Let’s dive in with some history to see how we got to where we are today and why GIS so profoundly impacts the digital space.

What is GIS?

The key to GIS is geography. GIS is all about the use of any location data or any data that is related to the “where” of things. The more data that’s available, the better GIS can work.

One of the first instances in the history of GIS (long before computers) is the famous map created by John Snow, a doctor and epidemiologist from London in 1854. At the time, he was seeing a high number of patients suffering from cholera. Neither he nor anybody else could figure out what was causing this outbreak, so Snow started to mark on a map where his sick patients lived and marked the location of water pumps in the area. Quickly he began to recognize a pattern that there were more sick patients concentrated around one specific water pump. He reported his findings and the identified water pump was determined to be contaminated – and therefore, shut down. The number of cholera cases began to decline thanks to his work, and his study has now become one of the go-to examples of early GIS in practice.

How does GIS work?

Modern GIS didn’t really take off until the 1990s with the development of computer technology and the internet for better data management, processing, and sharing. But the logic and process are still quite similar to what it was decades prior.

The key thing in GIS is data layering as seen in the diagram above. GIS is able to take data and create it into individual layers that can then stack on top of each other to create unique visualizations and identify patterns that could go unnoticed. The unique layering and data patterns working alongside current digital marketing and SEO strategies and techniques can create better planning and new decision-making processes.

To begin any GIS project we need data. Unlike data in a chart, data for GIS requires a reference to a location. In GIS, there are three main data types and all of them can either be used alone or as a combination:

Polygon data – This is like drawing country or state boundary lines. But polygons aren’t just limited to political boundaries or pre-drawn data available. With the use of different GIS tools, custom polygon shapes can be made to fit an exact area you’re interested in knowing more about.

Line data – This is like roads or rivers. And just like polygons, lines don’t just have to be pre-made. Custom lines can be created to fit a project.

Point data – Point data is the most-used data type in GIS, and can either be single instance or distinct data points. This can be addresses for buildings or different points of interest. Point data can be downloaded from different reputable sources, or created and recorded in a table. As long as each row in the table has an associated latitude and longitude or an address, then it can be converted in a GIS program and placed on a map for easier data visualization.

Once you determine the type of data you want to use, it can be created, downloaded, or imported into GIS software to be manipulated and analyzed. The most common GIS programs used are the industry standard ArcGIS Pro developed by ESRI, or an open-source, free alternative is QGIS. Both softwares have pros and cons, but foundationally they both are able to do a high-level analysis of geographic data.

GIS softwares work with unique file types that are used to combine table data and information that is relayed to the software on how and where to draw data. Once all this data is put into the software, the fun part of the analysis begins. In GIS there are many different geospatial tools used that can be used in infinite combinations that can accomplish the goal.

Once all the data is analyzed, it can be shared as a static map using various cartographic methods or brought into even more software available to create interactive maps, which is becoming more and more popular.

Where is GIS used today?

In the early days of modern GIS, it was primarily developed for environmental research to allow scientists and geographers to get a better bird’s eye view of their data and research sites. Today, GIS has stretched long beyond the confines of environmental science to the point where nearly every industry does, could, or should be using GIS.

For example, GIS is used quite a bit in the real estate sector when creating built-in maps for real estate websites to allow customers to view properties easily. Realtors also use it internally to get a visual of real estate trends that show the appreciation and depreciation of an area.

Another great example of GIS in action is with logistics companies. Companies that deliver mail or transport goods heavily rely on GIS to develop the most efficient routes for their drivers or the best routes to transport goods along. This process allows for cost-saving planning before the trucks even hit the roads.

A newer trend is using data forecasting with geographic data. As time has gone on, many GIS data sources have been able to store longitudinal, historical data. The availability of this data has allowed the opportunity for data science and GIS to blend together to plan for future events. A current example of this is mapping coastal flooding and being able to plan and prepare for where floods are more likely to occur. This data forecasting also allows aid agencies to know where to send resources in the event of natural disasters.

These are broad-term examples, but the most specific example that perfectly encapsulates GIS in digital marketing and one that most people are familiar with is Google Maps.

GIS and Google Maps

Google Maps mixes every type of GIS data together, from generating red polygons when you click on a city’s name to see where Google draws a city’s boundaries, to using line data for navigation of your route. Google Business Profiles act as point data in the map showing you where businesses are located and includes information on a specific business from phone number to hours of operation and reviews.

In fact, Google Maps also has a sort of “behind the scenes” look. If you go to Google Maps, you can switch to different layers and one of them is the traffic layer. You can see the roads and the traffic overlaid on top. When you get directions from Google it takes several different factors into account, including road laws like speed limit, road type (residential road vs highway), flow of traffic, and actively pulls data on traffic patterns. It may navigate you around heavily trafficked roads that slow you down or direct you around construction sites.

What is the relationship between digital marketing and GIS?

GIS can provide a wealth of information that can go unknown or unnoticed unless you knew it was available.

Google Analytics has a very basic form of GIS visualization built into it. You can look at a location overview to see where your audience is coming from, but Google is limited in what data it can pull and collect. It heavily relies on tracking the user based on their IP address and their site activity, but that is all the information Google Analytics can get. This is where GIS comes in to fill in the gaps and build out even more information on your potential user audience.

GIS can be used to provide a much more educated strategy for SEO and digital marketing plans. For example, say you want your website to reach a specific target audience based on demographics. The United States Census Bureau collects this information every 5 and 10 years and makes that data publicly available. Using GIS, you can download this data and work with it to overlay all your different target audience characteristics to figure out where that ideal audience is. Then you can use that information to make more informed decisions in your SEO strategy to reach your target audience faster than before.

GIS can help reduce the chance of creating an SEO strategy that does not reach your intended audience because the audience is either limited or not where you thought it would be.

How we use GIS here at Hennessey Digital

Local SEO strategies for law firms 

One of the most common uses for GIS we use here at Hennessey Digital for our law firm SEO strategy is collecting car crash data that different state agencies provide to the public. Almost every state in the country collects information on how many car crashes happen annually in their state. Some states go further to include more granular data on where the accidents occur such as counties, cities, or even location data on where accidents occur.

This available data helps to identify areas with high numbers of car crashes based on different criteria, or to provide a bird’s eye view of the data trends for the state. We combine all of this data with our unique analysis methodology to help create a more targeted SEO strategy that can quickly meet your audience.

Seasonality

Historical data is valuable in recognizing seasonal patterns of different phenomena. Knowing the seasonal patterns of an area provides answers on why data collected in Google Analytics is either doing better or worse compared to previous periods. It can also predict when a website may see more traffic for specific pages because more people in that area could be doing web searches using those keywords. It can even be used to prepare new website content to cater to seasonal trends rather than miss the peak window of time for a topic.

New business locations for clients

Determining a new business location requires taking several factors into consideration, especially when it comes to SEO. Savvy businesses want to be strategically positioned in a good SEO market while also being in a location with people needing their services who can be directed to their site. GIS is able to take all these factors into consideration and create a unique analysis and map that reflect the potential best locations for new business locations. We take into account data such as demographics to find your target audience, historical data trends, and potential up-and-coming trends to ensure better success for a new location.

The Future Outlook of GIS

GIS is and will continue to be a growing industry as more industries begin to adopt its capabilities. And using GIS in digital marketing and SEO is no exception to that growth. Every day, new techniques and tools are being developed to continue to push the boundaries of what GIS is capable of doing. It is becoming more commonplace to use GIS and the popular coding language Python together to create custom tools for unique projects. Python’s popularity primarily in data science and analysis makes it complementary to GIS’s analysis abilities. It even helps develop automation processes and integrate data science methods to give more insights into data.

As the blended field of GIS and digital marketing is just beginning, so are the ideas that come with it. Creative uses for data and analytics can create a well-strategized website that can reach its target audience faster than before.

The post Location Data: How GIS is Used in Digital Marketing and SEO appeared first on Hennessey Digital.

There is a lot to consider when implementing a digital marketing strategy to increase your company’s online presence. Do you have a website that converts and is easy to navigate? What is your Pay Per Click Advertising strategy? Do you understand how to optimize content for SEO purposes?

Of all the things you need to do with your online and offline marketing strategies to yield results, one thing that should be high on the list of importance is call tracking.

I sat down with Hennessey Digital’s Director of Analytics Brandon Caballero to get his expert opinion on why you should implement call tracking on your company’s website.

What Is Call Tracking?

To put it simply, call tracking is an easy attribution tool that is incredibly helpful in measuring your online marketing performance, especially SEO. It’s important when it comes to your analytics because using unique phone numbers helps you pinpoint where online and offline leads originate. Did the caller find you through a Google landing page, direct mail, or a billboard? Just like we’re able to attribute a lead from chat on your website or a lead form submission, using metrics from call tracking enables you to do the same thing.

Why Is Call Tracking Important?

Call tracking is important from a marketing perspective so that you know the source of a call and can attribute it back to the correct channel. If 70-90% of your leads come in from phone calls, knowing what strategies and marketing dollars are driving leads are valuable insights to leverage. If you’re not already using call tracking, here are 5 reasons why you should start right away:

1. Increased level of transparency into your marketing performance

Consider this scenario – a potential client is talking to your intake team and shares that they found you by looking you up. But where? And in what way – by name, by location, by need, or by service? With call tracking, the data coming from the phone number used in that campaign can show that the caller found you from your Google Business Profile.

When it comes to consumer behavior, shopping around in the legal industry is quite different than shopping around on Amazon. When a potential client lands on a page on your website, they usually don’t click through 8-9 pages before making a call. The consumer journey is shorter. For law firms, our data shows that a potential client will land on one page and then go to the attorney bios, a case results page, or your contact us page, and call from there. This is why attributing where they see you online and calling from is so important.

2. Minimal cost for maximum outcome

“The benefits of implementing this type of service on your website is astronomical while the costs are negligible,” Brandon notes when considering if it fits in your budget. To get started using call tracking you receive a handful of numbers to cover various channels, such as organic, paid search, Google Business Page locations, and legal directories. The cost includes a charge for the physical numbers and is dependent on how many numbers you have, but typically runs only $10-20/mo and then a charge of pennies per minute for the length of the call.

While call tracking typically is affordable, if your firm receives thousands of calls, the cost per month would be higher than a firm that doesn’t. “If call tracking metric costs increase for your company and those calls result in qualified leads, this means people are seeing your marketing – which means more business,” says Senior Director of Marketing Cindy Kerber Spellman. “If you care about the efficiency of your marketing, and the ROI for your different strategies, this incremental spend is all worth it.”

And if you’re looking for ways to minimize this expense, there are ways to do so. You could use call tracking for specific campaigns or to track organic traffic or paid media traffic, for example. Keep in mind, however, that turning these features off for other campaigns would mean you wouldn’t be able to attribute all leads back to their source.

3. Measuring the performance of your Google Business Page listings

When people search using a branded term such as your company’s name or do a more generic search such as “car accident lawyer,” oftentimes they’ll call your business listing if you rank high on the SERP.

The problem, though, is that if you have your main office phone number listed here that is a non-tracked number, it’s difficult to differentiate how the caller discovered you, whether they were referred by a friend or if they found you through a search and placed the call.

4. Measure paid search leads with more accuracy

Paid Search is not like SEO where you own the content and it can bear fruit six months down the road. (Have we mentioned that SEO is a long-term strategy?!) Without any form of tracking on phone numbers, it can be complicated to see how effective your paid ads are at driving leads or calls. Brandon explains that, “Paid search works like this – if your PPC campaign is live and someone searches for a term included in your campaign,  your ad is eligible to show. If they click your ad, that cost, for example, could be anywhere from $30-150. So if you’re paying $75 per click, you want to know every time someone calls off that click, and that’s what call tracking makes possible.”

5. Helps you align marketing efforts back to sales dollars

Instead of wondering what channel is working, know what channel is working. With the correct attributions, you can have a full understanding of what is driving your call volume and revenue. Is it your Google Business Page, PPC, or website? You can also see which pages on your website the potential client was last on before making the phone call. This is helpful when looking at what new content needs to be written as opposed to updating old content for SEO.

Examples When Marketing, Sales, and Analytics Align

“Just like you wouldn’t go into the courtroom and rely only on eyewitness testimony, you need other views of data when it comes to analytics,” says Brandon. “With call tracking you have hard facts. This person searched for this term, landed on this page, spent this much time, and called four minutes later. This joins all marketing efforts and sales results in perfect harmony.”

At Hennessey Digital, we’ve seen our clients benefit from call tracking data. One client came to us wanting to know the cost per case from their digital marketing. We were able to determine that number by looking over a year’s worth of data and matching it up with their intake data, the number of new cases, and call tracking data. Our analytics team can look at the first time a call comes into the office and when the first intake record takes place. If the first call is before the intake or on the same date as the intake, we can determine with high confidence what actions are related and use that in attributing leads and new business to marketing activity.

Another example happened when a client felt that they received the majority of their calls off of branding efforts. On the offset, we couldn’t directly tie every case to brand versus non-brand searches, but we looked at data from Google Business Profiles and saw that far more people were doing discovery searches versus direct searches with the company name. For example, this means more people were searching for “car accident lawyer” instead of the specific law firm. We then took that information and looked at all of the calls that came in and saw that 75% of calls originated from non-branded searches. We then looked at the total amount of cases attributed to Google Business Pages. In reality, the data showed that non-branded searches were how the client was getting cases versus branding searches.

Key Takeaways

In a nutshell, call tracking makes your job easier because it gives insights into the effectiveness of your digital marketing spend. Allocating a few marketing dollars to track uniquely-generated phone numbers makes the attribution process simpler and your marketing efforts more efficient, without diminishing brand recognition or familiarity of a vanity number. Without a clear understanding of where your clients are coming from, the way you attribute these leads will not be accurate. Making accurate connections clearly identifies what is working in your marketing efforts, which makes your business better at reaching new customers.

The post 5 Reasons Your Business Needs Call Tracking appeared first on Hennessey Digital.

What is Google Analytics 4?

Google Analytics 4 (GA4) is Google’s latest property type and is an analytics service that measures traffic and user engagement across websites. It became the default Google Analytics experience in October 2020.

The latest version of Google Analytics, GA4 measures website and mobile app traffic together. Previous versions measured these traffic types separately.

How does GA4 differ from Universal Analytics?

Universal Analytics (UA) is Google’s previous version of its analytics platform. The main difference between Universal Analytics and Google Analytics 4 is that GA4 is event-based, meaning all user interactions on a website are captured as events. In contrast, Universal Analytics tracks hit types such as page hits, social interactions, and ecommerce hits.

GA4 and UA also differ in how they view and track page views and screen views, user sessions, content groupings, custom dimensions, and more. Details on each of these parameters can be found in Google’s support documentation.

Google Analytics 4 brings automated insights on the customer journey and an enhanced look into the user journey on websites. GA4 also lets us group events easier for conversion rate optimization purposes.

For our team, GA4 is configured differently from Universal Analytics. The way certain parameters and tags are set up is slightly different as well.

Some events are also automatically tracked in Google Analytics 4.

And GA4 measures engagement rate instead of bounce rate, as Universal Analytics does.

What the change means for you

With the change from Universal Analytics to GA4 comes a shift in how website traffic and app data is tracked. Google is future-proofing its analytics by relying less and less on browser cookies to track user data.

Google has announced that it will stop processing new hits for Universal Analytics properties on July 1, 2023. It will also delete historical data from Universal Analytics in 2023 or early 2024. We are continually monitoring Google’s resources for updates on this changeover.

All Hennessey Digital clients will be migrated to Google Analytics 4 well in advance of the July 2023 deadline. In addition, we will continue to work closely with our Paid Media team to ensure pay-per-click campaigns we manage for clients are linked and that Google Ads accounts are updated appropriately.

The majority of our clients will not be affected by the shift from Universal Analytics to Google Analytics 4. We continually monitor our clients’ analytics to optimize website performance and make adjustments to maximize conversions based on data. Our team will also work with clients between now and next summer to educate clients on how to use GA4 should they want a more hands-on experience.

Our take on the change to Google Analytics 4

Because of the enhanced visibility into lead form submissions that Google Analytics 4 provides, we believe this shift is a positive thing for our clients.

Funnel reporting is more precise with improved editing and control functions. We like that Google Analytics 4 gets a lot more granular efficiently with parameters and breaks form submissions out into their own goals and sets rules to modify events. For example, now we can track lead forms specific to scholarships for our law firm clients. This is something that previously took multiple steps using Universal Analytics/Tag Manager.

Hennessey Digital’s Analytics team diligently follows Google’s resources and announcements on what’s changing, new features and tools, and what’s to come. One of our core principles is “stay nimble; never stop learning,” so we’re always looking to trusted sources to learn how others are successful with these new tools as well. (Optimize Smart is one of our favorites.)

As analysts, our job is to pivot and adapt quickly as we analyze the data. We will continue to follow Google’s announcements about GA4 and update our clients accordingly.

(note: all screenshots and images for this post via Surbhi Kumar)

The post The Shift to Google Analytics 4: What You Need to Know appeared first on Hennessey Digital.

But what if I told you there was a tool that could take you several steps further? Something that could drill down into your organic data, analyze PPC campaigns, and give insights into how people are using your website?

Google Analytics does just that.

As an analyst, I love working in this amazing tool because it tells a rich story with data. And after two years working with our law firm clients, I’ve jotted down the most common questions lawyers have about Google Analytics.

via GIPHY

Why is my traffic dropping?

Our clients want to know what the data in Google Analytics is telling them about their website’s performance, and changes in traffic is a big one to watch.

Google Analytics shows different kinds of traffic drops. To make sense of the changes in website traffic we see in clients’ websites, I’ve divided these into two types: macro drops and micro drops.

Macro drops happen when all site data or a significant section of site traffic is impacted by either backend website changes or search engine updates. Think about it like a drop of Google Analytics code snippet from the site. (If you’re a Hennessey Digital client and you notice this happens, please reach out to your Analytics team immediately.)

Google algorithm changes may also cause macro traffic drops.

Micro drops show traffic fluctuations for only a small subset of data. Examples of micro drops might be paid media traffic dipping after a Google Ads campaign ends or a seasonal keyword trending downward, like “cruise accidents.”

In the screenshot below, we see a Facebook traffic jump and then a drop in the traffic after the campaign was stopped. Because this micro drop in traffic was expected, no further action is needed.

If you can’t identify the reason for a micro drop in your traffic, check for any website changes that may have affected performance. Your digital agency or whomever handles your Google Tag Manager should know where to start.

What are segments?

In simple terms, Google Analytics segments help slice and dice data. The segment conditions help create a subset of data to only show data relevant to your segment condition.

For example, if you wanted to see how to view only traffic coming from the United States, you can create a country segment only to show US data in Google Analytics reporting.

You can also add multiple conditions to a single segment. In the below example, we are including only the Organic traffic medium and US traffic in one segment.

Another useful segment example is New Users versus Returning Users.

You can apply multiple segments to your reporting, as in the below example with both New and Returning User segments.

Is setting goals important for leads?

You might be using a CRM tool to collect lead form data. I highly recommend that clients send their lead form data to Google Analytics and set it up as a goal. This helps to know where lead form traffic is coming from, whether it is organic, your PPC campaign, or social.

Google Analytics also shows how a user found your site and how many times that user visited, clicked, or interacted with your content. User behavior like this is helpful for optimizing your site for conversions.

Note: No, Google Analytics will not display any user’s personal information in their reporting. Google is very strict about collecting personal information in Google Analytics and doing so may result in the cancellation of your account.

Why are so many keywords not provided or not set?

When Google doesn’t want to share the keywords for users coming from organic traffic, it shows as (not provided)/ (not set) in Google Analytics reporting. Tools like Keyword Hero can give you keyword reporting in Google Analytics.

Can I get user data through Google Analytics?

No. Google is very strict about user personal information showing up in Google Analytics reporting. Because of this, we warn clients against storing user information in Google Analytics, either intentionally or by accident.

Obtaining or storing user data may cause Google to delete your Google Analytics account. To avoid any personal information issues, check settings in All Pages, Events, custom dimensions, or custom metrics reports.

The most common issue that happens is personal information getting passed in as URL query parameters, which then shows on the All Pages report – page URL dimension.

What are Google Analytics 4 and Universal Analytics?

Google Analytics 4 is a new kind of property that launched in beta in July 2019. A big advantage of using Google Analytics 4 is that you can use it for a website, an app, or as a website and app together.

By design, Google Analytics 4 is privacy-centric. You can rely on it even as laws change, such as the GDPR in the EU. Restrictions on cookies and identifiers create gaps in your data, but Google Analytics 4 gives you the essential insights to be ready for what’s next.

In contrast to Google Analytics 4, Universal Analytics properties only support websites. Google Analytics 4 uses a single set of consistent metrics and dimensions, making it possible to see integrated reporting across apps and websites.

Google Analytics 4 has machine learning at its core to suggest helpful insights automatically and gives you a complete understanding of your customers across devices and platforms.

More Google Analytics 4 resources

As this Google Analytics FAQ has hopefully shown, there’s a lot to know about Google Analytics 4. Google Support is a great resource for further research and insights into this tool.

Google continues to develop new tools and our team works hard for our clients to anticipate changes and leverage new technology as it becomes available.

The post A Google Analytics FAQ for Lawyers appeared first on Hennessey Digital.

What can it mean for your business?

More clicks, leads, and revenue. (So yeah, CRO is pretty important!)

Getting website visitors to the Thank You page is a big step for our clients, but it’s not a guarantee that a lead will become a signed case or paying customer. Thank You page optimization matters because it transforms a frequently overlooked website page into a secret lead magnet.

Our in-house team of data scientists and analysts help boost conversions on key parts of sites, including the Thank You page.

Thank You (Page), Next

The Thank You page is a perfect opportunity to make a small but meaningful impact on how users remember you. As visitors go about the rest of their day, the Thank you page is the last thing they’ll see on your website.

So how do you optimize your Thank You page to create a memorable experience for visitors?

There are several high-impact, low-effort strategies to increase the ROI of your Thank You page. These strategies help businesses gain trust and brand awareness as well as create opportunities for cross-selling.

The key to the Thank You page is to continue to provide value to visitors. To this end, we’ve rounded up our top tips to maximize the effectiveness of your Thank You page and included some real-world examples.

Tips for Thank You page optimization

Be human

(Here’s a little secret: we’re all really good at this.)

When the Thank You page has a human touch, it helps visitors feel like a part of your brand. We have law firm clients who include videos of their partners and owners with a personal “thank you” message. This goes a long way to establish a connection with people and make your firm or brand memorable.

Photos of your company’s employees and interactive graphics help humanize the page and encourage users to hang out a little longer on your site.

Personalize your Thank You page messages if possible. (We’ve included examples of what this can look like later in this post.)

Spell out next steps

Set clear expectations for what’s next after a user has submitted a lead form or taken the action that brings them to the Thank You page.

Next steps can be communicated through a video or a written checklist and should answer the questions that users may already have. Let visitors know what happens next after they’ve sent their information and provide resources for where they can go if they have questions.

Emphasize commitment and certainty

This tip goes hand-in-hand with the previous tip.

If users are uncertain about what their next steps are, they will also be uncertain about converting from a visitor to a paying customer or qualified lead.

To build certainty and establish authority on your Thank You page,  avoid using terms like “as soon as possible,”  “shortly,” or “soon”  that can come across as noncommittal. Weak language like this can leave users feeling uncertain about their decision, confused on next steps, and ultimately, hesitant to become a paying customer.

We recently helped a client with this by adding a message to their Thank You page that clearly informs visitors about the turnaround time for inquiries. If same-day follow-ups are already something you strive to do, make leads feel prioritized by telling them.

Don’t be afraid to brag a little

Our clients trust us with their business, and we want to keep it that way.

Reassure users who submit their information that they’ve made the right choice by connecting their decision with a desirable outcome. This can be accomplished by adding awards, recognitions, testimonials from previous clients, or successful case verdicts after the Thank You message or video.

Provide “anticipatory content”

After they’ve contacted you, give users something while they wait for someone to reach out.

Are there recent news articles or videos you can share that might persuade them to sign with you and not one of your competitors? Are there informative blog articles that may answer some of their questions?

Try removing the contact form

Use this area for content that benefits the user.

By clearing space, you leave room for content that really matters. A promotion, a video thanking subscribers, or an invitation to follow you on social media helps form a connection between your brand and your customers.

Have a unique URL for the Thank You page

Thank You pages are more than just a confirmation page. Assigning a unique URL to the Thank You page helps you gather more insights into the user journey.

With a unique URL, you can see if they continue their session, visit a blog or FAQs page, or exit from the Thank You page. Basically, it means a new page to provide curated content post conversion that provides you another opportunity to nudge your users further through the sales funnel.

Examples of great real-world Thank You pages

We implement the above strategies in our clients’ Thank You pages and A/B test these elements to maximize conversions. And because inspiration is everywhere, here are some examples of our Thank You page tips at work with names you might recognize.

Be human with personalization

Salesforce uses personalization by referring to the user by name. This makes a powerful statement and helps create a human connection with prospective leads and customers.

Commit to users with clear next steps

Hubspot leaves nothing to the imagination and shows commitment by explaining what happens next. Users know what to expect in the immediate future (24 hours) as well as what will happen in the long term.

Brag using client testimonials

Best Fitness uses testimonials to show that their service really works and to support the users’ decision to reach out.

Leverage anticipatory content

Optimizely includes specific user-based content to nurture the relationship while keeping the user engaged.

And Groove links to their most popular blog articles for users to start exploring while their content is curated specifically for their interests.

Why Thank You page optimization matters

If you’re like our law firm clients, “on-site conversion” is a lead form submission or phone call. And while the user has technically converted, there is still work to be done. This type of conversion is just the first step in the sales process and another way to turn a new lead into a signed case.

For us, the Thank You page content is important because it has the potential to encourage a “converted” user to make that bigger commitment and choose our client instead of going and filling out another lead form on another law firm website.

It’s our job to create an engaging, memorable experience on the Thank You page and to answer any questions the potential client may already have. When we explain what happens next and what to expect while being represented, we can help nurture that lead—and put money in our clients’ pockets.

Get creative, test, and learn

In general, a “good” website conversion rate is around 3-4%. Conversion rates are impacted by a multitude of factors including page speed, messaging, contact forms, sign-up pages, and more.

Here is a short list of items for you to consider as you begin your optimization journey. When you’re testing, analyzing, and iterating on your site, remember to apply these efforts to the Thank You page as well:

• Long-form versus short-form content
• Landing page copy
• Calls to action
• Page layout, colors, and design elements
• Navigation organization
• Mobile-specific user experience (UX)
• Personalization

Each of these elements should be tested if possible. If traffic concerns prevent you from testing, do your best to collect data, analyze your results, and make a data-driven decision before implementing any changes. (Basically, don’t just guess.)

Your Thank You page and your website are specific to your business and your brand. As mentioned before, these tips aren’t a “one size fits all” solution, so keep testing and improving elements to see what works for you.

Happy optimizing, friends!

The post Why Thank You Page Optimization Matters appeared first on Hennessey Digital.