Month: June 2018

Categories
Marketing

What Converts Landing Pages?

Findings based on an analysis of 18,639 landing pages

 

Landing pages are an essential tool in helping inbound marketers generate more leads and convert them into prospects and customers. A landing page is a web page that allows you to capture a visitor’s information through a lead-capture form (ads, social media, email link, etc.). It’s an effective way to target your audience, offer them something of value and convert a higher percentage of your visitors into leads. While also capturing analytics on demographic information and what they’ve converted on. The value and relevance of this offer has a major impact on the conversion rate, so it’s important to know what makes up a high performing landing page. Recently, Unbounce conducted a study of 18,639 lead gen and click-through landing pages to discover proprietary findings of specific attributes related to conversions.

 

What makes up a high performing landing page?

 

1. One Call-to-Action (CTA)

Pages with one call-to-action, meaning there’s only one place to click on your landing page, has an average conversion rate of 13.50%. While landing pages with 5+ links have an average conversion rate of 10.50%. This confirms landing pages that focus a visitor’s attention on one main call-to-action(or link) are more likely to earn conversions.  CTAs are the most important element of a landing page, as it’s the best way to get users to take the action. They can use all different types of messaging to attract attention such as “Start a free trial”, “Contact us to learn more”, or “Get a free quote”.

2. Fast Page Speed

It’s mandatory for your landing page to load within a few seconds. Efficient and speedy landing pages are more likely to earn conversions. While landing pages with an image are more visually appealing, oversized images can cause the page to load slowly. This can lead to visitors bouncing and fewer conversions. In fact, 82% of landing pages have at least one image that needs compressing. Landing pages that have no images that require compressing have an average conversion rate of 11.40%.  Pages with over 1MB of potential image compression have an average conversion rate of 9.80%. For more suggestions on how to reduce your page loading time, visit Google PageSpeed Insights.

3. Social Proof

Social proof (like photos of customers, testimonials, social media posts) establishes trust and ultimately persuade visitors to convert.  Pages that have indications of social proof in the form of copy have an average conversion rate of 12.50%. In comparison to pages without that only convert at 11.40% on average.

4. Email Traffic

Marketers can drive traffic to a landing page from a variety of sources like social media, paid media, direct, etc. However, specifically, emails produced the highest average conversion rate at 13.0%. One survey shows that email marketing is 40 times more successful at acquiring new clients than Facebook or Twitter.

5. Mobile Responsiveness

As of the first quarter of 2018, 51.77% of global web traffic originated from mobile devices, meaning a mobile responsive landing page is guaranteed to boost conversions. Mobile responsive landing pages are pages that are designed to display on mobile devices with minimal resizing, panning and scrolling. It’s re-arranging the elements of the page to comfortably fit within the confines of a smaller screen. Landing pages with a mobile page have an average conversion rate of 11.70%, in comparison to those that don’t have a mobile page which converts on average at 10.70%.

6. Lower Word Count

It’s reported that 29.5% of landing pages have too much copy, with an average conversion rate of 11.10%. Landing pages that are word-count-conscious convert on average at 14.30%. The content on a landing page should briefly explain the value of offer clearly, simply, and in a compelling way.

 

Categories
Design

Here’s What You Need to Know about Typography

Top 10 Typography Trends You Don’t Want to Miss in 2018

 

Font vs. Typeface:

 

The choice you make for your brand’s font is an important one because the right one conveys so much about your brand. So, when choosing your font it’s a good idea to know what you’re actually looking for, which is typefaces. You may see the terms “font” and “typeface” used interchangeably, but they refer to separate facets of text display.

 

“A typeface is a set of one or more fonts each composed of glyphs that share common design features.”Like people, typefaces have personalities and moods. It’s the design we often call today “font” such as Arial, New York Times, or Courier. But the font incorporates the typeface plus the attributes, such as the style (bold, Italic, etc). No typeface is equally created, they come in all shapes and sizes, and each one has its own style and characteristic, just like your brand.

 

2017 top favorite fonts:

 

  1. Helvetica
  2. Arial
  3. Georgia
  4. Gotham
  5. Myriad Pro
  6. Corbel

2018 trends from Marketprofs:

 

  • Serifs will dominate
  • Retro Makes a comeback
  • Bigger is better
  • Cutouts and Overlays
  • Highlights and underline
  • Hand drawn letters
  • Gradients will take over
  • Custom fonts will emerge
  • Colorful fonts will be the new black
  • Transparency in typography

 

How to select the right font for your brand

 

1. Match font with your brand’s tone.

First,  select a font that matches your brand’s identity.

2. Use Hierarchy.

After selecting the fonts placement, rank each font by importance. It’s suggested to never use more than three fonts because it’s messy and inconsistent. 

3. Know the basics of primary font types.

Serif

A “serif” is a small line (sometimes called feet) at the end of each stroke in a letter or symbol. It’s often present in print (books, newspapers, etc.). Sans Serif fonts create a classical and elegant appeal and talks to older audiences.

Popular serif fonts: Times New Roman, Georgia.

Sans serif

Sans serif fonts don’t include lines or embellishments at the end of a stroke. It commonly appears on computer screens and smartphones. Therefore it’s appealing to the younger generation.

Popular sans serif fonts: Helvetica, Arial, Futura.

Script

A highly decorative and elegant font is known as script fonts, with plenty of embellishment and stroke flourishes, and the letters connect. It’s popular in the feminine market.

Popular script fonts: Lobster, Reklame Script.

Handwriting

A casual and personal approach is transpired from handwritten fonts. It’s preferred by businesses who want their brand image to be relatable and approachable.

Examples: Bradley hand, Kristen, and MV Boli.

4. Master mixing fonts.

Try to select versatile typefaces which change smoothly yet noticeably to differentiate between functions within your design.

5. Preview overall design.

See how the font looks within the overall design. The goal is to remain consistent with the template. 

 

Comment your favorite fonts!

 

Categories
Marketing

Why Use Video Marketing?

Video marketing is here, and it’s here to stay

Today, video marketing usage is rising rapidly among brands and marketers. Having a strong video marketing strategy plays a crucial role in the success of your outreach and branding efforts. It’s one of the most effective ways to thrive in your industry and attract more clients. This is mainly because it’s the fastest and easiest way to learn and retain information. Hubspot recently reported that 99% of those who already do use video, say they’ll continue to do so in 2018 and 65% of those who don’t currently use video, say they plan to start in 2018. What does this mean? That video is here to stay.  Think about this: A Facebook executive predicted that the platform will be ALL video in less than five years, and we already see that coming true. 

Other reasons why marketers rely on video:

  • 97% of marketers say video has helped increase user understanding of their product or service.
  • 95% of people have watched an explainer video to learn more about a product or service.
  • 76% of businesses say it helped them increase traffic.
  • 83% of consumers would consider sharing it with their friends.
  • 80% of marketers say video has increased dwell time on their website.
  • 85% of people say they’d like to see more video from brands in 2018.

How to use it to your advantage:

Live Video/ Live Streaming

  • 82% of consumers prefer live video from a brand instead of social posts.

Live videos give a unique perspective on the behind-the-scenes of our company. Here you can live stream interviews, internal and external events, Q&As, presentations, and encourage engagement with viewers by commenting with questions.

Video Tutorials/ Demo

  • 91% of customers have watched a tutorial video to learn about a product or service.
  • 79% of customers would rather watch an explainer video to learn about a product than read text.

Showcase how your product or service works. Here you can take someone who is unfamiliar with your products and walk them through how it works to allow prospects to fully grasp its value and potential.

Brand Video

  • 81% of people have been convinced to buy a product or service by watching a brand’s video.

A solid brand video is the best way to increase relatability and trust by showcasing your company’s vision, mission, value, or products and services. You can even display your employee’s individual passions to allow viewers to connect. The ultimate goal is to build awareness around your company and attract your target audience.  Check out the Spectruss video.

Case Study and Customer Testimonial Videos

  • The top three most effective video types are product demo videos (49%), tutorial videos (50%), and customer testimonial videos (51%). (Forbes)

One of the most effective ways to build trust is by showcasing your happy and loyal customers. Describe the challenges and how your company helped them meet their goals.

Expert Interviews

  • 94% of marketers who use influencer marketing find it an effective practice, and can generate up to 11x the ROI of traditional advertising.

Find the influencers or thought leaders in your industry and conduct short interviews on camera. This is a great way to build credibility and establish authority with your target audience.

360-Degree/ VR Video

  • 90% of Americans believe that content will be better in 360-degree video than in a traditional one.
  • 59% of businesses that used VR video for marketing purposes said that is was an effective marketing tool.

Virtual reality allows viewers to navigate and control their experience. Brands should consider leveraging virtual reality at conferences and industry tradeshows.

When creating your video, think about these questions:

  1. Who’s your target audience?
  2. What’s the goal?
  3. When and where to share your videos?
  4. What’s the budget?
  5. Are there additional creative requirements?
  6. Who will be featured?
  7. How long should it be?
  8. Is it a series of videos?
Categories
Design

Q & A: Justin Aragon, Creative Director at Spectruss

Ten questions with Justin Aragon, Creative Director here at Spectruss

 

Tell us how your background in architecture has shaped your career?

“Architecture is built for permanence. My architectural training and knowledge of the classics have helped me identify and incorporate the qualities of timeless design to every project. Staying relevant over time is very important to me.”

How does working at Spectruss excite you?

“Working with an enthusiastic team, great clients, unique projects and leading the creative side of the business excites me every morning!”

In your opinion, what differentiates Spectruss?

“People usually come up to me and say… “I can tell when you guys did it.” We’ve built a more modern identity that separates us from others.”  

Describe your creative process.

“Developing a strong concept and letting that blossom effortlessly.”

During the creative process, what should others keep in mind?

“Step 1: Question everything. Step 2: Have an answer. Step 3: Slay.”

What does strategic design mean to you?

“Flawlessness. In reference to the previous question: If you have an answer or a reason for every design decision then you’ve developed a superb strategy!”

Can you give us a tip for success?

“Show… Don’t Tell.”

Do you have any inspirations?

“Less is More – Mies Van Der Rohe”

Are you seeing any trends?

“I only like trends that have an ability to become a classic. But I always feel like the trendy thing to do is to not be trendy.”

Any advice?

“Give white space a chance!”