Conversion paths are the process in which an unidentified website visitor turns into a recognised lead. A conversion path consists of an outstanding content offer, call-to-action, landing page, and thank you page. To be able to convert into a lead, a website visitor notices a content offer of interest to them, hits the call-to-action button to obtain that content, and is taken to a landing page. On that landing page, the person leaves their details using a form in exchange for the ability to access the content offer. On completing the form, the "lead" is directed to a thank you page where they obtain the offer.
Mechanics of a Great Conversion Path?
"Extraordinary" Content Offer
Even though content is in abundance, to make sure it supercharges your inbound marketing, you'll need to develop the right content. The right content is content optimised to specifically attract your buyer personas. It ought to concentrate on the challenges your personas are endeavouring to tackle and the intentions they're looking to reach. First and foremost, it needs to be appropriate and intriguing to them.
But it's insufficient to simply produce persona-specific content. The content must be suitable to your persona according to where they are in the buyer's journey.
The Buyer’s Journey is the exploration process your personas proceed through before making a purchase and targeted content is more applicable to your personas at various stages of that journey. It's important to ensure that content is related to what they're looking into and aiming to discover more about.
Landing Pages
The next part of the process is to take advantage of that content to convert visitors into leads. This is where landing pages enter the game.
Landing pages are specialised web pages with the exclusive function of gathering visitors' contact details in return for a content piece of worth to them. Landing pages incorporate forms that prospective leads must complete and submit to access your unique content offer. Great landing pages should also be personalised to your personas and their stage of buyer's journey.
Calls-to-Action
Your visitors require a method to reach that landing page to begin with. This is where conversion paths require Calls-to-actions
Calls-to-action are buttons or images you can place throughout your website that promote your content offers. Whenever a user clicks on a calls-to-action, they are directed to your landing page. Essentially, the call-to-action is the start of a conversion path.
Great calls-to-action should be action-oriented. Considering their main goal is to produce clicks and send individuals to landing pages, make sure that your CTAs are "click-worthy" by employing actionable language and colours that contrast against the remainder of your website and branding.
Thank You Pages
While call-to-actions mark the start of a conversion paths, a thank you page represents the end.
Thank you pages are dedicated pages, where your new leads can download the content offer represented in the call-to-action and landing page. They can also be used as an opportunity to encourage leads further along in their buyer’s journey research, by incorporating such things as alternative calls-to-action that promote complementary content to the offer they've just accessed
Takeaway
Conversion paths are the process through which unknown, website visitors develop into leads. When done correctly, your conversion paths can go way past the initial conversion to drive your new leads along the buyer's journey in to paying customers.