Landing Page Optimization Benchmarks for Success. Ascend2 Research Conducted in Partnership with WiderFunnel

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1 Landing Page Optimization Benchmarks for Success Ascend2 Research Conducted in Partnership with WiderFunnel

2 Landing Page Optimization Benchmarks for Success Ascend2 Research Conducted in Partnership with WiderFunnel. This work is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 3.0 Unported License. You may adapt, copy, distribute and transmit this work. However, you must attribute the work as produced by Ascend2 and WiderFunnel but not in any way that suggests that they endorse you or your use of the work. When you share this content, please provide a link back to

3 Table of Contents Optimizing Landing Pages to Lift Conversions Rating LPO Success Most Important Objectives Obstacles Challenging Success LPO Resources Used Most Effective Methods Most Difficult Methods Effectiveness vs. Difficulty Extent of LPO Testing Most Useful Metrics Survey Methodology and Demographics About the Research Partners

4 1 Optimizing Landing Pages to Lift Conversions Your landing pages are the linchpins of your marketing effort. Your campaigns success rises and falls on their persuasiveness. Fortunately their success is within your control. Landing Page Optimization (LPO), a subset of the broader Conversion Rate Optimization discipline, involves a rigorous process of testing to maximize landing page results. It has often been cited as the most profitable area to invest marketing campaign funds for high traffic websites. So, what attitudes, trends and practices characterize the most successful marketers today? To find out, Ascend2 and WiderFunnel fielded the Landing Page Optimization Survey and completed interviews with 322 marketing, sales, and business professionals from around the world. The data in this edition of the study titled Landing Page Optimization Benchmarks for Success represent the opinions of the top 27% of survey respondents that rated their landing page optimization strategy very successful at achieving important marketing objectives. We thank them for sharing their valuable insights on success. This research has been produced for your use. Put it to work in your own marketing strategy, planning, and presentation materials. Clip the charts and write about them in your blog or post them on social media. Please share this research credited as published. All we ask is that you please credit the research with links to WiderFunnel and Ascend2. WiderFunnel delivers profitable A-Ha! moments everyday for our clients. How? We are always curious to learn new ways to optimize our client results. This benchmark for success report is just one of the many ways we do that. It is our pleasure to provide it to support your success too! Chris Goward, CEO & Founder To your optimization success! Chris Goward

5 2 Rating LPO Success To determine the best approach to landing page optimization success, we first needed to identify the top performers. The research data and insights on the following pages represent the best-of-the-best; the 27% of organizations with very successful LPO strategies. How$do$you$RATE$THE$SUCCESS$of$landing$page$op7miza7on$to$ achieve$important$objec7ves?$ Somewhat% unsuccessful% 15%% Very% unsuccessful% %4%% Very%successful% 27%% All successful campaigns should start in the same way by defining your goals. What does a conversion mean for your organization? Put an exact value on it - the cost of a lead, or the average order value, something. Michael St. Laurent, Optimization Scrum Master Somewhat% successful%54%% Landing%Page%Op6miza6on%Survey,%N=322% Ascend2%in%partnership%with%WiderFunnel,%Published%June%2015%

6 3 Most Important Objectives Converting landing page visitors to leads and/or customers is the cornerstone of online marketing and, according to the most successful LPO marketers, increasing the rate at which visitors are converted is by far the most important objective of a landing page optimization strategy. What%are%the%MOST%IMPORTANT%OBJECTIVES%of%a%landing%page% op>miza>on%strategy?% Increase(conversion(rates( 97%# Your strategy should have two categories of objectives. Conversion goals like those on the left, as well as insight goals. Improve(lead(quality( Improve(segmenta,on/targe,ng( 36%# 52%# Michael Duquet, Optimization Strategist Increase(brand(awareness( 20%# Increase(page(views( 14%# Improve(analy,cs(and(repor,ng( 14%# Improve(tes,ng(methods( 9%# Improve(mobile(op,miza,on( 8%# Landing(Page(Op,miza,on(Survey,(N=87(Very(Successful( Ascend2(in(partnership(with(WiderFunnel,(Published(June(2015(

7 4 Obstacles Challenging Success Landing page optimization is a combination of art and science creative and methodical. Many company s (39%) are challenged by limited internal resources capable of providing this skill set. They (38%) are also challenged by the lack of an effective LPO strategy for achieving objectives. What%are%the%MOST%CHALLENGING%OBSTACLES%to%landing%page%op<miza<on% success?% Lack+of+conversionAworthy+content+ Limited+internal+resources+ Lack+of+an+effec3ve+LPO+strategy+ 39%$ 38%$ 44%$ Finding an effective process can be the greatest obstacle for conversion optimization teams. Frameworks will help you decide what page you should test, which elements on the page are important to track, and how long to run your test. LPO+budget+constraints+ Lack+of+tes3ng+skills+ 24%$ 28%$ Claire Vignon, Director of Optimization Strategy Inadequate+analy3cs+and+repor3ng+ Adop3ng+mobile+op3miza3on+ 17%$ 22%$ More on frameworks at: Complexity+of+LPO+prac3ces+ 17%$ Landing+Page+Op3miza3on+Survey,+N=87+Very+Successful+ Ascend2+in+partnership+with+WiderFunnel,+Published+June+2015+

8 5 LPO Resources Used As the previous chart reveals, limited internal resources is one of the most challenging obstacles to LPO success. 78% of the most successful marketers outsource all or part of their landing page optimization to access expertise and capabilities for improving conversions. What%are%the%MOST%EFFECTIVE%RESOURCES%for%op6mizing% landing%pages?% In:house)landing) page) op1miza1on) resources)only) 22%) Combina1on)of) outsourced)and) in:house) resources)57%) Outsource) landing)page) op1miza1on)to) a)specialist)21%) In-house resources and an external team is ideal. This combination ensures we move fast and learn a lot along the way. Our in-house team can manage test prioritization, implementations, and internal communications. Our external WiderFunnel team helps develop strategy, testing structure, actual designs, and facilitate testing. Nathan Turnbull, HD Supply Landing'Page'Op,miza,on'Survey,'N=87'Very'Successful' Ascend2'in'partnership'with'WiderFunnel,'Published'June'2015'

9 6 Most Effective Methods A/B testing is the act of running a simultaneous experiment, usually on two versions of a single element, on a landing page to gauge performance. It is the most effective method used by the most successful marketers to increase conversion rates which is the top objective for landing page optimization. Fortunately, A/B testing is not mutually exclusive with other methods. A/B testing a websites segmentation and targeting hypotheses, for example, you can multiply your effectiveness. What%are%the%MOST%EFFECTIVE%methods%for%op7mizing%conversion%rates?% A/B)tes6ng) Segmenta6on/targe6ng) 49%$ 55%$ The most successful companies have instilled a culture of testing. They are willing to test anything and challenge their own assumptions. Monica Hinch, VP Business Development Copy)op6miza6on) 36%$ Responsive)design) 34%$ Event;triggered) ) 26%$ Mul6variate)tes6ng) 19%$ Usability)tes6ng) 18%$ Customer)survey/feedback) 18%$ Landing)Page)Op6miza6on)Survey,)N=87)Very)Successful) Ascend2)in)partnership)with)WiderFunnel,)Published)June)2015)

10 7 Most Difficult Methods Multivariate testing is the act of running a simultaneous experiment on multiple elements of a landing page. It is the most difficult conversion optimization method to execute. It is important to factor degree of difficulty into an LPO strategy to avoid opting for easier, less effective methods. Prioritizing your conversion optimization projects is important for getting the best results. Score difficulty degree of by using the PIE Prioritization Framework. Learn more at What%are%the%MOST%DIFFICULT%conversion%op9miza9on%methods%to%execute?% Mul=variate)tes=ng) 41%# Multivariate testing is one of the more difficult methods. You need multiple variations, and a lot of traffic to reach statistical significance. A more efficient method is Factorial Design. Copy)op=miza=on) Segmenta=on/targe=ng) 31%# 36%# Alhan Keser, Director of Optimization Strategy Usability)tes=ng) A/B)tes=ng) 23%# 26%# Learn more about Factorial Design at Responsive)design) 16%# Event5triggered) ) 13%# Customer)survey/feedback) 11%# Landing)Page)Op=miza=on)Survey,)N=87)Very)Successful) Ascend2)in)partnership)with)WiderFunnel,)Published)June)2015)

11 8 Effectiveness vs. Difficulty Marketers with very successful LPO programs see A/B testing and multivariate testing differently. A/B testing is the most effective and one of the least difficult methods for optimizing landing page conversions, while multivariate testing is the most difficult and one of the least effective methods. Most%effec)ve%versus%most%difficult%conversion%op)miza)on%methods.% Most)Effec6ve) Most)Difficult) A/B)tes6ng) 23%# Segmenta6on/targe6ng) 49%# 31%# Copy)op6miza6on) 36%# 36%# Responsive)design) 34%# 16%# Event;triggered) ) 26%# 13%# Mul6variate)tes6ng) 19%# 41%# Usability)tes6ng) 18%# 26%# Customer)survey/feedback) 18%# 11%# 55%# Running an A/B test is easy. Coming up with what to test, what frameworks to use, and a testing strategy is the hard part. Michael St. Laurent, Optimization Scrum Master Landing)Page)Op6miza6on)Survey,)N=87)Very)Successful) Ascend2)in)partnership)with)WiderFunnel,)Published)June)2015)

12 9 Extent of LPO Testing Testing enables incremental improvements to landing page conversions. The more extensively testing is performed, the greater the cumulative effect of testing will be. That is why 36% of the most successful LPO companies test landing pages for optimization purposes extensively. To#what#extent#are#LANDING#PAGES#TESTED#for#op7miza7on# purposes?# If you re not running tests you are leaving money on the table. You should always have a test running. No)tes*ng)12%) Extensive) tes*ng)36%) Nick So, Optimization Coordinator Limited)tes*ng) 52%) Landing'Page'Op,miza,on'Survey,'N=87'Very'Successful' Ascend2'in'partnership'with'WiderFunnel,'Published'June'2015'

13 10 Most Useful Metrics As previously verified, increasing conversion rates is the most important objective for 97% of the most successful organizations practicing landing page optimization. Understandably, conversion rate is also the most useful metric for measuring their landing page performance. Selecting and tracking the right goals should be one of your first steps in developing your optimization program. Find out how at What%are%the%MOST%USEFUL%METRICS%for%measuring%landing%page%performance?% Conversion&rate& 73%# Tracking time on page is important. But be careful time on page can be positive or negative depending on the situation and your conversion goal. Cost&per&conversion& Revenue&per&conversion& 40%# 47%# Olivia Williams, Optimization Manager Bounce&rate& 32%# Landing&page&views& 26%# Time&on&page& 21%# Traffic&by&source& 15%# Device&(desktop&vs&mobile)& 4%# Landing&Page&OpAmizaAon&Survey,&N=87&Very&Successful& Ascend2&in&partnership&with&WiderFunnel,&Published&June&2015&

14 11 Survey Methodology and Demographics Ascend2 benchmarks the performance of popular digital marketing strategies and practices using a standardized questionnaire, research methodology, and proprietary 3-Minute Survey format. Findings are examined in a quantitative context by experienced analysts and reported objectively. Number%of%Employees% More%than% 500%22%% This survey was conducted online from a panel of more than 50,000 US and international marketing, sales, and business professionals representing a range of company sizes, demographic roles and channels as follows: Fewer%than%50% 57%% 50%to%500%% 21%% Number of Employees More than % 50 to % Fewer than 50 57% Role$in$the$Company$ Role in the Company CEO / COO / CMO / CSO etc. 32% Marketing VP / Director / Manager 24% Sales VP / Director / Manager 10% Marketing or Sales Staff 24% Other 10% Marke&ng)or) Sales)Staff) 24%) Other$ 10%$ CEO$/$COO$/$ CMO$/$CSO$ etc.$32%$ Primary Marketing/Sales Channel B2B (Business- to- Business) 72% B2C (Business- to- Consumer) 28% Sales$VP$/$ Director$/$ Manager$ $10%$ Marke2ng$ VP$/$Director$/ Manager$$ 24%$

15 12 About the Research Partners Bring in an Experienced Team to Get Results Faster. Since 2007, WiderFunnel has been providing full service improvements on website conversion funnels for a wide range of clients, across all industries and in three continents. By hiring an experienced conversion optimization agency, with a proven track record, you are leveraging the results of thousands of successful tests to gain a competitive advantage. Learn more at Research-Based Demand Generation for Marketing Solution Providers. If marketing professionals are your ideal prospects, we can help you find more of them. Marketing software, data and media companies, and digital marketing agencies partner with Ascend2 to reliably generate demand and supplement marketing content for their firms. Our Research Partner Programs are transparent spotlighting your brand and the interests of your market. Learn more at