From Curious to Client: How to Convert Your Blog Traffic & Collect Leads
You’ve got your mental health blog up, you’re sharing it up to high heaven, and you’re getting some web traffic. Yesss! Good on you.
But also, if you’re like most people, after a few short months you’re so discouraged, you’re hanging up your blog-writing-hat and quitting.
But here’s a word of advice: DON’T DO IT!
It’s not just you who reaches this stage; there are many reasons why blogs fail to make a notable impact in your digital marketing strategy.
One such reason is content. If your blog isn’t bringing you more appointments and sales, you have to take a critical eye to it.
I know, I know. You put so much work in already and now you have to do more?
To be fair, your content may be grammatically pristine with punctuation in all the right places and perfect (insert chef’s kiss) metaphors. But the problem is it may not be the kind of content that leads to sales. Money. Paid bills. Your next vacation. The pending remodel and new car. You name it.
Remember: you’re not writing for yourself; you’re writing for your target audience. They’re only on your site because they need your mental health and mindset expertise. They need content that speaks to their weary souls.
Content that feels like a light at the end of their tunnel.
So, with that in mind, let’s take a quick peek into the world of blog conversions. If you’re not in love with marketing, don’t let your eyes glaze over now. Stay with me. I’ll keep it interesting.
What Even Is Conversion On A Website?
Conversion is like playing fortune teller and watching your web visitors take pre-determined action you foresaw.
But flutter your fingers over a crystal ball all you want (sounds kind of fun, honestly) — there’s no real mystery here. Conversion is just the direct result of careful strategizing. (Perhaps not as interesting as a crystal ball, but certainly more reliable.)
Ultimately, the percentage of people who complete a desired action on your website defines your conversion rate.
For example, if 100 people visited your website and 10 of them signed up for your newsletter, you have a 10% conversion rate. Ah, simple math. Anything more complex than this and my eyes glaze over. Just kidding. Kind of.
Okay, back to it.
There are multiple types of conversions. And if you like control as much as I do, you’ll like this next bit. You’re the one who determines which action your site visitor takes.
You designate the action based on which webpage they’re on. Let’s bring this concept home with a couple of conversion examples:
Form Completion
This one is ideal for clients who are serious about taking that next step toward therapy or coaching. They’ve reached their wit’s end and they’re at that jumping off point. They’re sick and tired of doing it alone. These people are ready to tell you why they need you and they’ll be anxiously awaiting your reply.
So, what do you use to convert? An online intake form with appointment setting and payment capabilities. Do you offer a free consult? Skip the payment portion or make it optional.
Keep the questions pointed and you’ll have everything you need by the time their appointment date rolls around.
Opt-Ins
Opt-ins let you play with the law of reciprocity.
A little quid pro quo, if you will.
Here, you promise to deliver a little something in exchange for an email address.
It could be a weekly newsletter with zesty copy that’s consistently packed with tips and insights on mental health and mindset. It could be a mini-course that delivers a coaxing summary of your more in-depth paid course. It could even be a discount coupon for first-time clients.
With an email address, you can work on additional conversions, which include visits to landing pages, regular visits to new blog content, direct sales, and whatever new and exciting service you’re offering!
Button Clicks
You can funnel your audience toward a sale by enticing them with a blurb about a hot topic and having them click a “Learn More” button. Think of it as a scavenger hunt and make the next step fun and exciting so when they get to that “Learn More” button, they’re eager.
Go ahead, lead them off to a more colorful webpage that has an extensive, captivating description of a specific service or product. Here, you can keep their interest with powerful copy and top off their website tour with an irresistible call-to-action (CTA) that brings you a direct sale.
When your audience is following the breadcrumbs you’ve laid out, your conversions are working.
Content Sharing
Getting someone to share your content is a conversion. Make it easy for them with social media sharing options right on your blog.
And! We can all be forgetful and in our own heads a lot so offer a friendly reminder to share the blog. So long as your content is full of value, it’s pretty much a given they’ll share all the good stuff with their friends and fam.
Seriously — don’t forget to ask them to share. This part is so often overlooked, and it really makes a huge difference.
Okay Cool, So, What Is the Average Blog Conversion Rate? (And How Do You Measure Up?)
If you don’t know where you stand, you don’t know which direction to move.
And then there you are, all awkward in the middle of nowhere humming songs to yourself. Just me?
You could be thinking you’re totally killing it and then take a look at your conversion rates and realize there’s room for growth. On the other hand, you could be feeling defeated and realize HEY! — You’re really doing something here!
Blog conversion rates vary by industry, but Unbounce, an established marketing publication, listed 4.02%[1] as the average conversion for pages focused on a conversion, like landing pages and blogs. WordStream, an online advertising platform, notes that conversion averages range between 2% and 4%.[2] Above those percentages, you’re moving into all-star status.
But Wait. Are You Getting Traffic And No Conversions?
First of all, don’t sweat it. It happens!
Stick around because I’m here to pump up your confidence. Below, I’ve included some suggestions to help you increase your blog conversions:
Check for Inadvertent Barriers to Conversion
You know how when you’re too close to something, you can miss the most glaring details? That’s why a second pair of eyes is so helpful! Look at your blog content carefully. Or ask a friend. (Or ask me! I’m always looking for opportunities to be helpful!)
First, check to be sure your opening paragraph is related to your blog title. Nobody likes clickbait — even though it gets us all. Clickbait feels frustrating and discouraging and people are likely to bounce off the page if you’re not keeping your content on the promised topic.
Did you plaster your blog with CTAs and now it’s making it feel chaotic? Of course you want to convert but page layovers plus side bars plus mid-read pop-ups can make your visitors feel bombarded and annoyed.
Know what the available strategies are but avoid using them all at once.
Did you incorporate outbound links that take visitors away from your web page? Sometimes, to substantiate your content, you link out to other web pages.
But here’s a tip: add superscripts! This way, your visitors can get through your content first before being presented with outbound links.
Think of it this way: your visitors are coming over to get to know you through your content. It’s your digital living room/waiting area.
They want to feel seen, welcomed, and comfortable. Pour them a digital cup of tea and fluff their virtual pillows. Make it so your blog elicits all those good feelings that make someone want to stick around.
Get Creative with CTA Placement
There are several types of readers who visit your blog:
1) the skimmer
2) the deep diver
3) the scanner
The skimmer is checking out your content quickly, looking at your headers and reading only the sentences or paragraphs that pique his interest. The deep diver is reading from beginning to end and is truly interested in learning about the topic you present. Finally, the scanner is looking for a specific answer to a question and will zero in on a single sentence or paragraph once he’s found it.
So, if you consider these types of readers, you can deviate from placing all your CTAs at the bottom of the page, where the skimmer and scanner may miss them. Try an overlay once they’re on the page or get a side bar that stays in line with your reader’s eyes.
What Are Other Blog Conversion Techniques?
Keep Content Value-Centered
You’ve probably whittled down your audience to a certain type of person.
Some coaches focus on women entrepreneurs, some therapists focus on trauma and addiction recovery.
Make sure your blogs are written for the person you’re targeting — you know their lingo and your blog is where you incorporate it. Give them tips, insight, or share a case study that motivates and inspires.
This is the kind of content that keeps them engaged and looking forward to connecting with you.
Try A/B Testing
If you’re trying different ideas, you may not be sure which ones are actually working.
And considering that’s the most important part of trying out new strategies, we have to fix that – stat!
Luckily, HubSpot, an inbound marketing software developing company, has put together a handy dandy Complete A/B Testing Kit. Save this total steal for study time later!
Conversions allow you to be creative and put you in the driver’s seat of your content’s flow. But if you don’t have enough time to dig in and practice these techniques, it’s probably time you hire a copywriter to help you get more done in less time.
If you’re over trying to do it all on your own, I get it. And I’m here. Let me know how I can help or let me know you’re on the brink of losing it (been there!) — either way, I’ll answer the call and we’ll get you on track.
[1] https://unbounce.com/average-conversion-rates-landing-pages/
[2] https://www.wordstream.com/blog/ws/2014/03/17/what-is-a-good-conversion-rate#:~:text=About%201%2F4%20of%20all,%E2%80%93%205.31%25%20%2D%20or%20greater.Complete A/B Testing KitComplete A/B Testing KitComplete A/B Testing KitComplete A/B Testing KitComplete A/B Testing KitComplete A/B Testing Kit
