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Recent experiments reveal 2 common design mistakes can kill microsite conversion rates Many marketers agree microsites, in general, are an effective approach to connect prospects with a specific offer or product line. However, the process of designing a microsite uncovers many questions as it relates to ensuring an ROI: • How many different audiences can I really serve? • What is the optimal number of products/offers I can show? • Is it possible to have too much design or copy? • How should the microsite connect to the overall sales funnel? In this Web clinic, Flint McGlaughlin, Managing Director, MECLABS, will uncover recent research revealing two often overlooked design decisions that have a significant impact on a microsite’s conversion rate potential. **PLUS: Live Optimization** To help you apply the research covered during the Web clinic, time will be reserved for live
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Converting Free Trials to Paid Customers:
How the right message at the right time generated a 68% lift in free trial conversion
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4
TODAY’S PRESENTER
Dr. Flint McGlaughlin – Managing Director, MECLABS
Flint McGlaughlin is the Managing Director of MECLABS Group. The organization has partnered with key market leaders including The New York Times, Microsoft Corporation, and Reuters Group.
Dr. McGlaughlin also serves as the Director of Enterprise Research at the Transforming Business Institute, University of Cambridge (UK), as the Chairman of the Board of Governors for St. Stephen’s University, and as a Trustee for Westminster Theological Centre. Dr. McGlaughlin originally studied Philosophy and Theology at the University of London’s Specialist Jesuit College.
Today, his primary research is focused on enterprise as transformative agent. His work has won multiple awards and has been quoted in more than 13,000 online and offline sources.
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An Experiment
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EXPERIMENT SERIES: BACKGROUND
Background: An online, do-it-yourself website creation and team management software for sports coaches, parents, and league administrators
Goal: To increase free-trial conversions and post free-trial upgrades
Common Research Question: Which page will yield the greatest revenue per visitor?
Common Test Design: A/B Variable Cluster test
Experiment ID: TP1420, TP1508-9, TP1512 Record Location: MECLABS Research LibraryResearch Partner: [Protected]
Research Notes:
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EXPERIMENT SERIES: BACKGROUND
Free Trial Timeline
During Free Trial After Free Trial
End of Free Trial
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EXPERIMENT SERIES: BACKGROUND
During Free Trial After Free Trial
End of Free Trial
Free Trial Timeline
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PRE-EXPIRATION: CONTROL
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PRE-EXPIRATION: CONTROL
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PRE-EXPIRATION: TREATMENT
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PRE-EXPIRATION: TREATMENT
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PRE-EXPIRATION: TREATMENT
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PRE-EXPIRATION: SIDE-BY-SIDE
Version A Version B
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PRE-EXPIRATION: RESULTS
Design Conv. Rate Revenue/Visit
Version A 6.37% $2.69
Version B 7.55% $4.51
Relative Difference 18.43% 67.6%
68% Increase in Trial Conversion Revenue/VisitThe treatment page increased free trial conversion revenue per visit by 67.6%
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EXPERIMENT SERIES: BACKGROUND
During Free Trial After Free Trial
End of Free Trial
Free Trial Timeline
68%
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AT-EXPIRATION: CONTROL
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AT-EXPIRATION: TREATMENT
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AT-EXPIRATION: TREATMENT
Keep using limited basic
Note: This link only appears when the checkbox above is selected by the user
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AT-EXPIRATION: SIDE-BY-SIDE
Control Treatment
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AT-EXPIRATION: RESULTS
Design Conv. Rate Revenue/Visit
Version A 8.74% $5.65
Version B 12.48% $6.50
Relative Difference 42.77% 15.13%
43% Increase in Trial ConversionsThe treatment page increased free trial conversions by 42.77%
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EXPERIMENT SERIES: BACKGROUND
During Free Trial After Free Trial
End of Free Trial
Free Trial Timeline
68%
43%
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AFTER-EXPIRATION: CONTROL
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AFTER-EXPIRATION: TREATMENT
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AFTER-EXPIRATION: SIDE-BY-SIDE
Control Treatment
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AFTER-EXPIRATION: RESULTS
Design Conv. Rate Revenue/Visit
Version A 1.74% $1.06
Version B 3.69% $3.21
Relative Difference 112.1% 202.6%
203% Increase in upgrade revenue per visitThe treatment page increased upgrade revenue per visit by 202.6%
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EXPERIMENT SERIES: BACKGROUND
During Free Trial After Free Trial
End of Free Trial
Free Trial Timeline
68%
43%
203%
In sum, the complete test series increased total free-trial conversion revenue by 63% and average order value by 27%
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Why do free trials work? When are they most effective?
KEY QUESTION
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FKey Principles
1. As we have said elsewhere1, our goal as marketers is to “build” cognitive momentum. We are not simply building marketing campaigns, but rather mental velocity.
2. However, there are certain offers in which the potential cognitive momentum built in the marketing channels and/or website is limited. In these cases, it takes an experience of the product to clearly understand the value of the product enough to overcome the inherent resistance.
WHY DO FREE TRIALS WORK
1. Reducing Cart Abandonment (Web Clinic), MarketingExperiments, June 20, 2013Page Templates that Work (Web Clinic), MarketingExperiments, July 5, 2013
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Velocity Needed for Conversion
Marketing Channels Website
Product Trial Call-to-Action
Conversion Experience Progression
Co
gnit
ive
Ve
loci
ty
Marketing Channels WebsiteCall-to-Action
PATH 2:
PATH 1:
PATH 1 does not include a free trial
PATH 2 integrates a free trial
THE POTENTIAL OF PRODUCT TRIALS
ConversionGap
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WHY DO FREE TRIALS WORK
• However, as we saw in the previous case study, simply adding a product trial will not produce the cognitive momentum required for conversion without a proper messaging strategy.
40%
30%
67%
Original Free Trial Messaging
vs. optimized
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Today, we are going to walk through 4 key principles we learned from this series of tests about the messaging
surrounding a free product trial
TODAY’S FOCUS
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PRINCIPLE #1:
Sustain Value
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In the control…
• Expired features are only given single-line text descriptions
• A text call to action link is used
PRINCIPLE 1: SUSTAIN VALUE
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PRINCIPLE 1: SUSTAIN VALUE
In the treatment…
• An interstitial with more space to sell is created
• Existing text is inserted and additional bullets are added to clarify value
• Images are added to also clarify value
• The call to action is larger, sequenced
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PRINCIPLE 1: SUSTAIN VALUE
The treatments also increase value force by three types of content adjustments…
1. Evidence
2. Explanation
3. Inspiration
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PRINCIPLE #2:Leverage Urgency
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In the control…
• The copy does not clearly communicate an immediate loss
• The call to action position and copy encourages someone to choose Basic
PRINCIPLE 2: LEVERAGE URGENCY
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In the treatment…
• Copy emphasizes the loss in a point-first written style
• The call to action setup and copy communicate a clear expectation for a non-upgrade decision
PRINCIPLE 2: LEVERAGE URGENCY
Keep using limited basic
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PRINCIPLE #3:Anticipate Concerns
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• In the control, visitors discover that they can’t access their data and there is no copy addressing what has happened to it
PRINCIPLE 3: ANTICIPATE CONCERNS
They expect this…And get this instead…
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• In the treatment, anxiety reducing copy is inserted in close proximity to the call to action to reassure expired users that data and functionality will come back immediately
PRINCIPLE 3: ANTICIPATE CONCERNS
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PRINCIPLE #4:Layer Incentive
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• In the control, there is additional reason to upgrade at the time of expiration
PRINCIPLE 4: LAYER INCENTIVE
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• In the treatment, a special one-time incentive is presented as a thank you at the time of expiration
PRINCIPLE 4: LAYER INCENTIVE
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PRINCPLE #1: Sustain value
PRINCPLE #2: Leverage urgency
PRINCIPLE #3: Anticipate concerns
PRINCIPLE #4: Layer incentive
SUMMARY: 4 KEY PRINCIPLES FOR CONVERTING TRIALS
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Live Optimization
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Joe PulizziFounder
Content Marketing Institute
KEYNOTE SPEAKERS
Flint McGlaughlinManaging Director and CEO
MECLABS
Visit MECLABS.com/LGKeynote
Ninan ChackoCEO
PR Newswire
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MECLABS conducts rigorous experiments in the new science of optimization. We apply our discoveries to help leaders optimize the financial performance of their sales and marketing programs.
Learn more about how you may be a fit for a MECLABS research partnership:
• Select Research Partnership Opportunities on the post-webinar survey
• Contact us [email protected]
How To Apply for a Research Partnership
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Live Optimization
Primary objective(s):Trial conversion and sales conversion
Primary audience:People interested in learning a new language
URL:http://bit.ly/14dXRpZ
Memolife
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Arbor Day Foundation
Live Optimization
Primary objective(s):Convert to free trial
Primary audience:Businesses shopping for wholesale coffee
URL:http://bit.ly/13vz6hO
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Live Optimization
Primary objective(s):Convert viewers to sign up for a free account
Primary audience:Job seekers and recruiters
URL:http://bit.ly/1aT2EMC
Joberator.com
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Log My Calls
Live Optimization
Primary objective(s):Lead Generation
Primary audience:Businesses searching for call tracking software
URL:http://bit.ly/12BTS5p
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Live OptimizationCisco – WebEx
Primary objective(s):Customer enrollment
Primary audience:Businesses hosting virtual meetings
URL:http://bit.ly/17bBQ63
