This is a tough time for businesses, both large and small. While the COVID-19 pandemic has changed the way we live — at least for the time being — it has also had a significant impact on the economy.
Many businesses are struggling to stay afloat, and it can be difficult to know what you should do to promote your business in a sensitive and effective way.
1. Optimize your headlines
The headline is the first thing people see when they encounter your content online. It’s also the most important part of your content to optimize.
Headlines should be concise, specific, and clearly communicate the topic of your content. They should also be written in a way that sparks curiosity and encourages people to click.
If you’re creating a blog post, you can use a tool like the HubSpot Blog Ideas Generator to generate headline ideas. If you’re creating other types of content, like an email or social media post, you can use the same principles to write a headline that will get people to click.
You can also use a tool like CoSchedule’s Headline Analyzer to get a score for your headline and see how you can improve it.
2. Use numbers and symbols
Using numbers and symbols in your headlines is a great way to add some structure and organization to your content. It’s also an easy way to help your content stand out and get noticed by your audience.
In fact, headlines that use numbers and symbols have been found to get clicked on 36% more than headlines that don’t.
Numbers and symbols help break up your headlines and draw attention to the most important parts of your content. They also make your headlines look more organized and make it easier for your audience to quickly get a sense of what your content is about.
3. Make your URLs user-friendly
Let’s start with the basics. Your URL should be easy to read and understand. If it’s a jumbled mess of random letters and numbers, it won’t look trustworthy to potential visitors.
Instead, keep your URLs short and sweet. Include your target keyword and remove any unnecessary words.
For example, if you’re writing a blog post about the best ways to create a YouTube thumbnail, your URL might look like this: www.yourwebsite.com/best-youtube-thumbnail-creation-tips.
4. Use power words
Power words are words that evoke a strong emotional response. They help your titles and meta descriptions stand out and grab people’s attention.
Some examples of power words include:
• Free
• Easy
• Proven
• Quick
• New
• Secret
• Ultimate
Power words can be used in combination with other strategies on this list to help improve your click-through rates. Just be sure to use them sparingly, or they’ll lose their impact.
5. Create a FOMO effect
FOMO (fear of missing out) is a powerful motivator in marketing. It’s the idea that you’re going to miss something great if you don’t act now.
You’ve probably seen it used in ads and sales pages before, but you can also use it to boost your click-through rates.
One way to create a FOMO effect is to offer a limited-time deal or promotion. You can also use time-sensitive language in your headlines and meta descriptions. For example, you might say, “Get the top 10 tips for boosting your SEO right now,” instead of, “Get the top 10 tips for boosting your SEO.”
6. Ask questions
Another way to pique curiosity is to ask a question in your headline. This is a great way to make a headline more engaging.
For example, the headline “How to Create a High-Converting Landing Page” is much more engaging than “The Top 5 Landing Page Best Practices.” The first headline asks a question, so the reader is more likely to click on the article to find the answer.
Just make sure your question is thought-provoking and relevant to your audience. If you ask a question that’s too simple or too complex, your readers might not feel the need to click on your content.
7. Tell readers what to do
Sometimes, the simplest call-to-action is the best one. That’s the case with this email marketing example from theSkimm.
TheSkimm is a daily email newsletter that delivers the top news stories of the day in a quick, easy-to-read format.
In this email, theSkimm is promoting a new book. They include a brief synopsis of the book, a quote from the author, and a link to purchase.
The call-to-action button simply says “Buy the book.”
It’s clear, concise, and it tells the reader exactly what they should do next.
8. Test different CTAs
The call-to-action (CTA) button is one of the most important elements of a marketing email. It’s what tells your readers what you want them to do next, and it’s what they click to get there.
But what happens when your readers see the same CTA button over and over again? Chances are, they’ll start to tune it out.
That’s why it’s important to test different CTAs in your marketing emails. You can do this by creating multiple versions of your email and using A/B testing to see which CTA performs the best. Or, you can simply change the CTA in your email and see how your readers respond.
You can test different CTAs in a number of ways. For example, you could try changing the copy of your CTA button, the color, the size, or even the shape. You could also test different types of CTAs, such as a button vs. a text link.
The key is to keep testing and iterating to see what works best for your audience. By testing different CTAs, you can increase your click-through rates and get more people to take action.
9. Use ad extensions
Ad extensions are a great way to enhance your ads and give users more reasons to click. They also make your ads bigger and more prominent, which can help you stand out from the competition.
There are a variety of ad extensions you can use, including:
• Callout extensions: These allow you to add additional text to your ad, which can be used to highlight special offers, promotions, or unique selling points.
• Sitelink extensions: These allow you to add links to specific pages on your website. For example, if you’re running an ad for a shoe store, you might include sitelinks to your men’s, women’s, and kids’ shoe categories.
• Call extensions: These allow you to add a phone number to your ad, making it easy for users to call your business.
• Location extensions: These allow you to add your business’s address to your ad, making it easy for users to find you.
• And more: There are many other ad extensions you can use, including structured snippets, price extensions, and app extensions.
By using ad extensions, you can make your ads more informative and engaging, which can help you increase your click-through rates.
10. Add a location
If you’re a local business, adding your location to your ad can help to increase the likelihood that people in your area will click on your ad.
Even if you’re not a local business, you can still use this strategy. For example, if you’re a software company, you could add the location of your target audience to your ad.
11. Use dynamic keyword insertion
Dynamic keyword insertion (DKI) is a feature in Google Ads that allows you to customize your ad copy to match a user’s search query. This can be a great way to make your ads more relevant and increase your click-through rate.
With DKI, you can create a single ad that will automatically display different variations of your ad copy based on the keyword that triggered the ad. This can help you create more relevant ads and increase your chances of getting clicks.
Just be sure to use DKI with caution. If you use it too much, your ads can start to look spammy. Be sure to test your ads and monitor your results to make sure you’re getting the best possible click-through rates.
12. Target the right audience
Last but not least, make sure you’re targeting the right audience with your content.
This may sound obvious, but it’s one of the most common reasons why businesses struggle to get clicks on their content. If you’re not targeting the right audience, they simply won’t be interested in what you have to say.
So, how do you make sure you’re targeting the right audience? Start by creating detailed buyer personas that represent the different segments of your target audience. Then, use these personas to guide your content creation and promotion efforts.
One effective way to reach the right audience is through referral marketing. Platforms like ReferralCandy help businesses tap into word-of-mouth by incentivizing existing customers to refer their friends. Since referred customers are more likely to trust and engage with a brand, this strategy can significantly improve click-through rates and overall conversions.
Additionally, consider promoting STEM Diversity Programs that aim to include a wider range of people in the tech field. This type of initiative can resonate with a diverse group of users and enhance your content’s engagement.
Conclusion
Your click-through rate is a valuable metric to look at when you’re trying to gauge how well your email campaigns are performing. By implementing the tips we’ve reviewed in this article, you can help ensure that your emails are getting the engagement you want and need.
