The world of online marketing is full of variety. There are tons of different ways that business owners can get their product or service in front of the eye of potential customers – and no matter what online marketing strategy you choose, you should always, always be tracking conversions.
For those of you not versed in marketing lingo – conversions occur when a visitor to your website completes a desired goal, such as filling out a form or making a purchase. Conversions can be email signups, online completions, phone calls, purchases, requesting information, and leads. The conversion really depends on what you are trying to get from your marketing efforts. For example, a company that is selling their own software would consider a demo request a conversion, whereas a marketing consultant might consider an email signup a conversion.
Tracking conversions can be done in a number of ways when you are using online marketing.
Call Tracking
One of the favored types of conversion tracking is call tracking. Call tracking is a pretty simple way to qualify leads, or “conversions”, from different sources. Call tracking systems allow businesses to swap out their current phone numbers for a call tracking number that will track and record phone calls. Google Ads is a great example of how call tracking works. With call tracking setup, if a potential client clicks on an ad they are directed to the company’s website. The website contains a code on the backend that basically tells the website to swap out the original phone number for a specified call tracking number when visitors come from clicking on an ad. If that user ends up calling the company, call tracking systems will show that number and give credit to Google Ads as the source of the lead. This way, business owners can track ROI based on which leads came from which sources.
Online Form Submissions
Online forms are great for businesses who aren’t using a bunch of different marketing strategies and don’t need to identify where the lead came from. They’re great in general – but, again, the conversion tracking really depends on what your conversion goals are. A great example is the software company mentioned earlier. This software company has call-to-actions all over the website that tell the user to “Request A Demo”. The marketing goal is to get as many demos out as possible to increase the number of sales.
Book An Appointment
Online tools that allow potential clients to book appointments with you are another way to track online conversions. Since the conversion goal is to get visitors to schedule an appointment with you, they can do that straight from your website or other places that you market online.
Online Sales
Of course, direct sales are conversions too. Since you can use a number of different strategies to increase your online sales, you want to track them carefully so you know which marketing effort is generating more sales. Conversion tracking can help you understand which sales came from a Facebook Ad, from email marketing, directly from your website and even from your Google My Business listing.
Conversion tracking is any marketing nerd’s best friend. We love conversion tracking that tells us who, what, when, where, and how. These tools can only improve your online marketing strategies if they are used correctly. If you don’t know how to get started with conversion tracking, call Get Found First to learn more and let us help you make sure you are tracking your marketing goals the best way!