Conversion Optimization Specialists are Marketing Mediators

image depicting mediationFor years, I’ve been searching for better and better ways to explain what it is that I do as a Conversion Optimization specialist, and to encapsulate the value I bring to marketing organizations.

I’ve heard that you should be able to explain your job to your grandparents. Anyone who works in new media, web, or technology knows how challenging this can be!

For those in the web industry, I could easily argue that Conversion Optimization is a sub-skill of User Experience (UX) design. I’m constantly experimenting with, and trying to improve, the experiences that users have on websites so that they’ll be more likely to buy, become a lead, etc.

But, that last paragraph is useless when you’re explaining Optimization to your grandparents, or even to marketing executives that have lived most of their lives in the years “B.I.” (Before Internet).

So, in this post, I’m proposing a new metaphor that I’ll be testing in the near future with grandparents, clients, and maybe even strangers at dinner parties!

Drum roll, please… Continue reading

How TV Ads Can Be Optimized for the New Consumer: Part 1

changing role of television in a multi-screen world

Image courtesy of the study "The New Multi-screen World," created by Google, Ipsos, and Sterling Brands

I recently read an interesting study, commissioned by Google, entitled “The New Multi-screen World: Understanding Cross-platform Consumer Behavior” [PDF here]. The research topic was broad, and several interesting theses were put forward by the researchers.

A few quick points of background on the study for those who haven’t/won’t read it:

  • 1,611 participants in 3 major US cities
  • 7,955 hours of digital activities logged
  • Text diaries, in-home interviews, and surveys were employed
  • Google partnered with Sterling Brands and Ipsos on the study

There were a few points in particular that resonated with me and inspired this post. So, as I go forward with my ideas, keep in mind that I’m not going to cover or summarize the entire study’s contents.

The first is that living rooms in the United States are essentially “multi-screen” now, meaning that it’s not just a TV anymore. It’s a TV, a smartphone, and quite often a laptop or tablet on the coffee table. This has advantages and disadvantages for those who’re trying to make profits off of television, but I believe that the living room is an exciting new playground for multichannel marketers. Continue reading

The Six Types of Conversion Optimization Documents

documents iconWith all of the quality blogs devoted to Conversion Optimization tips and best practices, I’ve not come across any posts related to the different kinds of documents required to be successful in a conversion optimization and testing effort.

Being a bit of a “document geek,” I will give you my thoughts on important documents and how to use them to set yourself up for success. Continue reading