A couple of weeks ago, Ayrora wrote an article about successful online communication and interaction, covering the idea from the perspective of her developing amateur site. Today, I want to take a look at a simple way in which communication with your visitors can increase sales.
"Tell Them What To Do Next!" This is what is known in direct marketing circles as the "call to action." It describes a process as simple as it sounds: if you want someone to do something, then tell them specifically what you want them to do, and how to do it! This is the foundation of one-on-one direct marketing, yet it is often overlooked in the online adult entertainment industry. Maybe this happens because Webmasters do not understand the need for, nor process of, communicating with their site's visitors. This is one attitude that will need to change however if you wish to profit in today's market.
Two Magic Words
Why do you think that adding a text link under (or over) a banner usually helps the click-through rate (CTR) so much? While the banner may feature an attractive image combined with a "pulling" color scheme, adding the text "CLICK HERE for _____" will often make a substantial difference, and will do so because you TOLD the prospect to take a specific action; which in this case was to "Click Here!"
Using these two magic words on all banners, links, "alt" tags, etc. will help you to send traffic to your sponsors, since you will be telling the prospect exactly what you want him to do, rather than relying on his psychic abilities to guess your intentions. You may think that everyone knows that banners are meant to be clicked, but that assumption is a serious mistake, especially when you consider that "newbies" are the users most likely to actually join a pay site.
"An Exegesis On Ancient Grimoire"
My apologies to "Inspector Morse," but I always loved that sentence, and have looked for a use for it since first hearing it several years ago. And what a use I have, as I am now going to reveal to you one of the most "magical" words in the marketing wizard's spell book: "NOW!"
If telling visitors WHAT to do is so important, then can telling him WHEN to do it be any less so? I think not, and an analysis of my typical CTR can prove it. While I could have simply named the previous section "Three Magic Words" — the addition of the word "NOW!" is so important that it deserves special consideration.
Use of the word "now" is not only a specific temporal indicator of the timeframe you had in mind when commanding the prospect to take the action you desire, but capitalization as well as the coup de grace exclamation point, add a sense of urgency to your demand that really will incite more visitors to click on your banner! I'm sure that many of you will think that this is just common sense...
I'm sure that many of you will think that this is just common sense, and others will think that the addition of three little words to their links will make no difference at all. All I can say is try it yourself and see! ~ Stephen
