Going along with creating successful landing pages that will increase your conversion rate is a tool by Google that will help collect data to measure this. The Google Website Optimizer is what they call an A/B/n tool. This stands for the comparison of web page version A to web page version B, and n stands for C, D, E, etc.. This tool is used to compare one web page to another and have real life users make decisions on the actual web page. They get a chance to make a conversion decision on different web page hypothesis and have their data represented accurately.
How it works is you provide two or more different web designs to Google and the tool unknowingly displays these different versions to the visitors, and like Google Analytics it tracks what they are doing on your page, and measures the conversion rate of all of the different pages. This way you will then have tangible data to compare and help make a better decision as to which version to use.
Using the WiderFunnel LIFT model as I previously described can help create better web page version hypothesis that will ideally provide you with better conversion rates. This way you can use the Goggle Website Optimizer between the best overall pages to come up with the best web page with the most optimal conversion rate.
Showing posts with label website design. Show all posts
Showing posts with label website design. Show all posts
Apr 21, 2010
The WidedFunnel LIFT
Using a search engine like Google to yield results on how to increase your conversion rate leads you to two separate types of web page design education; one which talks about specific tips to help your web site’s conversion rate, and another is a different set of pages all together which talk about detailed models to implement in order to do the same. The primary distinction is that the models help to develop valid test hypothesis (new web site designs of current pages) by using a structured methodology.
The methodology I'll talk about specifically is called the WiderFunnel LIFT Model, which stands for the Landing Page Influence Function for Tests. WiderFunnel is a marketing optimization design team that uses this self-created LIFT model as well as the “proprietary closed-loop, scaleable, continuous-improvement process to execute Conversion Optimization” called the Kaizen Method as a strategy for their clients.
The WiderFunnel LIFT model was published in a blog article on the WiderFunnel web site on March 16th, 2009. At the beginning of the article WiderFunnel claims to have lifted each of their clients’ conversion rates by at least 10%, all the way up to 277%. This is a lofty claim, but if proved to be true shows the real possibility and power of using a specific model like the LIFT model to help aid in your web design process. WiderFunnel states that a true methodology is better than plain tips as most web sites provide for help with web design and conversion rates. The WiderFunnel LIFT model is made up of six conversion factors: Urgency, Clarity, Relevance, Distraction, Anxiety, and Value Proposition. The WiderFunnel website is found here.
The methodology I'll talk about specifically is called the WiderFunnel LIFT Model, which stands for the Landing Page Influence Function for Tests. WiderFunnel is a marketing optimization design team that uses this self-created LIFT model as well as the “proprietary closed-loop, scaleable, continuous-improvement process to execute Conversion Optimization” called the Kaizen Method as a strategy for their clients.
The WiderFunnel LIFT model was published in a blog article on the WiderFunnel web site on March 16th, 2009. At the beginning of the article WiderFunnel claims to have lifted each of their clients’ conversion rates by at least 10%, all the way up to 277%. This is a lofty claim, but if proved to be true shows the real possibility and power of using a specific model like the LIFT model to help aid in your web design process. WiderFunnel states that a true methodology is better than plain tips as most web sites provide for help with web design and conversion rates. The WiderFunnel LIFT model is made up of six conversion factors: Urgency, Clarity, Relevance, Distraction, Anxiety, and Value Proposition. The WiderFunnel website is found here.
Today's Web 2.0
In today’s Web 2.0 world things are a lot different than they were when the first website was considered to be published almost twenty years ago. In 1991 Tim Berners-Lee was the first to combine Internet communication of that time (both email and Usenet) with the early days of hypertext (which soon became HTML) (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Web_design). As web design and the Web itself further progressed I remember the first web page I created in elementary school, and how I was jealous of pages online who were using table layouts for frames. By the time I picked up web design in high school (at the Livonia Career center) and actually learned how to use tables correctly, it was no longer the norm. The World Wide Web had moved on the bigger and better things such as Macromedia Flash, Cascading Style Sheets, and JavaScript.
With the advancement in web browsers over the last few years; including the redistribution of the web browser market share, and the increasing browser support of W3C’s Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (which includes recommendations on everything from HTML, CSS, DOM, to XML), the World Wide Web has changed. Now in the Web 2.0 world web design has began to become a science based on statistics and real life testing, and has started to stray from fancy web design and all-flash websites. Web designers are now focused in making web sites with a clear purpose, and using this clarity to increase website conversion rates: the process of getting users to do what you want them to on your website.
This can be different for each site. Some sites may want users to simply join their product mailing list; others may want you to register for a specific web-based product or actually order their real life product and have it shipped to your house. Whatever the purpose may be, there is now specific data that has been collected which leads to a certain set of criteria each web designer should now try and implement into their web sites to increase their conversion rate.
With the advancement in web browsers over the last few years; including the redistribution of the web browser market share, and the increasing browser support of W3C’s Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (which includes recommendations on everything from HTML, CSS, DOM, to XML), the World Wide Web has changed. Now in the Web 2.0 world web design has began to become a science based on statistics and real life testing, and has started to stray from fancy web design and all-flash websites. Web designers are now focused in making web sites with a clear purpose, and using this clarity to increase website conversion rates: the process of getting users to do what you want them to on your website.
This can be different for each site. Some sites may want users to simply join their product mailing list; others may want you to register for a specific web-based product or actually order their real life product and have it shipped to your house. Whatever the purpose may be, there is now specific data that has been collected which leads to a certain set of criteria each web designer should now try and implement into their web sites to increase their conversion rate.
Dec 15, 2009
Basic Web Design
I know we are almost finished with this class but here are some key points for designing websites in the future, of course containing mashups. Impressive, well laid out, fast loading and easy to use are all terms that describe a perfect website design. In order to attract a prospective visitor and maintain their interest in your site, it is vital to think about why users go there. The homepage is a customers first opportunity to form an immediate opinion about your website and determine whether or not they want to proceed any further. The main objective should be to design a webpage that is not only appealing to the eye, but also is easy to use.
Usually a homepage allows visitors to perform one of several different functions which may include reading the news, searching for information, watching videos or buying products. If you have too many links a customer can become easily overwhelmed and decide to abandon your site and search for another. One option to address that problem would be to use drop down menus which appear in a much cleaner format. Using "calls to action" through images, buttons or text links will also help a customer to easily navigate their way through your website. One of the key points to remember is that "less is more," when it comes to choosing font styles. In order to improve readability and add a sense of professionalism to your webpage design try not to incorporate more than three different font sizes.
Color is also another very important part of webpage design. Depending on what you are trying to project to your audience, webpages can contain many different colors. While designing our website, VacatioNation, we chose to apply the aqua blue color which normally projects the feeling of restfulness, relaxation and calmness and fits perfectly when thinking of vacations.
Color is also another very important part of webpage design. Depending on what you are trying to project to your audience, webpages can contain many different colors. While designing our website, VacatioNation, we chose to apply the aqua blue color which normally projects the feeling of restfulness, relaxation and calmness and fits perfectly when thinking of vacations.
This was just a brief overview of the many different options you may want to incorporate into your own website design that will improve the functionality and enhance the overall look. There are also plenty of website tutorials online that may aid in the development of your next website.
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