Before creating a web conversion optimization strategy, the first step for marketers is to detect and eliminate typical obstacles to digital readiness. Then the SiriusDecisions’ WCO framework can be used to plan and measure the impact of activities that attract, engage and qualify targeted prospects.
During a recent webcast, Matt Papertsian and Jen Horton of SiriusDecisions’ Demand Creation Strategies service demonstrated our Web Conversion Optimization (WCO) Framework for leveraging Web properties to drive demand.
Before creating a WCO strategy, noted Matt, the first step for marketers is to detect and eliminate typical obstacles to digital readiness, including:
Obstacle 1: Lack of familiarity with digital tools. Marketers must determine how best to get their message out to buyers. For example, measure the degree to which tactics are responded to by target audiences (e.g. views, impressions, followers, position), as well as the rate of conversion, acceleration and database growth.
Obstacle 2: Lack of alignment with buyer needs and preferences. To attract buyers, populate the digital environment with content that tells a compelling story, tailoring the message to address the buyer’s pain points, as well as his or her position in the buyer’s journey. Make sure content is adapted to many formats to fit the needs of buyer preferences (e.g. blogs, online chat, mobile ads, webinars, email nurture). To accomplish this, a content strategy that includes specific objectives, buyer alignment, activation and measurement is required.
Obstacle 3: Lack of marketing program and technology integration. By linking programs and technology, marketers can begin building an online environment that provides more useful information. There are two sides to this equation: Figuring out what the buyer needs and fulfilling these needs, then continually analyzing buyer behaviors and feedback to more closely meet buyer needs while improving results for marketers. Integrate core technologies such as Web content management, marketing automation, Web analytics and CRM to enable targeted offer and content delivery, dynamic and progressive visitor profiling, optimized Web, landing page and microsite design, more granular testing, activity tracking, lead scoring and more.
Obstacle 4: Inability to track, segment, test and measure interactions. If you cannot measure the results of online efforts, you can’t very well demonstrate impact or make improvements. Matt suggests that the use of testing is critical to determine buyer needs and preferences. To support testing, marketers should engage in “deal forensics” – deconstructing deals to determine what real-life buyers actually do. Use this data to test new prospects to improve both the content and program strategies to align with the buyer’s need, identify any content gaps and optimize the tactic mix.
Once these obstacles are overcome, the WCO framework can be used to plan and measure the impact of activities that attract, engage and qualify targeted prospects. “To systematically drive digital demand,” Matt concluded, “marketers must change their strategies, integrate technologies and in some cases acquire new technologies and skills in order to define and execute a digital strategy that aligns to the information requirements of targeted buyers.”
