The FTC Just Helped Me Out With A Website...

[JasonValens]

Recently I updated a 'review' style landing page to ensure that it complied with the upcoming ftc regs. That meant getting rid of the personal review and the subjective reasons why someone might click my damn link (with probably too much 'sizzle' and give me a conversion.

At first it seemd like a big job, figuring out how my copy could be persuasive and involve objective facts. Then I had a little lighbulb go on when I remembered Gary Bencivengas central principle of proof being the most persuasive element of any copy.

So that meant looking at the vendors website and identifying the elements of proof. In this case it was the provision of a 'star rating' user system and the facility for users to leave comments, along with a free trial offer.

With that I had the outline for the copy. The proof element for the headline was social proof (the number of customers), with points for the other proof elements (comments, ratings) available from the vendor. And the risk reversal of the free trial.

Result is a greater percentage of people (20 - 30% more) are clicking through to the offer. Conversions are batch processed, so it will take a while to see what influence this has on the conversion rate.

If you can find a way to position the product with (as near to possible) objective proof that differentiates it from other products and eliminates customer fears, then you have a more powerful tactic than some personal review which people are probably getting blind too like they did banner ads.

[John Burton]

Agreed - the more solid proof you can put together on the quality of any product, the stronger you can market it.

John Burton

[davidmerrick]

Social Proof is one of the greatest weapons of influence, like Robert Cialdini said and like you've clearly experienced.