’s mission, values, and unique selling propositions (USPs) and is essential for establishing oneself in the marketplace. Your branding will help your customers understand what you stand for and will inform how they perceive your value.

Why is branding important?

A branding strategy is paramount to successful marketing. Below are some reasons why branding should be at the core of your marketing efforts:

  • Helps influence purchasing decisions: A strong brand image can shape consumer perceptions, creating positive associations with quality and value. It can also lead to more profitability. According to a recent study, 46% of consumers would be willing to pay more for a product from a brand they trust.
  • Solidifies your business identity: Branding provides a unique identity that extends beyond the products or services you offer. This identity helps consumers connect with the brand on a personal level, fostering loyalty, longevity, and preference.
  • Enhances brand recognition: As humans, our memories are often tied to strong associations, like a certain fragrance, song, or visual. A well-executed brand has the same effect, increasing recognition in a crowded marketplace and tying your identity to positive experiences. Even reading the words “golden arches” or “swoosh” are likely to conjure up images of McDonald’s and Nike, right? That’s the power of branding.
  • Builds trust and credibility: A well-crafted brand fosters trust and credibility with customers. Consistent messaging establishes a sense of reliability, encouraging customers to engage with the brand and recommend it to others. According to a survey conducted by Edelman, 81% of consumers need to trust a brand in order to consider buying from them.
  • Differentiates from competitors: Building a strong brand identity helps businesses stand out in a crowded market by highlighting unique attributes and values. This differentiation is essential for capturing consumer attention and preference in competitive industries. A well-established brand will attract more attention than a generic, unbranded competitor.
  • Increases customer loyalty: Emotional connections are a key driver of consumer loyalty, and strong branding fosters those emotional connections. Customers who feel a personal connection to a brand are more likely to return and make repeat purchases.

    Patagonia is an example of a brand that consumers form emotional attachments to, often sharing and advocating for the brand without any incentive whatsoever. Patagonia’s Worn Wear campaign offers a gear recycling program meant to extend the life of the brand’s products, reducing their impact on the environment.

    This image shows a screenshot of Patagonia Worn Wear ad campaign

  • Generates long-term value: A well-established brand can enhance a company’s market value and provide a competitive edge. Strong branding can command higher prices, increase revenue, and lead to opportunities for expansion into new markets or diversified product lines. For example, Apple started off in computers, but expanded to dominate the digital space, excelling in everything from smart devices to streaming services.

Branding vs. marketing

People may confuse branding and marketing and think the two are synonymous; while they are related, there are important distinctions between branding and marketing.

Branding is your identity and who you are as a company. It’s your mission, values, the emotional and psychological relationship you have with your customers, and what sets you apart from your competition. Your branding evokes a specific experience with your customers.

Marketing is how you get your word out about who you are.

It’s how you build awareness about your brand and how you promote your products or services. Marketing encompasses the campaigns, tactics, and tools you use to sell your brand.

It’s important to understand these key ways that branding differs from marketing:

  • Branding is for the long-term. Branding is the story that you build for the long haul and shapes how people perceive your brand. Marketing happens in the short term and is a tactic to drive awareness and sales.
  • Branding builds emotional connections. While marketing campaigns can evoke emotions, their main purpose is more transactional. Branding is meant to form connections with prospects and create impactful experiences.
  • Branding drives loyalty. Marketing campaigns are meant to drive results, while branding builds a foundation that will attract loyal, repeat customers. In essence, branding is what helps make marketing campaigns more effective.
Aspect Marketing Branding
Definition Activities and strategies used to promote products or services to consumers. The process of creating and establishing a unique identity and image for a company or product.
Focus Short-term objectives and tactics aimed at driving sales and engagement. Long-term vision and strategy aimed at building a strong, recognizable identity and relationship with the audience.
Objective To generate leads, increase sales, and drive short-term results. To build loyalty, trust, and a positive perception over time.
Scope Includes advertising, promotions, public relations, sales, and market research. Encompasses logo design, brand messaging, brand voice, and overall company identity.
Timeframe Typically focuses on immediate or short-term goals and campaigns. Aims for long-term goals and sustainability, often evolving over years.
Message Often centered around specific features, benefits, or promotions of a product or service. Centers on core values, mission, and the overall story of the brand.
Audience engagement Often seeks to attract new customers and influence their buying decisions. Aims to foster emotional connections and build loyalty among existing customers.
Measurement Success is measured by metrics such as conversion rates, ROI, and campaign effectiveness. Success is gauged by brand recognition, customer loyalty, and overall brand equity.
Example Running a Facebook ad campaign to promote a new product. Developing a brand’s visual identity, such as its logo and color scheme, to represent its core values and mission.

How to create a compelling brand strategy

An important part of building a successful business is creating a brand strategy that works, and this involves more than just designing a logo or coming up with a tagline. Make the following considerations when building your brand strategy:

Determine your target audience

It’s important to know the demographics and behavioral patterns of the people you want to sell to. When it comes to your brand identity, you must also think about your target audience’s wants, needs, and values, and the types of experiences you’ll want to cultivate for them.

It is crucial to understand who you’re speaking to.

Nike is a brand that clearly targets athletes and fitness enthusiasts, but they wanted to tap into something beyond performance. Instead of just focusing on apparel and shoes that will enhance someone’s fitness game, they successfully tapped into themes of empowerment, personal achievement, and perseverance. Their “Just Do It” campaign motivates people to go after their goals and never give up.

Establish your mission statement

Your mission statement is the “why” behind your brand. Most companies list their mission statement right on their website, and it is meant to convey their values, what’s important to them, and what they stand for.

Patagonia’s mission statement is concise yet powerful: “We’re in business to save our home planet.” It reflects what many people already know and love about the brand, which is their commitment to environmental sustainability. That commitment resonates with and is shared by many loyal Patagonia shoppers.

This image shows a screenshot of a Conservation Patagonia ad campaign

Define your brand values

Brand values – sometimes also known as your core values – are the principles that guide a company and the actions that the company takes. A brand’s values are embodied by the employees of that brand and are reflected in that brand’s marketing campaigns. These core principles are what shape a brand’s personality and tone.

TOMS was entirely built around the value of improving lives and helping people. They became known for their business model, donating one pair of shoes for every pair purchased. Today, they give ⅓ of their profits to grassroots missions.

This image shows a screenshot of Toms One for One ad campaign

Define your brand voice

Your brand voice is how you present yourself across all communication channels. You may be informative, playful, inspirational, friendly, thought-provoking, professional, informal, empathetic, and so on. Whatever direction you take, your brand voice should align with your values and should be consistent across all your marketing channels.

Makeup brand Elf Cosmetics uses a fun, informal, and playful tone in its branding, appealing to a youthful and trendy audience.

This image shows a screenshot of the E.L.F. homepage

Explain your features and benefits

While your mission statement, brand values, and brand voice go a long way in setting the tone for your customers and helping them decide if your brand aligns with their own values, you also need to clearly communicate how your brand will solve a problem or improve the lives of your customers.

You must explain the benefits of your offer and how it will address your customers’ pain points.

For example, Tesla doesn’t just sell modern, innovative cars. They sell the benefits of electric vehicles: eco-friendliness, sustainability, independence from fossil fuels, and high performance.

This image shows a screenshot of a Tesla ad

Create your logos and other visuals

An exciting part of building your brand is bringing it to life visually. The aesthetics of your brand should reflect your brand’s personality and, ideally, be easily recognizable.

Your logos, colors, images, and other visuals are elements that are memorable and help a user recall positive emotions associated with your brand.

Almost everyone can conjure up an image of McDonald’s simply upon hearing the words “golden arches”. The golden arches are one of the most recognizable symbols in the world and are associated with being welcoming, nostalgic, fun, and satisfying.

This image shows a screenshot of MacDonalds ad

Market your brand

Once you’ve established your brand identity and voice, you need a strong marketing strategy to get the word out. It’s important to be consistent with your marketing and across all channels. From social media to digital advertising, your brand’s messaging should always be clear and cohesive.

Since its inception, Apple has used simple and sleek advertising, often with something as simple as their logo. They are effective at conveying that they are innovative and user-friendly, and this messaging can be seen across the board.

This image shows a screenshot of Apple iPhone 11 ad campaign

5 examples of strong branding done right

The reason why many brands are globally recognized and enjoy longevity is because those organizations have done a great job of knowing who they are. They’ve built their brand identity, stayed true to their mission and ideals, and have effectively communicated their message consistently and cohesively.

Let’s take a look at 5 brands that got it right.

1. AirBnb

Airbnb’s brand is all about customers feeling like they belong anywhere. Since the beginning, they connected with their audience by using storytelling to show that Airbnb creates authentic, local experiences for traveling, which sets them apart from traditional hotels.

This image shows the screenshots of AirBnb ad campaign

This image shows a screenshot of an AirBnb ad

This image shows a screenshot of AirBnb ad examples

2. Nike

Nike’s “Just Do It” slogan is an anthem for athletes around the world. The brand has been enormously successful in showcasing their brand’s value: their belief in human potential and their passion for fueling that potential. Year over year, their ads stay true to their messages of empowerment and standing up for all humans.

This image shows a screenshot of the Just Do It campaign featuring athlete Colin Kaepernick

This image shows a screenshot of Nike Just Do It Campaign

This image shows a screenshot fo the Just Do It inspirational campaign

3. Coca Cola

Coca-Cola has evoked a warm and fuzzy feeling over the years by focusing on a message of togetherness. Coca-Cola wants to be there for your best moments, and they have managed to convey that consistently with their iconic and timeless branding. Whether a holiday campaign or a social media campaign, Coca-Cola promotes sharing, living in the moment, and staying classic.

This image shows a screenshot of the Coca Cola Elvis campaign

This image shows a screenshot of a Christmas Coca Cola ad campaign

This image shows a screenshot of the Coca Cola Taste the Feeling campaign

4. Starbucks

Starbucks made the art of buying coffee a global phenomenon. They have created a unique and consistent experience that can be felt in any store in every corner of the world, and they’ve been able to do this thanks to their simple and effective branding.

Starbucks focuses on providing a high-quality customer experience, and this comes through in their branding.

The image shows a screenshot of Starbucks Christmas ad campaign

This image shows a screenshot of Starbucks social media campaign

This image shows a screenshot of Starbucks Your Name campaign

5. Apple

No one can talk about branding success without referencing Apple. Apple has created a massively loyal fanbase. Have you ever been asked if you’re a “Mac or PC” person? Apple succeeded in creating a whole category of innovative products, a category in which they stand alone thanks to their consistent innovation, sleek branding, and emotional connection with their audience, which was made possible by their products.

This image shows a screenshot of a promo campaign for Apple iPhone 5

This image shows a screenshot of the Apple iPod ad

This image shows a screenshot of an Apple computer ad campaign

This image shows a screenshot of Apple Think Different ad

Create brand awareness with personalized landing pages

Marketing your brand is a critical part of showcasing your identity and building awareness. It’s important to create a strategy that has consistent messaging, aligns with your brand’s values, and has memorable aesthetics.

Personalized landing pages are a powerful way to provide a tailored experience that resonates with your visitors and reinforces your marketing efforts.

Instapage is a leading landing page platform that is easy to use. You get a drag-and-drop builder, hundreds of templates, an effective way to A/B test landing page variants, plenty of customization options, and an analytics dashboard that makes it easy to see what’s working and where improvements can be made.

Ready to use landing pages to fuel your branding and marketing strategy? Try a 14-day free trial of Instapage today and take the first step in building an impactful, long-lasting brand.

Try the world's most advanced landing page platform with a risk-free trial.

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23 CRO Tools You Need to Know About in 2024 https://instapage.com/blog/cro-software-tools/ Thu, 26 Sep 2024 12:28:48 +0000 https://instapage.com/?p=196414
Highlights: The right CRO tool can help you optimize your website and increase conversions Find out which CRO tool is best for B2B brands, enterprises, or small businesses Narrow down your CRO search with our guide, where we evaluate cost, integration and support capabilities, and more Let’s say you own an online store that sellsRead More >]]>

Highlights:

  • The right CRO tool can help you optimize your website and increase conversions
  • Find out which CRO tool is best for B2B brands, enterprises, or small businesses
  • Narrow down your CRO search with our guide, where we evaluate cost, integration and support capabilities, and more

Let’s say you own an online store that sells indoor plants. Your website gets plenty of traffic, but only a small percentage of visitors actually make a purchase. You’ve invested in digital marketing and stuck to a defined marketing strategy, but your conversion rate is still too low, and not enough visitors are becoming customers.

What’s the deal?

This is actually a common challenge for many businesses, and it’s something that Conversion Rate Optimization (CRO) tools address. CRO tools help you break down the barriers that keep visitors from converting. Using CRO tools boosts conversion rates, increases revenue, and helps you understand your website traffic.

In this post, we’ll evaluate 23 of the best CRO tools on the market, so you can decide which one will make the most sense for your business needs.

What is a CRO tool?

Conversion Rate Optimization (CRO) tools are software solutions specifically designed to help businesses drive website conversions and turn visitors into customers.

CRO tools help optimize user experience (UX), analyze user behavior, test whether changes to your website affect conversions, and gather feedback to help you make data-driven decisions that influence your conversion rate.

Let’s take a look at the top CRO tools and how they can help your business.

Best CRO tools

For the purpose of this post, we’ll be evaluating each CRO tool based on the following criteria:

  • CRO functionalities: What are the features that each CRO tool offers for optimizing conversion rates?
  • Cost: What pricing plans are available, and how affordable are they?
  • Ease of use: What’s the UX like? Is the tool user-friendly and can you work on it easily even if you don’t have a technical background?
  • Integration capabilities: Does the tool integrate well with other popular software?
  • Customer support: How satisfied are users with the level of support, and what kind of support does the CRO tool offer?

1. Google Analytics

This image shows a screenshot of Google Analytics dashboard

  • CRO functionalities: One of the most widely used tools available, Google Analytics, provides insights into user behavior, traffic sources, and conversion paths to help you determine which channels bring the most traffic to your website and where visitors stop engaging with it.
  • Cost: Free. Premium options are available.
  • Ease of use: Google Analytics is generally user-friendly and relatively quick to learn. Some training may be beneficial for those needing advanced analytics.
  • Integration capability: Seamless integration with all other Google products such as Google Ads, plus a wide variety of third-party apps like Salesforce, Ahrefs, Shopify, Mailchimp, and many more.
  • Customer support: Free support includes online documentation and community forums—premium users have access to priority support features.

2. Hotjar

This image shows Hotjar dashboard screenshot

  • CRO functionalities: Known for their insightful visuals, Hotjar tracks user behavior via heatmaps, session recordings, surveys, and polls, so you can get granular details into how users engage with your website.
  • Cost: Free with limited features. Paid plans start at $32/month.
  • Ease of use: Simple, intuitive, and quite user-friendly.
  • Integration capability: Hotjar integrates with popular tools like Google Analytics, HubSpot, and Slack.
  • Customer support: All users can access an extensive knowledge base, webinars, and email support.

3. Crazy Egg

This image shows a screenshot of Crazy Egg tool

  • CRO functionalities: Crazy Egg helps you analyze visitor behavior and test website variations via heatmaps, scrollmaps, A/B testing, and session recordings.
  • Cost: Starting at $99/month, with a 30-day free trial available for all plans.
  • Ease of use: Crazy Egg is designed to be user-friendly and intuitive for everyone, regardless of technical background.
  • Integration capability: Integrates with popular third-party tools like WordPress, Optimizely, and Google Analytics.
  • Customer support: Well-rated customer support through live chat, email, and documentation.

4. Optimizely

This image shows Optimizely dashboard screenshot

  • CRO functionalities: Optimizely is a popular CRO for A/B testing and experimenting. It is often used by businesses that need to run complex multivariate testing.
  • Cost: Custom plans and pricing depending on business needs.
  • Ease of use: Technical expertise is beneficial when using Optimizely, as it is known to be complex and not very beginner-friendly.
  • Integration capability: It integrates with many tools, such as Microsoft Office 365, Adobe Ads, and Salesforce.
  • Customer support: All enterprise clients receive a dedicated customer success manager, plus all clients have access to user guides and a developer community.

5. Heap Inc

This image shows a screenshot of Heap dashboard

  • CRO functionalities: Heap captures all user interactions on your site without needing to set up manual tracking, with deep insights that help you understand user journeys and any bottlenecks.
  • Cost: Four tiers of plans, including a free version.
  • Ease of use: It is easy to set up and start, and advanced features may require additional learning.
  • Integration capability: Integrates with many popular platforms, like Salesforce, AWS, and Optimizely.
  • Customer support: Heap offers a dedicated support team and comprehensive online resources.

6. VWO (Visual Web Optimizer)

This image shows a screenshot of VWO dashboard

  • CRO functionalities: With VWO, users can conduct A/B, multivariate, and split URL testing; the tool also provides heatmaps, session recordings, and insights captured from forms.
  • Cost: Free versions are available. Paid plans start at $81/month.
  • Ease of use: Customers like the visual editor that simplifies the testing process.
  • Integration capability: VWO integrates with Google Analytics, WordPress, Marketo, and many more.
  • Customer support: 24/7 customer support available via email, chat, and phone.

7. HubSpot

This image shows a screenshot of HubSpot dashboard

  • CRO functionalities: HubSpot is known for A/B testing, analytics, user feedback, and lead generation and nurturing.
  • Cost: Free version available with a wide range of paid plans starting at $15/month.
  • Ease of use: Known for being intuitive and easy to use, even for beginners.
  • Integration capability: HubSpot integrates with thousands of apps, including Mailchimp, Google, Databox, and much more.
  • Customer support: Email, chat, and extensive community support, with phone support available on premium plans.

8. Instapage

This image shows a screenshot of Instapage dashboard

  • CRO functionalities: Specializing in landing page creation and optimization, Instapage offers A/B testing, heatmaps, and analytics to help increase conversions.
  • Cost: Free trials available, with paid plans starting at $79/month.
  • Ease of use: User-friendly UX with a drag-and-drop builder and many customization options.
  • Integration capability: Instapage integrates with HubSpot, MailChimp, Google Analytics, and many more major apps.
  • Customer support: 24/7 chat support available, as well as extensive online resources.

9. Fullstory

This image shows a screenshot of Fullstory CRO tool dashboard

  • CRO functionalities: Designed to give a deep understanding of your website’s UX, Fullstory provides session recordings, heatmaps, and analytics.
  • Cost: Plans are custom-built based on usage.
  • Ease of use: Powerful features require minimal setup and are intuitive to use.
  • Integration capability: Integrates with popular tools like Salesforce, Google Analytics, and Optimizely.
  • Customer support: Responsive support is available via live chat, email, and an online knowledge base.

10. Mixpanel

This image shows a screenshot of Mixpanel dashboard

  • CRO functionalities: Focuses on product analytics and tracks user interactions on your site or app.
  • Cost: Free plan available with paid plans starting at $25/month.
  • Ease of use: Relatively user-friendly, with advanced features requiring some additional training.
  • Integration capability: Integrates with many tools, including HubSpot, Google Ads, and Marketo.
  • Customer support: Email support and an online library of resources.

11. SurveyMonkey

This image shows a screenshot of Survey Monkey dashboard

  • CRO functionalities: A survey app which allows you to gather user feedback, helping you understand why visitors might not be converting.
  • Cost: Free plan available, with paid plans starting at $25/month.
  • Ease of use: Very user-friendly for anyone, with a simple process for creating surveys.
  • Integration capability: Integrates with many tools, like Microsoft Teams, Zapier, and monday.com.
  • Customer support: Support is offered via live chat, email, and a comprehensive knowledge base.

12. Unbounce

This image shows a screenshot of Unbounce dashboard

  • CRO functionalities: A landing page optimization tool, Unbounce offers A/B testing, analytics, and a drag-and-drop builder for creating pages.
  • Cost: Free trials available, with plans starting at $99/month.
  • Ease of use: Built for non-technical users, Unbounce is very user-friendly.
  • Integration capability: Integrates with popular tools like Google Analytics, Salesforce, and Zapier.
  • Customer support: Responsive customer support via chat and email, with an extensive online help center.

13. Hello Bar

This image shows a screenshot of a Hello Bar dashboard

  • CRO functionalities: A lead generation tool that focuses on pop-ups, banners, and sliders to capture leads, with A/B testing and analytics for optimization.
  • Cost: Paid plans start at $49.
  • Ease of use: Free trials available, with plans starting at $29/month.
  • Integration capability: Integrates with popular platforms like WordPress, MailChimp, and Shopify.
  • Customer support: Support is available through email and an extensive online help center.

14. Adobe Experience Cloud

This image shows a screenshot of Adobe Experience Cloud dashboard

  • CRO functionalities: Ideal for large enterprises, Adobe Experience Cloud offers a suite of tools for A/B testing, personalization, and analytics.
  • Cost: Custom pricing based on a business’s needs.
  • Ease of use: A complex tool with powerful features built for users with a technical background.
  • Integration capability: Integrates seamlessly with Adobe products and other major enterprise platforms.
  • Customer support: Enterprise clients get a dedicated customer success manager.

15. LeadPages

This image shows a screenshot of Leadpages dashboard

  • CRO functionalities: Designed for creating and optimizing landing pages, LeadPages offers A/B testing, analytics, and a drag-and-drop builder.
  • Cost: Free trials available, with plans starting at $37/month.
  • Ease of use: Meant to be very user friendly, made for non-technical users.
  • Integration capability: Integrates with many popular tools like Google Analytics, Salesforce, and Shopify.
  • Customer support: LeadPages offers 24/7 support via email and chat.

16. Mouseflow

This image shows a screenshot of Mouseflow dashboard

  • CRO functionalities: Mouseflow helps you understand user behavior and optimize conversions via heatmaps, session recordings, and funnel and form analytics.
  • Cost: Free trials available, with plans starting at $31/month.
  • Ease of use: Mouseflow is easy to set up, navigate, and use.
  • Integration capability: Integrates with many popular tools like Shopify, HubSpot, and Optimizely.
  • Customer support: Support is available via email and a comprehensive online help center.

17. Firebase

This image shows a screenshot of Firebase dashboard

  • CRO functionalities: An AI-powered solution from Google designed to help developers build and improve apps that offer a great user experience.
  • Cost: Firebase offers free and paid plans.
  • Ease of use: Generally intuitive for users who are already familiar with Google Analytics, though advanced experiments may require technical expertise.
  • Integration capability: Meant to work seamlessly with Google products such as Google Analytics.
  • Customer support: Free support includes online documentation and community forums; premium users have access to priority support features.

18. AB Tasty

This image shows a screenshot of AB Tasty CRO tool dashboard

  • CRO functionalities: Designed to help you optimize your website via A/B and multivariate testing, personalization, and user segmentation.
  • Cost: Custom pricing based on business needs.
  • Ease of use: A visual editor makes testing easy and user-friendly.
  • Integration capability: Integrates with popular tools such as Google Analytics, HubSpot, and Salesforce.
  • Customer support: Provides responsive customer support via email, chat, and phone.

19. Buzzsumo

This image shows a screenshot of Buzzsumo dashboard

  • CRO functionalities: BuzzSumo is a media coverage and content research tool that offers some features for optimizing content to increase engagement.
  • Cost: Free trials available, with plans starting at $199/month.
  • Ease of use: Has a simple and intuitive interface that is easy to use.
  • Integration capability: Integrates with social media platforms and content management systems.
  • Customer support: Support is available through email and an online help center.

20. Lucky Orange

This image shows a screenshot of Lucky Orange CRO tool dashboard

  • CRO functionalities: Lucky Orange offers heatmaps, session recordings, live chat, and conversion funnels to help users optimize their website for better conversions.
  • Cost: A free plan available, with paid plans beginning at $32/month.
  • Ease of use: The Lucky Orange interface is intuitive and straightforward. It is designed to be user-friendly, making it relatively easy to navigate and access various features.
  • Integration capability: Integrates with Google Analytics, HubSpot, BigCommerce, and more.
  • Customer support: Support is available via an online help center, with email and chat support also available.

21. OptinMonster

This image shows a screenshot of OptinMonster CRO tool dashboard

  • CRO functionalities: A lead generation tool that allows you to create pop-ups, floating bars, and forms to capture leads and boost conversions.
  • Cost: Plans start at $59/month.
  • Ease of use: Known to be user-friendly, with a drag-and-drop builder and customization options.
  • Integration capability: Integrates with popular email marketing and website platforms like WordPress, MailChimp, and HubSpot.
  • Customer support: Support is available via email, chat, and online knowledge base.

22. BDOW! (formerly Sumo)

This image shows a screenshot of BDOW! dashboard

  • CRO functionalities: Best suited for e-commerce sites, BDOW! (formerly Sumo) offers tools for email capture, social sharing, and conversion optimization.
  • Cost: Free plan available with paid plans starting at $12/month.
  • Ease of use: Easy to install and intuitive to use.
  • Integration capability: Integrates with Shopify, Google Analytics, MailChimp, and more.
  • Customer support: Support is available via email and an online help center.

23. Typeform

This image shows a screenshot of Typeform CRO tool dashboard

  • CRO functionalities: Typeform is a lead-capture platform that allows users to create engaging forms, quizzes, and surveys.
  • Cost: Free plan available with paid plans starting at $25/month.
  • Ease of use: Typeform is known for being user-friendly, with a drag-and-drop builder and customization options.
  • Integration capability: Typeform integrates with many apps, including HubSpot, Slack, and Intercom.
  • Customer support: Support is available via email and a comprehensive help center.

Pick the right CRO and start increasing conversions

There are many factors to consider when choosing the right CRO tool, including your budget, the level of technical expertise required, and your specific business needs.

Whichever you choose, a CRO tool is designed to help you optimize your app or website and boost your conversion rate.

With a user-friendly drag-and-drop builder, customization options, powerful A/B testing, and extensive integrations, Instapage is a leading landing page creator that delivers higher conversions. See if Instapage is right for your business with a risk-free 14-day trial. Start now.

Try the world's most advanced landing page platform with a risk-free trial.

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The Most Effective Way to Integrate User Personas Into Your Marketing Strategy https://instapage.com/blog/user-personas/ Thu, 26 Sep 2024 10:25:22 +0000 https://instapage.com/?p=196381
Highlights: Have your user personas evolved in the right direction? Learn the value effective user personas bring to your marketing strategies Find out how to craft an effective user persona profile, plus access a complimentary user persona template See why user personas + personalized landing pages are a perfect match Remember when user persona profilesRead More >]]>

Highlights:

  • Have your user personas evolved in the right direction?
  • Learn the value effective user personas bring to your marketing strategies
  • Find out how to craft an effective user persona profile, plus access a complimentary user persona template
  • See why user personas + personalized landing pages are a perfect match

Remember when user persona profiles like Outdoor Owen, Busy Betsy, and Techie Tina were all the rage? These buyer persona archetypes once served as a strategy for bridging the gap between businesses and their customers.

They aren’t serving the same purpose anymore.

As marketing has evolved, professionals are finally realizing that user personas like these are too oversimplified and just aren’t effective anymore. To map out user personas that are actually helpful, you need to dig deeper for real customer insights.

It’s less about categorizing potential customers into boxes and more about deciphering the habits, triggers, and values that drive someone’s decision-making. Today’s user personas look more like a Venn diagram, representing the overlap of various customer traits and motivations, rather than a flat, defined character.

Ahead, we’ll discuss the importance of user personas in your marketing strategy and creating user personas that make sense.

What is a user persona?

A user persona is a representation of your ideal customer based on real data and market research, sometimes using fictional personal details. Sometimes known as Ideal Customer Profiles (ICPs), a user persona encapsulates the behaviors, goals, motivations, and pain points of your target audience, providing marketers with a framework that helps tailor strategies to resonate with your target more precisely.

Unlike buyer personas of the past, today’s user personas don’t simply summarize demographic data – they dive into the “why” and the psychographic details that are behind a user’s behavior.

User personas are often crafted based on the following data:

  • Demographic data: While this should not fully inform a user persona, basic demographic segmentation information like age, gender, location, income level, and education are still essential.
  • Psychographic data: Information like lifestyle, marital status, values, interests, attitudes, and behaviors provide insight into the emotional and psychological factors that influence purchasing decisions.
  • Behavioral data: How do customers interact with your product or service? What do their buying habits, usage patterns, decision-making processes, and social media interactions look like? Knowing this information can offer invaluable insights into how to position your marketing efforts.
  • Goals and challenges: What are your customer’s pain points? What are they trying to achieve? How can your product or service make their daily lives better? This is key in creating user personas that are effective.

Some marketers may wonder if user personas are truly needed in a successful marketing strategy. The truth is that user personas may serve several key functions and are worth investing time and effort into. By using personas to drive your marketing strategy, you’ll benefit from:

  • Personalization: It helps you understand your customers on a deeper level, so you can tailor your marketing messages to speak directly to their needs.
  • Product development: User personas can help improve products because they give insight into features and benefits that are most valuable to your target audience.
  • Targeted marketing: One of the biggest benefits of using personas is that you can focus your marketing efforts on audience segments that have the highest chances of converting, which will maximize your ROAS.
  • Consistency: It’s always a good idea to deliver a seamless brand experience, and having clear user personas in place ensures that your messaging resonates with them regardless of the platform they encounter your brand on.

How do you create a user persona?

Techie Tina may have been defined by her job title, education level, and years of experience. Today’s user persona needs to be much more detailed and creating it requires research, analysis, and thought.

Follow these steps when creating user personas:

  • Gather data: You’ll begin your user persona work by collecting both qualitative and quantitative data about your existing customers. Starting with actual data from real users who are already paying for your product or service will give you a wealth of information about their decision making process, their use cases, their budget, how they first heard of you, and more. Use surveys, interviews, and analytics to gather demographic, psychographic, and behavioral data.
  • Identify patterns: What do your customers have in common? Perhaps the majority of your customers work in the Finance or Sales departments. Maybe your product has helped your customers expedite their processes significantly. Group your customers based on similar characteristics, user needs, behavior patterns, and pain points.
  • Develop ideal customer profiles (ICPs): Here is where your user personas come together. Based on the data and patterns you’ve identified, start putting together detailed user persona profiles that include demographics, goals, motivations, pain points, buying behaviors, and use cases.
  • Validate your personas: Now that you’ve crafted your personas, test them out by comparing them against actual customer data and feedback. Make adjustments and iterations as needed to accurately reflect your target audience and their evolving needs.

Here’s a good user persona example:

Ideal Customer Profile Name: Marketing Executive
Age: 40+
Location: USA
Occupation: Founder/Chief/VP/Director/Sr.Manager
Industry: Business Services, Marketing and Advertising, Tech/SaaS, Education, Energy & Utilities, Financial Services, Government, Insurance
Income range: $152K – $284K
Goals/Jobs to be done:
  • Increase conversions and sign-ups on their site
  • Increase overall ROAS
Challenges:
  • Small budget and team size (no dedicated developer)
  • In need of a simple, cost-effective, easy-to-use solution
  • Limited interest in optimization
Preferred Channels: SEO, PPC, Social media
Value Proposition: Instapage empowers marketers to reduce costs, grow conversions, and deliver relevant landing page experiences that increase brand trust, customer loyalty, and conversion rates.

Here’s a bad user persona example:

While catchy names and fictional characters are cute, they aren’t really useful.You’re trying to create effective user personas, not video game characters. In the example above, we have some helpful information about this ideal coffee drinker, but it’s limited to superficial information.

It would be helpful to know what this user persona’s ultimate pain point is, what they are trying to accomplish each day, what their buying habits look like, who or what influences their purchasing decisions, when or where they make purchasing decisions, and so on.

This is a good place to start, but to create accurate user personas, it would be quite beneficial to dig deeper.

This image shows an example of a bad user persona

User persona template

Creating user personas from scratch may feel daunting, but it doesn’t have to be. Below is a user persona template that can help you get started. Feel free to add or remove sections based on your business needs, your marketing approach, and the depth of insight you have access to.

Ideal Customer Profile Name: How you’d like your user persona to be represented – could be a job title or department
Age: Age range
Location: Where they live
Occupation: Expand on their job title, industry, or level of expertise
Income: Income range
Goals/Jobs to be done: What are they trying to achieve?
Challenges: What obstacles do they face?
Values: What do they care about and what are the core values that drive them?
Interests: Hobbies and interests that might influence their behavior
Buying Behavior: How/when/where do they make purchasing decisions?
Preferred Channels: Where do they spend their time online?
Value Proposition: How can your product or service address their goals and challenges?

Gathering data to create user personas

Quantitative data gives you hard facts and numbers that are tied to your user persona. Here are some ways to gather it:

  1. Surveys: Distribute surveys to your customers to collect essential information like demographics, buying habits, and product preferences. If needed, give incentives to encourage survey participation, and use tools like SurveyMonkey or Google forms.
  2. Analytics: Take a look at the analytics you already have access to, as this can inform user behavior. Track website and social media analytics like page views, time spent on site, click-through rates, conversion rates, engagement rates, and more.
  3. Existing customer information: Are you using a CRM system like Salesforce? Pull valuable insights from your customer profiles, such as purchase histories, interaction records, and more.

Equally important, qualitative data gives context to the hard numbers and facts and helps you gain a deeper understanding of your customers’ motivations, perceptions, and values.

Qualitative data is crucial for a user persona and can help you connect to your audience on an emotional level. Here are some ways to gather it:

  1. Interviews: The best way to gain insights is to spend some time talking to your actual customers. Conduct one-one-one user interviews, ask open-ended questions that uncover goals, challenges, and experiences with your brand, and be open to feedback. Bonus – you can use these interviews to create case studies if your customers are open to it.
  2. Focus groups: When you bring together a group of customers to discuss their experiences and opinions, you’ll be surprised at how much insight you’re able to gather. Doing this can also help you identify common themes.
  3. Usability testing: Observe how customers interact with your product or website in real-time, which can reveal pain points and areas for improvement that you otherwise would not have considered.

If you’re a new brand and are just getting started, you may not have access to a customer base from which to gather data. Turning to Techie Tina might seem really tempting, but you shouldn’t do that. Instead, consider these ways to gather information for your user persona:

  1. Mine reviews: Review sites and social media platforms like G2, Capterra, Reddit, Quora, and even Amazon can provide lots of insight. See what potential customers are saying about your industry or competitors. Frequently asked questions can be eye-opening in terms of what your customer base is looking for.
  2. Analyze competitors: Who are your competitors or other brands in your industry? Take a look at their case studies and social media channels and see if you can use those insights to craft your own user personas.
  3. Listen on social media: Tools like Hootsuite can help you monitor conversations about your industry or related topics on social media. This can give you insights into sentiments, psychographics, feedback, and general topics your target audience might care about.

Using personas to create tailored landing pages

Any brand who is looking to connect with its audience on a deeper level should be investing time into creating effective user personas. With data-driven personas that are consistently refined, you can execute marketing strategies that resonate, develop stronger products that meet your customer’s needs, and ultimately improve your conversion rates.

One practical application of a user persona is in the creation of landing pages that are tailored to your ad campaigns. By message-matching your landing pages to your ad campaigns and creating personalized experiences, you can speak to the specific needs and desires of each user persona and significantly increase your conversion rates.

Instapage is a leading landing page builder that makes it easy to build optimized landing pages that are tailored to the ad campaigns they came from. Customers love using Instapage because of its:

  • Intuitive drag-and-drop builder making it easy to create appealing layouts
  • Library of 500+ customizable templates
  • AI-assistance for generating headlines, CTAs, and other content ideas
  • A/B testing, with insights on variations that work best and automatic routing to the best-performing pages
  • Personalizations that dynamically pair visitor intent to a relevant landing page experience for each ad
  • Copy-matching based on visitor level data like keywords, firmographics, and demographics

Ready to put your user personas to work with landing pages that drive real results? Start a free 14-day trial of Instapage now.

Try the world's most advanced landing page platform with a risk-free trial.

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LinkedIn Profile Summary: Why and How to Build Yours https://instapage.com/blog/linkedin-summary-examples/ Thu, 05 Sep 2024 10:30:23 +0000 https://instapage.com/?p=196075
While social media is ever-evolving, it is still a steady form of communication in our daily lives. Engagement and membership tend to fluctuate from platform to platform, and recently, LinkedIn has reported record levels of each. In Q1 of 2024, overall LinkedIn sessions increased by 12%, reaching new record heights. In the past, LinkedIn mayRead More >]]>

While social media is ever-evolving, it is still a steady form of communication in our daily lives. Engagement and membership tend to fluctuate from platform to platform, and recently, LinkedIn has reported record levels of each.

In Q1 of 2024, overall LinkedIn sessions increased by 12%, reaching new record heights. In the past, LinkedIn may have been underutilized or solely thought of as a professional networking site. While it continues to be a place to make professional connections, LinkedIn is now also a trusted place to build brand awareness, share high-quality thought leadership content, and successfully run B2B campaigns.

The point is – if you aren’t on LinkedIn, you should be. And your LinkedIn summary and bio need to hit all the right spots. Keep reading for tips on how to create an effective LinkedIn profile.

What is a LinkedIn profile summary?

A good LinkedIn profile starts with a great LinkedIn profile summary, otherwise known as the “About” section. In this key section, you should provide an overview of your professional life, skills, and accomplishments.

You want to let people who are viewing your profile know what makes you stand out, but you need to do it in a succinct, effective manner. Any friends, colleagues, potential employers, or recruiters reading your profile should come away from your “About” section knowing your unique value proposition and a bit about your personality.

Further down your profile, you’ll have your resume – start dates, job titles, responsibilities, etc. You don’t need to cram all this information into your “About” section. Instead, present yourself the way you want to be received. Highlight accomplishments, let your personality shine, talk about your career goals, and so on. This is your chance to make a great first impression.

How to make a good LinkedIn summary

If you’re not sure where to start, it can be helpful to check out some examples. Here are some tips you can follow and some real profile sections to inspire you to write your best LinkedIn profile.

  1. Start with an engaging hook: Begin with a hook that captures attention, such as a statement about your passion or a unique aspect of your career. Is there anything interesting about where or how you grew up? What about a notable career moment or a personal accomplishment that you’re proud of? Share it!
  2. Describe your current role: Explain what you do in simple terms, focusing on the problems you solve and the value you provide, rather than just listing your job title. What’s the elevator pitch when people ask what you do?
  3. Highlight key skills and experience: Mention relevant skills and significant accomplishments, using specific metrics to illustrate your impact. For example, “increased sales by 30% in one year.” Make sure you highlight your strengths and what makes you a valuable team player.
  4. Add personality: Let your personality shine through by sharing personal interests or unique experiences that relate to your professional life. What are interesting things you do in your spare time? What’s the latest book you’ve read? Are you known for something specific in your professional and personal circles?
  5. Include a call to action (CTA): End your summary with a clear CTA, inviting readers to connect with you or discuss specific topics, which encourages engagement.
  6. Keep it short and skimmable: Aim for clarity and brevity, using bullet points or short paragraphs to make the summary easy to read, while staying within the character limit (up to 2,600 characters). You want to entice people to get to know you further and you don’t want to make your profile cumbersome to read.

Let’s evaluate some examples:

This image shows an example of a good LinkedIn profile summary

This is a great, punchy profile. This user succeeds at showing off her personality while quickly conveying important career information to know. She comes across as funny, approachable, yet highly accomplished.
What works:

  • An engaging hook – it’s funny and right off the bat, the reader knows what to expect
  • It’s easy to read – A numbered list is an appealing format
  • She highlights some strengths – an engaged Twitter following, an interesting anecdote about how she landed her first role
  • She’s vulnerable, yet relates her personal experiences to hr work
  • It’s impressive – she’s worked on some A-list campaigns, which builds credibility and establishes expertise

This image shows a creative LinkedIn profile summary example

The author of this profile makes it feel like she’s talking directly to the reader. She is super effective at conveying her personality and what she believes is her biggest strength.
What works:

  • With her first 7 words, she hooks in the reader. People love personal anecdotes, and this one gets right to the point
  • The author effectively conveyed what could have been perceived as a negative into her biggest career strength – she has built her career on communication
  • The profile is short and easily skimmable
  • It is clear that one would hire her to be a recruiter

This image shows an effective LinkedIn profile summary example

This is an unconventional, yet effective profile example that excels at one thing: the author staying true to themselves.
What works:

  • In this fun-to-read ‘About’ section, we get the full trajectory of this person’s career, which is hard to do without boring the reader
  • This profile is not intimidating – you do not need to be an Ivy League scholar to wow your reader
  • The use of emojis is eye-catching and doesn’t feel out of place
  • It’s humorous, authentic, inspiring, and feels attainable

This image shows an outstanding LinkedIn profile summary example

When you have an outstanding career and have amassed numerous accolades, you lead with them.
What works:

  • The reader is instantly hooked upon learning that the author is recognized by The New York Times, WSJ, and more
  • This author has big names in their client portfolio, which builds credibility and trust
  • The profile is short, but packs a punch
  • It’s clear what this author would be hired to do: blogging, speaking engagements, and growth through marketing
  • There’s a clear CTA and information for contacting the author

LinkedIn summary examples for specific professions

You should follow the aforementioned tips anytime you’re creating your LinkedIn profile summary, regardless of the line of work you’re in. Should you do anything different for your specific profession? Ahead, we round up six roles and what you should highlight in your LinkedIn profile if you currently hold or are seeking these kinds of positions.

LinkedIn profile summary for digital marketing professionals

If you’re a digital marketing professional, you’ll want to highlight your skills and your relevant accomplishments in your LinkedIn profile. Show off your expertise and how you would be of value in the digital marketing space. Can you share impressive campaign results? Have you managed the creation of a new website that exceeded traffic and lead generation expectations? When possible, be specific and use stats.

This image shows a LinkedIn profile summary for digital marketing professionals

This digital marketing strategist does a good job of listing out areas of expertise, with specific details, certifications, or experience highlighted along the way. It provides a quick snapshot of how this person delivers value.

LinkedIn profile summary for content marketing specialists

Content marketing specialists should talk about their areas of expertise – what types of content do you focus on? Blog posts, long form content, eBooks, video scripts, social media, ads? Has any of your content received awards or recognition? What accomplishments are you most proud of in regards to your content?

This image shows an example of LinkedIn profile summary for content marketing specialists

This profile starts with a short, relevant quote to engage readers and highlights impressive accomplishments, where their work has been featured, and areas of expertise for a well-rounded (but not too wordy!) summary.

LinkedIn profile summary for SEO managers

SEO experts can have fun with their LinkedIn profile summary by optimizing it with relevant keywords. Practice what you preach. Use your profile as an opportunity to show what you’re capable of doing, how you typically go about it (what tools you use, etc.), and what results you tend to see.

This image shows an example of LinkedIn profile summary for SEO managers

This summary is short and sweet, with keywords peppered throughout, recognitions from reputable sources to build credibility, and impressive results to establish trust.

LinkedIn profile summary for sales professionals

As a sales professional, you’re used to pitching prospects. In your LinkedIn profile summary, you need to pitch yourself. Be personable, have conviction, be persuasive, and back up your claims with facts.

This image shows an example of LinkedIn profile summary for sales professionals

This profile is a bit long, but the way it is formatted makes it easy to read – we can clearly see the user’s contact information, the industries they have experience in, and their impressive accomplishments which speak for themselves.

LinkedIn profile summary for job seekers

Anyone using their LinkedIn profile summary as a job application of sorts should be direct. Talk about what kind of role you’re looking for, but also what kind of culture and job environment matters to you. What values are important to you? How do you want to collaborate? What do you look for in leadership? And so on. And don’t forget to include what you would bring to the table.

This image shows an example of LinkedIn profile summary for job seekers

This profile successfully sets the stage for this job seeker’s next role – we know what their experience is, we know what kind of culture they encourage, and we know what their values are.

LinkedIn profile summary for IT professionals

IT professionals have skills that are valuable across every industry. If you are specialized in one area, make sure to communicate that clearly. Lay out expectations for how you manage networks, provide technical support, build databases, and so on, and highlight accomplishments you’ve had in these areas. If you have relevant certifications, highlight them as well.

This image shows an example of LinkedIn profile summary for IT professionals

We love the way this author included a little snippet of code at the end of their profile, a clever way to relevancy and creativity to their LinkedIn page.

Use dedicated landing pages in your next marketing campaigns

At the end of the day, what are we doing on LinkedIn? We’re marketing ourselves. And any good marketing campaign needs a solid strategy from start to finish.

Personalized, dedicated landing pages can drive game-changing results for marketing campaigns in terms of generating leads and conversions. Instapage is a leading landing page platform that empowers marketers to create landing page experiences that increase brand trust, customer loyalty, and conversion rates.

Instapage users love its:

  • Flexible and easy-to-use drag-and-drop page builder
  • Hundreds of pre-built templates with conversion-focused layouts
  • User-friendliness, no coding or developer required
  • A/B tests to iterate and optimize landing page variables
  • AI assistance to generate headlines, CTAs, and more
  • Automatic pairing of ads to high-performing pages to maximize conversions
  • Real-time collaboration and editing with stakeholders

See how a tailored landing page strategy can boost your marketing efforts. Start a free 14-day trial of Instapage today.

Try the world's most advanced landing page platform with a risk-free trial.

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MQL vs. SQL: What is the Difference? https://instapage.com/blog/mql-vs-sql/ Sun, 18 Aug 2024 08:45:00 +0000 https://instapage.com/?p=104296
Every sales and marketing team focuses on lead generation and ways to bring highly qualified leads into their funnel. Whether lead generation comes from inbound or outbound marketing, ad campaigns, landing pages, or social media, it’s important to have a unified marketing strategy and understand the differences between MQLs (Marketing Qualified Leads) and SQLs (SalesRead More >]]>

Every sales and marketing team focuses on lead generation and ways to bring highly qualified leads into their funnel.

Whether lead generation comes from inbound or outbound marketing, ad campaigns, landing pages, or social media, it’s important to have a unified marketing strategy and understand the differences between MQLs (Marketing Qualified Leads) and SQLs (Sales Qualified Leads).

What is an MQL?

An MQL, or Marketing Qualified Lead, is a potential customer who has interacted with your marketing content (i.e., visited your website, downloaded product information, etc.) and is likely to become a paying customer.

Different marketing teams may have different ways of identifying an MQL, but commonly a marketing qualified lead is qualified as such based on the following factors:

  • Web pages visited or the number of times a web page was visited
  • Content offers downloaded
  • CTAs clicked
  • Social media interactions
  • Demographic information
  • Whether or not they match a buyer persona
  • Fit the right profile, but are not quite ready to buy

Once a lead is determined to be an MQL, their information is then passed on to the sales team to further engage that lead and (hopefully) convert them to a customer.

A mattress company probably wouldn’t classify a lead as an MQL if they were a first-time visitor to the company’s website and read a blog called “Best Mattresses for Side Sleepers”. However, someone who is a repeat visitor to the website follows the company on social media, and has downloaded an eBook titled “How to Know When It’s Time to Purchase a New Mattress” can be deemed an MQL.

What is an SQL?

An SQL, or Sales Qualified Lead, is a lead who is highly likely to convert into a customer and is qualified by the sales team versus the marketing team.

Again, what qualifies an an SQL differs from sales team to sales team, but generally SQLs meet the following criteria:

  • Having a need for the product or service
  • Expressing interest in the company or its offerings
  • Repeatedly visiting the website, downloading content, and engaging on social media
  • Possessing the budget to make a purchase
  • Having the authority to make buying decisions
  • Operating on a timeline that aligns with the company’s sales cycle

SQLs are typically vetted and ready to talk to somebody in sales. An MQL will not become classified as an SQL if they are not showing interest in speaking to the sales department.

The MQL for the mattress company in our example above may be classified as an SQL once they download even more content, likely bottom-of-the-funnel content that shows they are serious about making a purchase. This could be content like “5 Mattresses That Fit Your Budget” or “Your Mattress-Purchasing Checklist: Everything to Know Before You Buy”.

When visitors have already made a decision to purchase a product or service like yours, they are likely to download bottom-of-funnel content or click on CTAs that will help them engage with a sales department.

SQL vs. MQL

So, is it actually important to know the difference between an MQL and SQL? Yes, it is, because it all comes down to buyer intent and if you can distinguish between a lead’s intention, then you can nurture them properly and increase your chances of closing a sale. Classifying a lead correctly can have a significant impact on your sales funnel.

The lead nurturing process will vary for an MQL versus an SQL. You will serve up different content at different times, depending on where the lead is in the marketing funnel.

Serving the right content can increase your chance of converting the lead into a customer faster. Not only will correct lead categorization help your pipeline, but it also makes marketing and sales teams more efficient because they won’t be wasting resources on creating nurturing campaigns that are irrelevant.

The chart below explains how you can go about categorizing your leads.

Use it to tighten up your sales and marketing processes and increase your ROAS.

Aspect SQL (Sales Qualified Lead) MQL (Marketing Qualified Lead)
Definition Ready for direct sales contact Potential interest identified by marketing
Buying stage Late stage; close to purchase Early stage; needs nurturing
Intent to buy High Low to moderate
Handled by Sales team Marketing team
Next steps Sales calls, demos, negotiations Content marketing, email campaigns
Lead score Higher Lower
Main focus Closing the deal Nurturing and educating

When to transition a lead from MQL to SQL?

The marketing to sales handoff is a critical part of the process. Transitioning a lead from MQL to SQL correctly ensures that the most qualified leads are handed off to the sales team, increasing the likelihood of a conversion.

Marketing and sales teams should be aligned on what they define as an MQL and an SQL to maximize efficiency and effectiveness.
The following set of criteria should be evaluated when transitioning a lead from MQL to SQL:

Engagement level

Engagement level refers to how actively a lead interacts with your content and marketing efforts. High engagement levels typically indicate a strong interest in your product or service. Metrics to consider include:

  • Email open and click-through rates
  • Downloads of gated content like whitepapers and eBooks
  • Participation in webinars and events
  • Social media engagement

Monitoring these interactions and aligning on their importance helps identify leads who are more likely to move further down the sales funnel.

Firmographics

Firmographics are the attributes that define the characteristics of a company or organization. These include:

  • Industry
  • Company size
  • Revenue
  • Location

Understanding these attributes helps ensure the lead aligns with your ideal customer profile and helps keep your focus away from profiles that would not be worth your time. If your target audience is a mid-size tech firm, then an SMB or enterprise business should not be prioritized as a qualified lead.

Behavioral indicators

How can a sales or marketing team be sure that a lead has intent to buy? Paying close attention to behavioral indicators will help as they can suggest whether or not a lead is ready to make a purchase. These can include:

  • Visiting pricing pages
  • Requesting product demos
  • Viewing case studies
  • Repeated visits to the website
  • Clicking a “Chat with sales” CTA

These behaviors indicate a higher level of interest and intent, suggesting that the lead is ready for a more in-depth conversation with the sales team.

Lead score threshold

Lead scoring assigns numerical values to various actions and characteristics of a lead. When a lead’s score reaches a certain threshold, they can be considered ready to transition to an SQL. Factors contributing to lead scores include:

  • Demographic information
  • Engagement level
  • Behavioral indicators
  • Past interactions with the company

Establishing a clear lead score threshold helps automate the transition process, ensuring no promising lead is overlooked and no under-qualified lead is handed off.

Steps to transition a lead from MQL to SQL?

To make a smooth transition from MQL to SQL, follow strategic steps to refine the lead nurturing process and ensure that the only leads that are passed off to the sales team are those that are most likely to convert.

Lead scoring

Lead scoring is a systematic approach to evaluating leads based on their behavior and characteristics. With lead scoring, a marketing and sales team would need to align on specific actions that indicate intent to buy and how much weight to assign to each of those actions.
For instance, points would be assigned for:

  • Website visits
  • Content downloads
  • Event participation

By accumulating points, leads are ranked based on their likelihood to convert. Leads that fall within a predetermined scoring range will then be prioritized and handed off to sales for further engagement.

Define clear criteria

This can’t be overstated: it is incredibly important to establish clear criteria for what constitutes an MQL and an SQL. Doing so ensures that marketing and sales teams are working optimally and efficiently as one. The criteria includes:

  • Engagement metrics
  • Firmographic data
  • Behavioral indicators
  • Lead score thresholds

Having clear criteria ensures consistency and objectivity in the lead qualification process.

Align sales and marketing teams

As we have stated, sales and marketing alignment is crucial for a seamless transition. Without regular communication and collaboration, there will be inevitable bottlenecks and lower conversion rates. Teams must continually work together to:

  • Define and refine qualification criteria
  • Share insights, feedback, and metrics
  • Ensure both teams are working towards common goals

Alignment helps in understanding the quality and readiness of leads, reducing friction, and enhancing efficiency.

Monitor lead behavior

Continuous monitoring of lead behavior is necessary to identify when a lead is ready to be transitioned. CRM tools, marketing automation platforms, and data analytics tools can help track:

  • Website interactions
  • Form fills
  • CTA buttons clicked
  • Downloaded content
  • Email engagement
  • Social media activity

Monitoring helps you identify signs of increased interest and intent and makes it more likely for sales teams to go after leads who are ready to take action.

Nurture leads

Especially after a lead is qualified as an MQL, nurturing remains critical to ensure the lead not only stays in the funnel but continues to move through it in an effective way. This involves:

  • Sending targeted content
  • Engaging through personalized emails
  • Providing valuable information
  • Demonstrating the product at the right time
  • Providing the right support for leads who have questions

Nurturing helps in maintaining engagement and moving leads closer to a purchasing decision.

Feedback loop

A feedback loop between sales and marketing teams makes the lead generation and nurturing process stronger, more effective, and more precise. A consistent feedback loop involves:

  • Sales providing feedback on lead quality
  • Marketing adjusting strategies based on feedback
  • Regular meetings to discuss outcomes and insights

Feedback helps in refining the qualification process and improving lead quality over time.

Example: transitioning a lead in a B2B SaaS company

Consider a B2B SaaS company offering project management software. Here’s how they might transition a lead from MQL to SQL:

  1. Lead scoring: A lead signs up for a free eBook on project management best practices, earning them 10 points based on a predetermined scoring system. They then sign up for and attend a webinar, adding another 20 points.
  2. Criteria definition: The marketing and sales teams have defined that a lead with over 50 points, who has also visited the pricing page, qualifies as an SQL.
  3. Monitoring behavior: The lead visits the pricing page twice and requests a demo, signaling high interest.
  4. Nurturing: While the lead is engaging, they receive personalized emails with case studies and user testimonials.
  5. Transition: The lead’s score reaches 60, and they are handed off to the sales team with detailed notes on their interactions and interests.
  6. Feedback loop: Sales provides feedback that the lead was highly engaged and prepared for a purchasing discussion, helping marketing refine their future lead nurturing strategies.

By following these steps, companies can ensure a smooth and effective transition from MQL to SQL, maximizing the potential for successful sales conversions.

Strengthen your lead generation process with personalized landing pages

The first step in getting the right leads into your funnel is creating the right marketing content. Personalized landing pages are a powerful way to speak to your target audience in a way that is relevant, convincing, and conversion-focused.

Instapage is a leading landing page builder that makes it easy to build optimized landing pages that are tailored to the ad campaigns they came from. Customers love using Instapage because of its:

  • Intuitive drag-and-drop builder making it easy to create appealing layouts
  • Library of 500+ customizable templates
  • AI-assistance for generating headlines, CTAs, and other content ideas
  • A/B testing, with insights on variations that work best and automatic routing to the best-performing pages
  • Personalizations that dynamically pair visitor intent to a relevant landing page experience for each ad
  • Copy-matching based on visitor level data like keywords, firmographics, and demographics

Using Instapage has helped some customers achieve 90% better engagement, resulting in higher-quality leads and improved conversion rates.

Ready to see how Instapage can boost your marketing and sales strategy? Try a 14 day free trial today and let the results speak for themselves.

Try the world's most advanced landing page platform with a risk-free trial.

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