Tag Archives: how to capture leads on a website

What’s Up with Pop-ups?

What’s Up with Pop-ups? Popups have been around in several forms throughout the years. Abuse early on in Internet history has given them a bad reputation. However, they have some strategic use when you know how to implement them appropriately they also have some drawbacks. So think carefully before you add them to an advertising campaign.

The Good Side of Popups

Popups give you a way to highlight important information you want to make sure all of your visitors see. For example, if you have a time-sensitive promotion, you can use an interstitial (pop-up) to alert new visitors.

Depending on what country you’re in you may need to show notices for your cookie and privacy policy. A pop-up can act as a way to get notify people visiting your site, rather than hoping they see the agreement button in the header or footer.

Another strategy that works well is using popups as email newsletter subscription forms. When triggered to pop up as people exit the website, these forms are incredibly successful in attracting new subscribers.

The Dark Side of Popups

Google is penalizing websites whose popups negatively impacts user experience, particularly for mobile audiences. Search engine rank is so competitive this move could make it difficult for sites that want to use popups.

There are 3 types of mobile popups that will get you a penalty.

  • Lightbox style popups show up as an overlay but blur out the content underneath.
  • Scrolling popups require moving down the screen to dismiss it.
  • Full-screen popups are no-nos under this algorithm.

Popups have a place in your website marketing campaign, but you have to be aware of their best practices and adhere to them. For example, making it easy to dismiss the popup and targeting specific users, so the popup doesn’t show all the time. Using these 2 techniques will not impede the user experience.

Bottomline

Popups can be an intrusive experience, or they can be a valuable method for driving leads and engagement. Use them carefully and make sure you follow all of Google’s requirements.

10 Tips To Boost Lead Conversion on your Website

10 Tips To Boost Lead Conversion on your Website It takes a quality website to boost your leads and sales. Implementing new strategies can be a real can of worms. Statistics indicate that 63% of companies experience problems in generating and converting leads. It ranks as the top problem along with having enough capital. Just like every cloud has a silver lining, there are many options available to bail you out. Relax and read on as I illustrate the best tips on boosting your lead conversion on your website:

1. Call-To-Action

Your call to action should be your priority on your site. A compelling call-to-action that increases lead conversion is targeting its users. Get to know your users like the back of your palm to be able to tailor a perfect and effective call-to-action.

2. Attractive Incentives

Create an incentive for every visitor that signs up on your website. A pop-up that opens when your visitors are moving their cursor to close your site will not annoy them and get additional subscribers. The incentive should answer a visitor’s questions or solve their pain like:

  • Education about particular products or services
  • Discounted products
  • New products
  • Free gifts

3. Use The Experts In The Industry

Positives reviews from the experts in your industry can work wonders if not miracles to skyrocket sales. Your brand not only gains credibility but also earns trust. People buy and give their personal information to businesses they trust. Get the experts to provide a positive review on your website’s blog or landing page.

4. Quality And Relevant Images

It’s no joke when they say a picture speaks louder than words. Place a clear and relevant image next to your magnetic text. The image will grab the visitor’s attention and draw their attention to the text.

5. Link A Call-To-Action On Your Landing Page

Forgetting to link your call-to-call to your landing page is a grave mistake. Always direct prospective clients to your products and services on your website. Call-to-actions increase your lead conversion because you’re clearly asking visitors to take an action. The ball is in your court, keep your fingers busy!

6. Straight Forward

Be creative but avoid overdoing it to a point where the user gets confused on opening your site. Your message should be simple and understandable. The site should be easy to navigate.

7. Give A Reason to Choosing You Over The Others

Explain why your products are best. Be unique and add value to your products. Customers have trust and are loyal to brands that keep on improving their products according to the customer’s needs.

8. Collect Leads

Create a lead generation form and direct your users to fill their information. The form can be a pop-up or on the sidebar of the website. Come up with a well-tailored message that entices the leads to buy.

9. Social Platform

Use social platforms like Twitter, Facebook, LinkedIn, Instagram, or YouTube to promote your brand and redirect clients to your landing page.

10. Impeccable Customer Service

Respond to inquiries and messages on time. Embrace live chats and extended phone services.

Get ready to see your lead conversion grow as your bank account swells. You can now smile into the bank. Got all that in place?  Or do you need help?  If you need help our parent company Digital Hill can help!

Popup Subscription Forms. Should You Use Them?

Popup Subscription Forms. Should You Use Them?
Pop-ups, pop unders, and interstitials. They’ve been around almost as long as the internet, and they’ve had a reputation as an annoyance nearly as long. People have even created software whose sole purpose is to block these interruptions, so it’s safe to say that they’re not well loved. But people keep using them. Why?

How We Use Popups Today

There was a time when the sole purpose for pop-ups was to make sure high paying ads were seen. That’s part of the reason why they’re annoying and frustrating.

However, and these days, popups are primarily used to promote your own email list and similar subscriptions.

Why This Is Better

There will always be people who are annoyed by popups. The fact is most popups today are related to a site they’re already reading, and interested in. So they’re less likely to inspire anger and frustration.

How to Get More Out of Popups

If we want to get more email subscribers, we need to make sure that people are aware of our lists. The best way to do that is to make subscription forms as visible as possible.

Pop ups are great, but there are several ways to get more from them if you do decide to use them:

  • Keep the design clean and avoid garish graphics, ghastly gifs or blaring music.
  • Limit the information you require. This is true of every form on your site, but even more so with popups. If you can get away with just a name and email address, do it!
  • Use persuasive copywriting on your opt in or opt out buttons. Something like “YES! I want to learn how to X” and “No. I have enough Y already” usually works well.
  • Make sure it’s easy to close the popup. If users can’t close them, they might close your site instead.
  • Set up pop ups so they only show once per visit. That way your visitors aren’t bombarded on every page they visit.

The fact is, popups increase opt-ins from 0.4% for a regular sidebar subscription form to 5.5% overall, and that’s a huge gain that’s hard to ignore.

If you want to grow your list, they’re a great way to do just that. While they can be hit and miss, try testing them, perhaps with different messages to see what works for you.

If your site is a valuable resource, and you’re offering an enticing deal in your popup, you’d be surprised at how much a pop-up subscription form can bring.

How to Create an Ebook as an Opt-In Offer

How to Create an Ebook as an Opt-In Offer
When building your email list, the best way to increase subscribers is by offering something in exchange for their email address. This needs to be more than a basic “Sign up for our newsletter!” call to action. People have no idea what to expect from your newsletter. So even if it’s full of valuable content, you need to offer more to get their email address. Create an ebook opt-in offer.

There are many different options for an opt-in offer, eBooks, white papers, free video webinars. But an ebook is a very powerful option. Typically it’s around 25 pages and covers a single topic your audience is interested in.

If you’re ready to create your first ebook, check out our tips below.

1. Pick your a Relevant Topic.

Pick a topic that’s relevant to your business. What’s something your target market would be interested in learning more about? What question do you get asked most? That’s a great topic for your eBook.

For a digital marketing agency, an ebook about Facebook ads or creating a social media strategy. A contractor might have an ebook about minor fixes homeowners can do themselves. A credit union might have an ebook about repairing your credit.

It’s important to give away valuable information in your opt-in ebook, but not too much information that they don’t buy from you.

2. Outline your ebook.

Since ebooks are much longer pieces of content than a typical blog article, the best way to get started is by creating an outline. Write the main points you want to make and include a few bullets about each one.

The best way to outline your ebook is by dedicating a separate chapter to each subtopic, then cover each subtopic thoroughly.

3. Flesh out your points.

Now write your ebook! Take the outline you’ve created, write your introduction, and flesh out each of your chapters, subheadings, and bullet points.

Include a call-to-action to your products/services in your conclusion to let each of your new email subscribers know what next steps to take after reading your ebook.

4. Proofread and edit your ebook.

Proofreading and editing anything you write is always crucial. Sentences that may have made sense when you initially wrote them might need some cleanup after rereading them. Once you’ve finished writing, set it aside for a few days before coming back to edit. It’s always a good idea to let it stew before revisiting it.

5. Design your ebook.

This can be one of the most difficult parts. You want your ebook to be engaging and compelling. It requires more design than a regular blog post. You want to make it easy to read and aesthetically pleasing. Don’t slap a bunch of words onto a Microsoft Word document and export it as a PDF.

Here’s a great tool to create your own eBook, https://MyeBookMaker.com.

Once you’ve finished your design, export it as a PDF, and you’re ready to get started increasing email subscriptions with your new ebook opt-in offer. Create a pop-up on your website and a landing page that includes a thank you and link to download the eBook for new subscribers.

Increase Your Email Subscribers with Your Blog Articles

Increase Your Email Subscribers with Your Blog Articles
It’s the digital marketer’s mantra: the real power is in the list. You’ve got one shot to impress a website visitor, but endless opportunities to reach out to your email list subscribers.

Blogs are a great way to capture interest and email addresses, but if yours isn’t exactly a gold mine of signups, then it’s time to make a few tweaks. Our recommendations are:

1. Get Responsive!

Responsive design is so critical that Google and other search engines are penalizing sites that aren’t mobile-friendly, and accessible across platforms. More important than that: if your readers can’t access your blog on their phone, they will go elsewhere.

2. Put Opt-In Forms on Every Page

No one is going to look for your opt-in form. Make it easy. Use simple text. Ask for as little information as possible. Add a big, easy to click button. Finally, put it above the fold.

Did you know that the old “sidebar” forms don’t really work optimally anymore?  It’s good to have one but you need something more to “get in front of” the visitor more clearly.

3. Use the “Skyscraper Method”

The Skyscraper Method technique was developed by Brian Dean of Backlinko, and it’s very simple and very effective.

  • Find the very best content in your niche
  • Figure out how to rework it, rewrite it, and make it BETTER
  • Post your new, improved, viral-ready and completely shareable link bait on your blog
  • Repeat

4. Help People Find What They Need

Even if you have a blog that is Shakespeare worthy in style and has the depth of Neil deGrasse Tyson explaining quasars, you’re not going to get the traction you should be out of it if people struggle to find their way around.

Make sure your navigation is simple and intuitive, and place a search box in a prominent and easy to find place on every page.

5. Add A CTA to Every Post

If you don’t get them to sign up before they read your post, make sure you catch them at the end, by including a call to action (CTA) inviting subscription at the end of your posts.

6. Add a Bounce Popup

Good salespeople never give up, and neither should your site. If your opt-in forms haven’t captured their information, and your CTA fails, add a popup to your site that only appears when people are about to leave without signing up.

Chances are, most visitors who leave won’t come back soon, so you have nothing to lose by disrupting them, and asking them to subscribe.

7. Ask Often and Clearly

Most internet users aren’t sure what they are supposed to do next when they land on most sites. Ask them to take action is often all that’s required. Once they’re on your list, you’ve succeeded in the first step in email marketing and relationship building.

Don’t let your hard work blogging go to waste. Turn your business blog into a marketing machine!  Ready to try a Waftio pop-up or widget?

How to Optimize your Website for Lead Generation

How to Optimize your Website for Lead Generation
Your site is the most important tool in your toolbox for generating leads. Getting all the traffic in the world or writing engaging content doesn’t matter if traffic isn’t converting to leads. To optimize your website for lead generation, you have to know what elements of your site convert and how much they’re converting. Here are 4 places where your site can be improved to get more conversions.

Boost Lead Capture With Forms

Forms are usually at the front line of capturing leads and optimizing your forms can boost lead conversions. However, forms won’t work if they don’t attract visitors or are cumbersome. Here are 5 ways you can improve your forms to convert.

  • Reduce Fields

    In many cases, having too many unnecessary fields is a deterrent for users who may not have patience.This is especially true for mobile users trying to filling out forms on a small screen.

  • Include a Privacy Policy Link

    Wi yourth spam and scams prevalent on the Internet, visitors are often hesitant to give too much information. Adding a privacy policy, allows them to feel comfortable and presents you as trustworthy.

Optimize Landing Pages

In combination with forms, landing pages drive visitors to convert. On their own, landing pages give visitors more information, presents offers, and can be used in conjunction with other marketing channels (such as social media). Because they are multi-functional and important to lead generation, optimizing landing pages has an impact on overall site optimization.

  • Work on Your Value Proposition

    Highlight the value of your business and convince visitors on why they should leave their information or make a buy. Be upfront with the benefits of your free (emphasis on free) ebook or your white paper.

  • Thank You pages

    When a lead leaves their information on a landing page, they should be sent a “Thank You” page. Thank You pages can display testimonials and links to other pages and offerings, and provide encouragement to explore the site more.  This solidifies their trust in the company, and they’re much likelier to return.

  • SEO

    Much of the time, landing pages are found through search engines. You can optimize a landing page for SEO by:

    • Speeding up page loading times
    • Including keywords
    • Use engaging, short, relevant headlines
    • Make content shareable with social media share buttons

Don’t redesign your entire website to get more leads. By improving the more important lead conversion elements of your website (landing pages and forms), you can optimize your site for lead generation, gain more conversions, and build trust in converts and visitors.

How to Use Double Opt-in Effectively in Email Marketing

How to Use Double Opt-in Effectively in Email Marketing
In email marketing, the best system for collecting quality email addresses is to use a double opt-in system. This is when subscribers undergo a two-step subscription process.

  • Part 1 – They sign up with their email address at your website.
  • Part 2 – They need to click on the confirmation link sent to their email inbox.

This process is necessary because it protects you. Anyone can type in someone else’s email address. Without a double opt-in system, people who don’t want emails from you may get them. Unsolicited emails are not only annoying,  but they’re also considered spam.

On the other hand, usually, people can’t access someone else’s inbox. So without a click on the confirmation link, no unwanted messages will be received.

Double opt-in also protects you from getting low-quality email address. Anyone who’s really interested in your products or services will confirm their subscription. You can be confident that your marketing efforts are focused on leads that have a high chance of becoming conversions.

Now that we’ve cleared why a double opt-in is important, the next thing to address is how you implement it. From users’ point of view, the additional step in the subscription process can be frustrating. For you, it’s just a click. For them, it’s about switching between browser tabs or apps.

Make it feel less like a task and more like a treat. Here’s how:

Set expectations on the website

Let people know what’s going to happen next, so they know what to expect. When you’re using a double opt-in, the page with the subscription form should let the subscriber know a confirmation email will be sent shortly. A reminder to check their spam folder is good, too.

Don’t forget that even if subscribing to websites is simple; not everyone is tech-savvy. A little help can go a long way for these people.

Write great copy in the email

Skip the generic “click the link to confirm” text. Instead, make a unique customized message that’s interesting, and reflects your brand’s image.

For example, if you’re a running an online shop for designer labels, replace the standard, “Sign up for our mail list” to something like “Be a VIP!”. In this scenario, exclusivity matters, so your copy should get that point across.

Offer a welcome gift

Gratitude goes a long way. A “thank you” message is enough in most cases. But if you really want to stand out to subscribers, go the extra mile and offer them something they want. It can be an exclusive sneak peek, a free whitepaper, a coupon or discount, or anything that’s related to your business.  Describe this in the email and have details appear on the confirmation web page when they have clicked the link.

Double opt-in will not get you as many email addresses as single opt-in. But the email address you get are people that really want to be on your list. In the end, that’s what matters more in conversion.

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How to Capture the Elusive Lead – Part 3 Capture

How to Capture the Elusive Lead - Part 3 Capture
You’ve attracted new prospects and engaged with them several different ways. Now it’s time to seal the deal and capture the elusive lead. You can accomplish this with lead magnets that give your leads something of value in exchange for their email addresses and other information. Here are a few options for lead magnets to implement for your lead generation campaigns.

Ebooks

An ebook is a long-form piece of content that positions you as the authority on a particular topic or market segment. The information given to your visitors should solve one of their pain points immediately. That way they’re likely to give you their email address in exchange for the offer. One way to create an ebook is to rework a series of 4-5 blog posts into one cohesive “mini-digital book”.  This can work well for business-to-business, and business-to-consumer.

Coupons

People love discounts and couponing, so this is an easy way for to get immediate value in exchange for their email address. Offer free shipping, a set percentage off their purchase or a buy one, get one type of promotion.   This is, of course, a great option for business to consumer-focused sites.

Email Courses

Need to get a lot of information across in a structured manner? An email course delivers lessons over a set time period, “dripping” the information into the visitor’s inbox. You have the advantage of increasing your touchpoints with your lead while giving them valuable information.

In-depth Tutorials

Answer the pressing questions that your audience has or simply make their lives easier with an informative tutorial. Tackle anything related to your product or industry, but be strategic. Create a foundation and educating future buyers with the info they need to make a purchase decision at the end of the funnel.

Buyer’s Guide

A buyer’s guide is another lead magnet that revolves around educating potential customers on their options. Create the most exhaustive guide possible that covers all important considerations when making a purchase.

Don’t just cover the features and considerations that make your product come out on top. Not every lead is an ideal buyer for you, and people will remember if you help them out with the process, even if they don’t buy directly from you at the time.

Free Webinar

A short beginner webinar is a great way to gather email addresses. Start with short live trainings on the basics of your product or industry. Record the training and send the training to your whole list. Or record several short trainings on several topics and bundle them together for a pay to view training series.

Simple Sign-Up

Some companies try to ask for as much information as possible when they’re capturing a lead. They have long forms or even a multiple part process. Prospects don’t have a long attention span before they go to another website so keep it simple. All you need to start your relationship building process is a name and an email.

You can use progressive profiling throughout your future relationship to find out more information. In the beginning, it’s better to treat lead capture as a slow and deliberate “getting to know you” phase.

The Value of Video in Social Media to Drive Traffic to Website Lead Capture

The Value of Video in Social Media to Drive Traffic to Website Lead Capture
If you aren’t making use of video in your efforts to get more leads, you’re missing out on one of the most powerful tools available today. Using video in social media efforts is perfect for capturing the attention of your target audience.  In turn, funneling people into your company’s purchase cycle.

A great deal of research has made it clear that video is one of the most popular forms of content for capturing and maintaining user interest. Here are several ways you can make effective use of video to enhance your lead generation.

Landing pages

The ultimate purpose of a landing page is to convert a potential customer into an actual customer. Before you can even get anyone to the ‘potential’ stage, it’s necessary to get their attention. Consider these points about your landing page video:

  • Video is 12 times more likely to be viewed than text content is to be read.  The most effective way to use video on a landing page is in conjunction with a call to action (CTA), which you can strategically place near the end of the video.
  • The whole point of your CTA should be to engage the user in some action, such as downloading a guide or an e-book – anything that increases their commitment to your brand.
  • Don’t want to place the CTA directly in the video? Redirect viewers to another portion of the landing page or to a contact form. Place your request info and that will provide you with a lead.

High-value content

High-value content videos are educational or instructive in nature, like webinars which provide significant benefit to viewers. These videos have a powerful appeal, so it’s both convenient and worthwhile to include your lead capture mechanism in the video, as part of the presentation.

  • By having users fill out a contact or subscription form before viewing the presentation, you’ll capture the lead on the front side. The only drawback to this strategy is that viewers will need to be convinced of its value before they become interested in viewing.
  • Content on your website, or social media, can be used to alert users to the video. This effectiveness makes webinars one of the best methods for acquiring leads on the Internet, and it’s a strategy you should be using.

Demo videos

Some of the most popular kinds of videos are demo videos and product description videos. If used properly, these can generate an enormous amount of information about your target audience. You can use this data later for lead generation.

  • It’s not a good idea to make any lead capture attempt in the video itself. This is likely to put off viewers.
  • Videos can be used interactively to learn all about potential customers. (e.g.: types of technology they use, vendors they work with, and pain points.)
  • You can also include survey questions. These help to flesh out potential customer profiles so that follow-up contacts can be more focused and personalized.

The Bottom Line

Video is one of the most attention-getting and persuasive forms of media you can use for lead generation. Make sure to include it in your strategic marketing initiatives.

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5 Ways Non-profits Can Grow Their Email List

5 Ways Non-profits Can Grow Their Email List

Time and again, it’s been proven that email lists are effective marketing tools. A targeted list can get people back on your website, share news, and grow your volunteer and donor base. It’s a way to stay in touch, stay top-of-mind, and build trust. If you’re still wondering how you can start building or grow a non-profit email list, read on!

We’ve got 5 simple, actionable steps you can take to grow your email list!

1. Put a Form on Every Web Page

Make it as simple as possible for people to sign up for your email list. Place your signup forms high on your page, above the fold if possible, and put one on every page. The goal is to make them as easy as possible to find because most visitors won’t search for them.  One great way to do this is with a pop-up box or widget, using a tool like Waftio.

2. Create a Great Offer

Sometimes, just receiving your newsletter is not enough of an incentive. If your subscriptions are falling, creating a free download to entice people to sign up can make all the difference. A report, short e-book or even a free learning series can encourage people to sign up. Figure out what that incentive is and use it!

3. Encourage Sharing

If you’re like most non-profits, you already have a network of volunteers and employees. Ask them to sign up for your newsletter, and share your emails with their network. There’s a reason why networking is such a powerful marketing tool. Even if you have a small group of followers now and each of them shares your message with 10 friends, you could reach hundreds or even thousands of people!

4. Market Your Newsletter Everywhere

Don’t stop at a subscription form on your website. Mention your newsletter on your email signature and letterhead. Share it on your social channels, and advertise it at real world events. The more you talk about your newsletter, the more subscriptions you’ll get.

5. Send Great Newsletters

The final step is also the most important: make sure that once you have all those email addresses, you use them wisely. Send out regular (but not super frequent), interesting and valuable newsletters that your list will look forward too. That will increase their engagement with your cause.

Your non-profit email list can be a great asset to your organization. If you don’t already make the most of it, we hope these tips will help you. And to help your non-profit be successful with lead generation we’re offering a discount on Waftio. Use the code 50offplans and you’ll receive 50% off either plan for 3 months.