Today, we live in a world that is not satisfied with craftily designed websites or responsive user interfaces. We now look into converting all those generated leads into something more tangible, be it a sale, a download, or profit. To gauge how effective a website’s landing pages are at reaching this objective, business owners - or their marketing departments _ must focus on conversion optimization. This means keeping tabs on a landing page's metrics and employing methods such as A/B testing.
Despite the technical-sounding terms, conversion optimization isn’t hard. Here are 10 tools to make it easy:
1. Unbounce
Site: http://unbounce.com/
Cost: $49 per month for Starter subscription, or FREE with Unbounce branding.
Tired of waiting for your IT department to finish a couple of landing pages for A/B testing? Try Unbounce. Through its handy drag-and-drop landing page creator and A/B Test Centre, website owners can create multiple versions of a landing page in minutes. And since Unbounce automatically tracks leads generated from each page, it’s easy to spot which version is more effective.
Need more functionality? Unbounce also offers integration with popular web apps, such as Google Analytics, KISSmetrics, and Salesforce.
2. Instapage
Site: https://www.instapage.com/
Cost: $29 per month for Basic subscription, or FREE with Instapage branding.
An alternative to Unbounce would be Instapage, which also offers a landing page creator and A/B testing features. It also features integration with Twitter, Wordpress, and Facebook. With its Basic subscription available at the fraction of the cost, it's a great option for those who are on a tight budget.
3. Optimizely
Site: https://www.optimizely.com
Cost: FREE Starter subscription, or Paid Enterprise subscription option.
Want to run A/B tests on an existing webpage instead of a dedicated landing page? Then Optimizely is for you.
This tool enables website owners to make minor changes that can improve performance, whether for web, iOS, or Android. Users simply have to submit the URL of the page to be modified to make a variety of changes, such as resizing, rearranging, and even removing existing page elements.
The best thing about this tool? It's free. Of course, those who opt for the paid Enterprise subscription do get more features. These include cross-browser testing, geo-targeting options, and phone support.
4. Crazy Egg
Site: https://www.crazyegg.com
Cost: 30-day FREE trial period, Basic subscription at $9 per month.
Before making any changes to an existing page, it helps to know which parts of a site most visitors engage with. This is where "eye-tracking" tools such as Crazy Egg enter the picture. With a wide range of reports to choose from, this tool can help website owners get actionable data to base their decisions on.
Reports on Crazy Egg include heat maps, which marks the parts of the page where most clicks occur; and scroll maps, which show how far visitors scroll down a page. These reports are also available for multiple domains.
5. Convert Experiments
Site: http://www.convert.com/
Cost: $26 per month for Self-Service Accounts.
Employ conversion optimization techniques without writing with a single line of code by using Convert Experiments. It employs seamless integration with a number of ecommerce platforms (Magento and Shopify), analytics tools (Google Analytics and KISSmetrics), and content management systems (Drupal and Joomla) to make testing easier.
6. Visual Website Optimizer (VWO)
Site: https://vwo.com/
Cost: Startup plans at $49 a month, FREE trial.
VWO makes the claim that it's the world's easiest A/B testing tool. With the range of features it has on offer, that claim does have merit. One of its touted functionalities include multivariate testing, which is the ability to test hundreds of changes at once. Other features, such as click analytics, can't be found bundled with other A/B testing web apps.
All plans include unlimited domains, campaigns, and changes.
7. ion Interactive Landing Page Optimizer
Site: http://www.ioninteractive.com/the-interactive-content-software-platform/
Cost: $28,840 per year for DIY solution, inclusive of unlimited use of platform
Out of all the tools presented here, the ion platform is the most expensive. Its price is justified, however, because it goes a step beyond the largely static landing forms that the other web apps on this list offer.
As its name suggests, the ion platform enables users to create interactive content. These include quizzes, custom calculators, interactive infographics, assessment tools, and more. All these can be created without writing a single line of code. This platform also offers the tools to measure the effectiveness of each piece of interactive content.
8. Content Experiments on Google Analytics
Site: http://analytics.google.com
Cost: FREE
The best things in life aren’t always free. But when it comes to conversion optimization, one of the finest tools out there is simply bundled into a free Google Analytics account.
This tool can help website owners compare the performance of different web pages based on specific objectives. Features include email updates on ongoing tests and even an option to test different app screens.
To access Content Experiments, simply click the Reporting tab on the left menu, and then click Behavior. The Experiments tool is filed under this category.
9. PPC Advisor by Wordstream
Site: http://www.wordstream.com/landing-page-optimization
Cost: $199 per month for a monthly search spend of up to $2,500.
No discussion of conversion optimization is complete without a mention of WordStream's PPC Advisor. Based on their 20 Minute PPC Workweek framework, the platform seamlessly combines a DIY approach with expert resources. This means that business owners - who may not necessarily be experts in paid search - can optimize their webpages with minimum effort.
Looking to try something out for free? Check out WordStream's AdWords Landing Page Grader, which connects securely to the campaign's Google AdWords account.
10. Kickofflabs
Site: http://kickofflabs.com/
Cost: $29 per month for Starter subscription, FREE plan with Instapage branding.
Like Instapage and Unbounce, Kickofflabs also offers an easy landing page builder and A/B split testing. However, what sets it apart is its Viral Boost Referrals system, which helps website owners incentivize referrals.
How does this system work? First, the customer, let’s name him Bob, needs to sign up on the landing page. On the Thank You page connected to the landing page, Bob will be able to see social sharing or email buttons with a special referrer provided by Kickofflabs. Bob will then be able to share these links and, like an affiliate program, earn through the people who sign up through that special referrer link. Bob can then earn rewards based on the number of people he/she has referred. Pretty nifty for an A/B tester.
By using any of these 10 conversion optimization tools, webmasters will surely have access to the data they need to improve their landing pages. That said, it will also boil down to what they decide to do with the data that will spell success for their site. Also if you're building your website and you don't have any knowledge in html5 coding and programming. Here's a html 5 cheat sheet that you can use http://websitesetup.org/html5-cheat-sheet/
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Despite the technical-sounding terms, conversion optimization isn’t hard. Here are 10 tools to make it easy:
1. Unbounce
Site: http://unbounce.com/
Cost: $49 per month for Starter subscription, or FREE with Unbounce branding.
Tired of waiting for your IT department to finish a couple of landing pages for A/B testing? Try Unbounce. Through its handy drag-and-drop landing page creator and A/B Test Centre, website owners can create multiple versions of a landing page in minutes. And since Unbounce automatically tracks leads generated from each page, it’s easy to spot which version is more effective.
Need more functionality? Unbounce also offers integration with popular web apps, such as Google Analytics, KISSmetrics, and Salesforce.
2. Instapage
Site: https://www.instapage.com/
Cost: $29 per month for Basic subscription, or FREE with Instapage branding.
An alternative to Unbounce would be Instapage, which also offers a landing page creator and A/B testing features. It also features integration with Twitter, Wordpress, and Facebook. With its Basic subscription available at the fraction of the cost, it's a great option for those who are on a tight budget.
3. Optimizely
Site: https://www.optimizely.com
Cost: FREE Starter subscription, or Paid Enterprise subscription option.
Want to run A/B tests on an existing webpage instead of a dedicated landing page? Then Optimizely is for you.
This tool enables website owners to make minor changes that can improve performance, whether for web, iOS, or Android. Users simply have to submit the URL of the page to be modified to make a variety of changes, such as resizing, rearranging, and even removing existing page elements.
The best thing about this tool? It's free. Of course, those who opt for the paid Enterprise subscription do get more features. These include cross-browser testing, geo-targeting options, and phone support.
4. Crazy Egg
Site: https://www.crazyegg.com
Cost: 30-day FREE trial period, Basic subscription at $9 per month.
Before making any changes to an existing page, it helps to know which parts of a site most visitors engage with. This is where "eye-tracking" tools such as Crazy Egg enter the picture. With a wide range of reports to choose from, this tool can help website owners get actionable data to base their decisions on.
Reports on Crazy Egg include heat maps, which marks the parts of the page where most clicks occur; and scroll maps, which show how far visitors scroll down a page. These reports are also available for multiple domains.
5. Convert Experiments
Site: http://www.convert.com/
Cost: $26 per month for Self-Service Accounts.
Employ conversion optimization techniques without writing with a single line of code by using Convert Experiments. It employs seamless integration with a number of ecommerce platforms (Magento and Shopify), analytics tools (Google Analytics and KISSmetrics), and content management systems (Drupal and Joomla) to make testing easier.
6. Visual Website Optimizer (VWO)
Site: https://vwo.com/
Cost: Startup plans at $49 a month, FREE trial.
VWO makes the claim that it's the world's easiest A/B testing tool. With the range of features it has on offer, that claim does have merit. One of its touted functionalities include multivariate testing, which is the ability to test hundreds of changes at once. Other features, such as click analytics, can't be found bundled with other A/B testing web apps.
All plans include unlimited domains, campaigns, and changes.
7. ion Interactive Landing Page Optimizer
Site: http://www.ioninteractive.com/the-interactive-content-software-platform/
Cost: $28,840 per year for DIY solution, inclusive of unlimited use of platform
Out of all the tools presented here, the ion platform is the most expensive. Its price is justified, however, because it goes a step beyond the largely static landing forms that the other web apps on this list offer.
As its name suggests, the ion platform enables users to create interactive content. These include quizzes, custom calculators, interactive infographics, assessment tools, and more. All these can be created without writing a single line of code. This platform also offers the tools to measure the effectiveness of each piece of interactive content.
8. Content Experiments on Google Analytics
Site: http://analytics.google.com
Cost: FREE
The best things in life aren’t always free. But when it comes to conversion optimization, one of the finest tools out there is simply bundled into a free Google Analytics account.
This tool can help website owners compare the performance of different web pages based on specific objectives. Features include email updates on ongoing tests and even an option to test different app screens.
To access Content Experiments, simply click the Reporting tab on the left menu, and then click Behavior. The Experiments tool is filed under this category.
9. PPC Advisor by Wordstream
Site: http://www.wordstream.com/landing-page-optimization
Cost: $199 per month for a monthly search spend of up to $2,500.
No discussion of conversion optimization is complete without a mention of WordStream's PPC Advisor. Based on their 20 Minute PPC Workweek framework, the platform seamlessly combines a DIY approach with expert resources. This means that business owners - who may not necessarily be experts in paid search - can optimize their webpages with minimum effort.
Looking to try something out for free? Check out WordStream's AdWords Landing Page Grader, which connects securely to the campaign's Google AdWords account.
10. Kickofflabs
Site: http://kickofflabs.com/
Cost: $29 per month for Starter subscription, FREE plan with Instapage branding.
Like Instapage and Unbounce, Kickofflabs also offers an easy landing page builder and A/B split testing. However, what sets it apart is its Viral Boost Referrals system, which helps website owners incentivize referrals.
How does this system work? First, the customer, let’s name him Bob, needs to sign up on the landing page. On the Thank You page connected to the landing page, Bob will be able to see social sharing or email buttons with a special referrer provided by Kickofflabs. Bob will then be able to share these links and, like an affiliate program, earn through the people who sign up through that special referrer link. Bob can then earn rewards based on the number of people he/she has referred. Pretty nifty for an A/B tester.
By using any of these 10 conversion optimization tools, webmasters will surely have access to the data they need to improve their landing pages. That said, it will also boil down to what they decide to do with the data that will spell success for their site. Also if you're building your website and you don't have any knowledge in html5 coding and programming. Here's a html 5 cheat sheet that you can use http://websitesetup.org/html5-cheat-sheet/
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