Help Needed with My First Sales Page -- Beginner Frustration.

[BeckM2]

I have a computer tutorial website and my overall goal with my site currently is to get beginner computer users to my site so they can request free computer tutorials. I'm doing it so I can have some real-life ideas about what people want to learn, and also for the short term to help me generate some more initial, original content that people actually want to see.

The problem is that I'm not getting the results I'd like and it's getting frustrating.

I'm running an inexpensive adwords campaign, and in my ads it's clear that I will create a free computer tutorial if you click the ad. I am getting a decent conversion rate on the ad. I originally had the people directed right to my contact page where I have a form to request a free tutorial. After not having much success, and reading here, I decided to create a personalized sales page tailored to beginners so they wouldn't (I presume) get intimidated by a (simple) web form. I left the contact page more generic, so people who want to ask more complex things wont think that it's only a site for beginners.

At this point I don't understand why that if people are clicking my ad to request a free tutorial, when they get to the site - either the contact page or my "sales" page -- which leads to the contact page, very few people are requesting free tutorials.?.?.

If they are going to bother clicking the ad for a free tutorial, what's stopping them from asking? It's turning out to be easier to get them to the site then to get them to do something. I thought it would be the other way around.

Here's the link to my "sales" page that people get to via adwords (the adwords ads all mention some variation of the "let us create a free tutorial for you" concept);

http://helpspa.com/free-computer-beginner-tutorials/

And here is my contact page:

http://www.helpspa.com/contact

Thanks for any advice in advance. It's much appreciated.

[avani]

Okay, here are some initial thoughts:

If I have a "computer question or problem", as you put it on your contact page, I would probably head straight to a forum - somehow I think that's the natural thing to do. Remember, given enough eyeballs, all bugs are shallow... so I expect a quicker reply if I just go to a high-traffic forum and post a quickie.

Even assuming that I'm prepared to request a tutorial, I'm not sure I see much on your website that would make me ask *you* to do it. Your existing content is somewhat limited (especially when you compare any of those sub-topics with websites that are specialized for it - for example, if I want to know about Google Chrome, why won't I visit their official help community, and prefer to hang out here?). I think you are diversifying a bit too much (which is why all this talk about a "niche"). Every topic addressed in that menu of yours is a solid niche on it's own right, with vast resources dedicated to itself outside. Unless you become an establishment like Smashing Magazine or something with a lot of credibility and community already, I'm not sure your website is going to have the appeal.

My suggestion: work on building a small community around a focused niche (like, say, Dreamweaver tutorials) - and target that very particular audience. Once your website has a flurry of activity going (make sure people rate tutorials, discuss them, and so on), you can start expanding

Also, the design of the website: the stark black color looks a bit morbid to me. Could be just me, of course, but something more inviting?


Hope this helps!


Good luck,
Avani

[Daniel Scott]

You've got a concept problem.

What can you offer that Yahoo! Answers cannot?

You need a USP, an edge... an angle to differentiate yourself from everyone else.

Then hammer that... because at the moment your page is very generic.

-Dan

[BeckM2]

Thank you both for your replies - I do appreciate the feedback and I respect the comments about the niche issue. But I'm still wondering about the low conversion for the people that do come to the site via adwords.

First I do want to reply to the above comments, and I will say that one of the issues with many beginner computer users is that they have a difficult time with things like yahoo answers and an extremely tough time using forums. Working with adults in teaching them computers, the idea of a forum is not new to, but the practical aspects of navigation and posting on a forum are sometimes overwhelming to the new user.

For us, vBulletin and the like are very fast and easy ways to get instant answers. But for people unfamiliar or intimidated by a computer (and there are tons out there) the entire process that we take for granted of registering, finding and clicking in an activation email, is really sometimes too much, and these people give up.

That being said, I still don't understand why people are not asking for help once they've gotten to the site. If they are clicking on the adwords ad for a free tutorial, doesn't that mean that they are interested in getting a free tutorial? What is preventing them from asking a question?

[gsport11]

A few observations (maybe one will prove useful):

Many people may not feel adequate in their ability to explain what the problem is. They may not have the vocabulary. A drop down or series of choices in a checklist might help them decide to give you a try--after which you can engage them in more specifically targeted dialogue.

Some people are lazy. They don't want to have to write. Maybe an 800 number where they can leave a message describing their problem might be better. Then you could answer online.

People on the Internet tend to want immediate solutions. They don't know when you will reply to their inquiry. Give them something right away--access to a free report with the most common problems and solutions--but only after they fill out the form describing the problem.

Let us know how things go.
Greg

[The Copy Nazi]

There's too much stuff on that page. Its confusing. What exactly are you offering and what do you want them to do? In a nutshell - "Tell them what you have...tell them why their miserable lives will be enhanced by it...tell them the price...tell them how to get it." You're asking them to click through to another page - that's where they're baulking. Send them straight to the Contact Page. And get rid of the Adsense on that page - that's an inducement for them to click off before filling in the form. Your conversions should double.

[erichmiller]

How about something like this (or maybe I'm way off...) --

****
Request a Free Tutorial Today!

Do you have a computer problem that you would like a solution to in an easy to follow tutorial?

There is no problem that is too basic or too simple that we can't help you with.

Fill out the form below right now to request your tutorial. We will notify you via email as soon as we post it.

Please remember that we will NEVER share or sell your email with anyone and is only used as communication between us and yourself.

***





Erich

[Glassjaw009]

To a degree, I agree with the above response, but I also don't believe that it's a flawed idea from the get go. Here are some things I'd do differently, and I don't mean to be harsh.

- Instead of writing a paragraph on why they should submit a computer problem to you and get a tutorial from it, show them evidence of how you've helped others in the past on the landing page....like "Recent Visitor Questions answered by The Help Spa" and post your videos or text tutorials or whatever.

- Draw more attention to your contact form. People are lazy. The text link is OK, but a big shiny button would be better. Get something the draws the eye. The way it's currently set up, they have to actually read your entire article to get to the text link of your submission form.

- Show them it's an active community and it provides a value. Right now, it strikes me as being new. It may or may not be (I don't remember if you said it was or not), but if you let the visitor know that they've stumbled upon an active site, they'll be more likely to submit.

- Adsense should go in the post on the page left aligned with text wrapping around it, and I would move your categories to where your adsense currently is. This will get you more clicks and place your categories above the fold.

[wrcato2]

I agree with all of the above.
I would actually create a squeeze page with a sign up form then a redirection to your form after your prospects double opt-in.

[BeckM2]

Glassjaw, thank you -- that's the kind of help I was in the dark with -- the testimonials and the idea of a button instead of a link. It's great.

And it is a new launch. I've been up since around mid-October, so that's why I 'm trying now to generate some content. Other than adding more comments and more posts, how I do I make it look more active -- just by more posts and comments?


Lastly, I'm not sure what you mean with this - do you possibly have a link to show me what something similar looks like live..? (I thought I did have adsense in the post).

Adsense should go in the post on the page left aligned with text wrapping around it, and I would move your categories to where your adsense currently is. This will get you more clicks and place your categories above the fold.

Thank you again for taking the time to look and evaluate.

[BeckM2]

I would actually create a squeeze page with a sign up form then a redirection to your form after your prospects double opt-in.

wrcato2, that gets to my next question. Where is the best place to put my opt-in here? And I don't have the mailing list setup yet because I really am not getting the volume yet. I don't want to put out a weekly newsletter to myself...

But I do have an adsense ad that goes to my current squeeze page -- that's actually what drove me to make this post in the first place.

Do you mean this:
1. Button on each page on the site that links to a squeeze page, that sells the fact that I will write a free tutorial.

2. User signs up and double opts in via email, and then in the email gets redirected to a page where they have a form to ask a question?

Is that the idea?

[Collette]

If you're targeting new users of computers, then you're probably targeting people who don't know what questions to ask you. What is almost instinct to you, is gobbledy-gook to them.

For people like this, your request is pretty vague. If they really are so clueless that they have trouble negotiating Yahoo Answers, they aren't going to have any idea what to ask you to put in a tutorial. Because they don't know what they don't know. They just know they don't know a lot of stuff.

For example, if someone offered me a free tutorial on programming, I would have no idea what programming subject I should request. Because I am completely clueless about programming. Therefore, the offer of "a free programming tutorial" is useless to me until I know what I need to know.

Give them some signposts to follow. Have some tutorials already created for the most basic stuff, such as "how to set up an email account", or "how to use Google to find information", "How to use Yahoo to find information", and so on.

And then literally walk them through: as in "Place your mouse cursor (the little arrow on your screen) over the "search" and click."

Of course, if it were me, I wouldn't even be going after this market in this way. Better to create a series of "hold-your-hand" videos and sell them the video package with support services.

[BeckM2]

For people like this, your request is pretty vague. If they really are so clueless that they have trouble negotiating Yahoo Answers, they aren't going to have any idea what to ask you to put in a tutorial. Because they don't know what they don't know. They just know they don't know a lot of stuff.

I've actually been getting some very specific request from people that have been good, solid questions. Obviously I can't (and wouldn't try) to answer a question like "can you teach me PHP?". But in my teaching experience, it's easier for some people to just "ask away" as opposed to trying to search through yahoo answers. It's more like for people who have gotten stuck at some point or hit a roadblock -- but can't zip through a forum like you or I would to find the answer very quickly.

I guess I'm just wondering why if they clicked an ad to get a free tutorial -- what's stopping them from asking a question --- though I will admit that I'm not yet even sure what a good conversion rate would be here.

Give them some signposts to follow. Have some tutorials already created for the most basic stuff, such as "how to set up an email account", or "how to use Google to find information", "How to use Yahoo to find information", and so on.

And then literally walk them through: as in "Place your mouse cursor (the little arrow on your screen) over the "search" and click."

There are a few videos on the site that do this exact thing for some topics.

As for your other idea:

Of course, if it were me, I wouldn't even be going after this market in this way. Better to create a series of "hold-your-hand" videos and sell them the video package with support services.

....it's great.

Thank you.

[Ashley Gable]

First of all ... why is your font that light grey color? For me it was very off putting, and it looked like it was legal stuff, for some reason it reminded me of like a terms and conditions or privacy policy.

I would see what happens when you darken it.

Secondly, I agree with Metronicity, you need to take them directly to the contact page, or better yet put it below your "pitch".

That brings me to the last point, you should listen to Thomas O'Malley, what you have now is just a vague and pointless "mission statement".

It doesnt really matter what you are writing, whether it is an article or blog post, you are always trying to sell something, whether it be to comment, to click through, to purchase something or to submit a tuturiol request.

You need to show them what you are offering, why it benefits them and how to do it. But make it as simple as possible.

And if it were me, I would be upfront about it, tell them that you want to get up a good amount of tutorials, and that you need their help, doesnt matter if it is basic or advanced ... just put it in the box and hit send.

Let them know that you want as much as you can get. This should cut down on the amount of embarrassment that some may have about asking a silly question.

Just sell it the idea of asking something, get them worked up, so when they get to the bottom of the page, all they have to do is fill in the details.

Good luck though!

Ashley

[BeckM2]

Thank to everyone for their advice! I will make the aesthetic and positioning changes that people suggested, and I will do this:

AdWords ==> beginner contact page
Regular Site ==> current contact page

instead of AdWords ==> sales page ==> contact page

and I will "eliminate the middleman" sales page and tighten the text.

[moneyblogger1]

Why not drive them to a squeeze page? You could write a small ebook about how to solve some of the most common computer problems then give it away as an ethical bribe.

After that you can then offer the free tutorial by emailing your list

Just a thought.

Brandon

[BeckM2]

I did have a squeeze page (albeit not a "Warrior" squeeze page ) but people suggested that I was asking too much having people click twice.

After that you can then offer the free tutorial by emailing your list

And by this "emailing your list" do you mean via the contact form?, or by some type of opt-in (which I still figuring out how to use to best to leverage for my situation)...

Though you have given me an idea..
Instead of having a separate opt-in form and "tutorial request contact form", should I just combine the two? (in addition of course to having the opti-in choice elsewhere)??

[seven777]

I haven't read the responses because there's too many.

Here are my thoughts:

1. Go get a graphic: sxc.hu, or pay for one at a cheap stock image site like fotolia.com. Page of plain text = boring, people will click away. You can get a nice graphic of a computer or a person using a computer.

2. I feel that you're winding up too much. I think your first two paragraphs could be two sentences. People have short attention spans. Get right into the point.

3. Call to action. You have one, but I would put that call to action in a nice button that jumps off the page. Write the next step in it: "Request Your FREE Tutorial -->".

4. It's not conversational. It's kind of like reading a technical manual (I know your a computer guy). Change "It's for this reason" to "That's why" and "you will increase" to "you'll increase". Also, it's a bit wordy. Read through and shorten every sentence as much as possible.

5. BENEFITS. I want to see a bullet list of what I get out of your tutorials. What makes them great? There isn't a single benefit in this list, other than of course they are free, but free isn't enough. You wouldn't eat free dog sh*t right? Free stuff still needs to be sold with benefits.

6. Why make somebody click a link to contact you? Making people click a link will always reduce your response rate. Put the contact form on the same page. Also, less examples - it's making your contact form look complicated and intimidating. The smaller the contact form the more requests you'll get. Make it look manageable. I would put a thick dark blue border around the form itself to show how easy it is to fill out.

I hope some of these ideas help. Good luck with your venture!