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Stuck On Formatting.
By Hans | March 31, 2009
A lot has been made about the power of formatting.
Even a simple headline-style or background color change may make a big difference in your response.
This excitement usually leads to a common pattern. It usually starts like this:
First, a well-known marketer comes-out and says, “A giant yellow order button increases response by 300%.”
The original audience then begins to copy it.
Others then see it and do the same.
And you know what often happens?
The giant yellow order button slowly begins to decrease in effectiveness. It’s everywhere. The effect of it on your prospects changes.
All the while, most of the people copying have no idea if it actually worked for them.
Of course, this does not mean you should ignore other’s test results.
The point is simply this: When a marketer makes a claim, it likely only worked for his or her particular product, offer, and traffic source.
It does not mean that if he drove a ton of AdWords traffic instead of mailing his email lists that he would get the same response.
Nor, does not mean that YOU will get the same results. You have a different product, offer, and you probably have a different traffic source.
You need to take it for what’s it worth. You should NOT blindly copy it.
What you should do is first decide if the formatting change makes sense for you.
Then, as you format your site for the first time, use your best judgment about what you should use.
Finally, as it launches, you should test to see what actually works.
Moreover, a formatting change only does so much.
Too often marketers focus on formating, while ignoring what the formatting is supposed to enhance…Your actual sales message!
They put formatting ahead of content.
Listen, you can use all of the formatting tricks in the book. But, it means nothing if there’s nothing worthwhile to format!
Simply put, focus on getting good copy first. If you have killer copy, your customers will put-up with a lot of formatting mistakes to get what you have to offer.
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