Increase Online Registrations By Improving Downloadable Assets

Many B2B search marketing programs are designed to generate online registrations, inquiries, and leads. Typically, something of value (such as a white paper, product demo, or presentation) is offered in exchange for personal contact information. Today I’ll offer three tips to enhance the value of these downloadable assets and generate more online registrations.

Leveraging the asset and the form

The two main components of the online registration process are: (1) What is being offered, and (2) How one receives it. In other words, the downloadable asset, and the registration form.

The basic premise is that valuable information is provided in exchange for personal contact information. In order for this to work, there must be an equitable exchange between the marketer and the prospect. This is why registration forms for very basic information must be kept short and simple, while registration forms for highly valuable, customized information can be a bit longer and more complicated.

You’ll find details here on the benefits of testing registration forms.

Improving downloadable assets

Obviously, the asset being offered plays a critical role in this process. Yet, ironically, most marketers don’t focus on analyzing and improving the way they present white papers, webinars, demos and presentations.

Today I’d like to share three proven methods to increase the value of your assets and generate more online registrations:

• Bundle information
• Offer multiple media formats
• Test names and descriptions

Bundle information. B2B marketers should consider bundling multiple assets into a comprehensive “kit.” For example, by combining a white paper with an archived webinar, with a product demo or case study, you create a larger asset of much higher perceived value than any one of these individual items. Often times this type of combined download is called a Success Kit, or a Resource Guide, or an Information Pack. The asset can then be promoted in PPC ads and on landing pages with copy such as Register once for immediate access to multiple resources.

Offer multiple media formats. B2B marketers should give website visitors a choice. Offer assets that allow people to read, or listen, or watch. Many companies already have information presented as video clips, audio files, and, of course, written documents.

For example, on your landing page, you could offer:

• Video clip of executive keynote at an industry event

• Podcast of a recent radio interview or presentation
• Webcast of an archived webinar
• Product demo created in flash
• Documents such as white papers, case studies, and instruction sheets.

That said, don’t get too carried away! Research indicates that, when given the choice, business buyers still prefer simple, straightforward information. Here’s more data on business buyers’ preferences.

Test names and descriptions

This one is so simple…yet very few marketers actively do this. What you label the asset is extremely important. Simply by changing the name of an asset you can significantly improve response rate.

For example, the same piece of information can be labeled Product Tour, or Video Demo, or Virtual Tour. Test all of these names, and determine what your target audience responds best to.

Secondly, how you describe the asset is equally important. The description should entice the prospect to download the information by providing specific, concise benefit statements. For example, here is an effective description for a case study download: Learn how company ABC increased the efficiency of their sales system by implementing common practices and a global data model across 10 locations in nine month.

Simple steps drive significant improvements

Are you so busy selecting keywords, writing ad copy, and designing/optimizing landing pages that you’ve neglected one of the most basic elements of a successful B2B search program?

Spend some time analyzing the information, assets and resources you offer prospects. Compare your assets to your competitors. Ask yourself, “Is this information unique, compelling, and truly valuable?” I urge you to test all aspects of downloadable assets: what you call the resource, how you present the information, and how you describe the value to be received.

I have found that registration rates can be significantly improved simply by making the information so compelling that prospects just can’t refuse!

Patricia Hursh is president and founder of SmartSearch Marketing, a Boulder, Colorado-based search engine marketing agency. You can reach Patricia at patricia@smartsearchmarketing.com. The Strictly Business column appears Wednesdays at Search Engine Land.