8 Conversion Rate Optimization Tips That Leverage Storytelling

With the many variables that come into play in conversion rate optimization, it’s hard to pin down a place to start.

There are levers like your technical aspects of your website, and there’s also the customer journey to account for. But one simple, yet overlooked aspect that you should really pay attention to is storytelling.

As a conversion rate optimization agency, this is perhaps our favorite way of optimizing our pages. Because the backbone of any effective campaign is a gripping story. And yes, that holds true no matter what industry you belong in; what product or service you’re selling.

And we’ll show you how to pull it off in eight simple tips, right here.

Storytelling – what is it?

Storytelling is, well, telling a story. Simple enough, isn’t it? Well, Not quite. Else, why need expert copywriters to help?

RELATED READING: How to Do Conversion Copywriting in 3 Easy Steps

This is because the best stories need more than just skillful mastery of stringing words together. In the business of storytelling for brands, it entails a lot of research and insight into what your customers value and then aligning those with your brand’s purpose.

This matters in business most especially given our current social climate on the internet. A climate where audiences demand authenticity and relatability from a brand. Demanding it even more than utility or convenience. That’s not even mentioning the fact that it’s getting much harder to capture audience attention. Thus, we shift to the mindset of earning it, and doing so with a great story.

Why you should use storytelling in conversion rate optimization

In a few simple points, storytelling helps your brand because it affords you these benefits that all boil down to conversions:

• Compels action. Emotion drives action more than logic, as it turns out. Compelling valuable actions (like purchases) on your ecommerce website, is best achieved by invoking emotions through stories.
• Solidifies your brand identity and customer loyalty. Fact: Your audiences stick around for your brand’s personality, and they feel more compelled to remain loyal if they can identify with you. Through storytelling, you can build this loyalty by providing a clear characterization of your brand with which they can relate to. 
• Establishes your business credibility.

With storytelling, you create that image of your brand that is relatable, and isn’t just “out here to sell.” It establishes resonance, and invokes specific feelings in your audiences, so much that it will lead to a response (ideally a purchase) when they’re finished hearing you out. 

FURTHER READING: Direct Response Copywriting for Websites – How Now Wows!

However, keep in mind that there is no perfect formula to increasing conversion rates. As you move forward in your digital marketing journey, you will see for yourself which will work for you, and which will not. 

You might even combine your best practices with that of your competitors’ to get the best results.

Using storytelling for conversion rate optimization

1. Research and uncover your customers’ pain points.

If you have no clue on where to start on your storytelling or how to create your best brand story, this tip can solve your problem.

Dive into the source of the problem by uncovering the pain points of your target audience. You can conduct effective customer research through message mining, product messaging, emotional content strategy and voice-of-customers (VOC). 

An online article published by Forbes highlights the connection between storytelling and an increase in sales, and how storytelling forms emotional connection between your audience and your brand.

You can build an emotional connection with your audience by better understanding their motivations and pain points. Know what truly matters to them, and let them know that you understand their predicament – use storytelling as your method of sending these messages to your audience. 

2. Review your branding to align it with your content strategy.

As a marketer it is important that you align your brand with your content strategy – from content creation, down to the promotion. In doing so, you build up to a solid brand identity that audiences will immediately be able to relate to you, no matter what platform you’re trying to reach them.

With this solidified identity, audiences will recall your brand better, and you maintain a strong grip on their attention and support. So it’s important to continually assess your content if they’re “making sense for your brand”

Develop a brand book which your creatives and content team can follow so that these nuances in your brand persona are always adhered to.

3. Focus your messaging on solving problems for your customer.

Your content strategy should have only one focus: your audience’s pain points. Present your brand as the one that has the solutions they are looking for. Create persuading stories. Here are some tips for you:

• Highlight their pain points. Through storytelling, you can show your target audience their existing problem and explain why they are experiencing it. According to Propelrr, “Clients come to your business for important reasons, and your business is there to help alleviate those issues for them.” Storytelling is a creative way of highlighting these pain points. 
• Bridge your solution. From highlighting the pain points, slowly transition to the phase where you present the solutions that you offer. Educate them about your products and services and how these can address their pain points. 
• Give your audience a good ending. Give your story a good ending. This can make your brand unforgettable. The people who read or listen to your content may not convert right away, but they will have you at the top of their minds. 

4. You must first establish the fundamentals of your storytelling.

Never forget the basic 5 W’s and 1 H mnemonic: the Who, What, Why, When, Where, and the How.

It is effective and always used for understanding, answering, correcting, and judging. You can also use this mnemonic in creating and establishing a clear and interesting storytelling for your brand.

Your message should be delivered clearly to your audience so they would know what it is you want them to do. Remember that your ultimate goal is to increase your conversions. 

Do you want them to know more about your offers by watching a free demo? Do you like them to sign up to your email newsletter or perhaps check out their shopping carts? Let them know through clear storytelling. 

5. Make your reader the protagonist of your story.

Always make your audience the star of your conversion storytelling. This will make your brand relatable and your audience confident that you know their needs, pain points, and motivations. 

Make your audience the protagonist of your story by applying the YOU-approach. Put them at the center of the narrative. 

You can also let them share their experiences with your brand through reviews or testimonials. This will make your audience know that their feedback matters, and let them act as brand ambassadors. 

6. Write in an unbeatable antagonist.

Unbeatable in the sense that they can’t overcome it without your help, of course.

Conversion rate optimization goes into full effect when you are able to present them with a problem (or antagonist) that they can’t beat by themsleves. This opens up the perfect avenue to persuade them to consider the solutions you offer.

Because after all, they may be the hero in the story, but heroes need tools to win. Your brand is their weapon to success. 

You may also encourage your audience to refer your offers to people they know who are experiencing similar problems. 

7. Present your brand as the best solution.

With countless brands of sporting apparel, how does Adidas and Nike stand out from the rest? They present their products as the best options for your sport clothing needs. They are impressively successful in delivering this message so much so that during important sports events, nearly all athletes wear either Adidas or Nike. 

Persuade your target audience that your product or service is the only solution and no other option. You may highlight the unique features of your offers, as well as add-ons that your competitors do not provide. 

But remember to be honest with the features of your offers. Never promise something you can’t deliver. 

You may also share reviews and testimonials of other satisfied customers as social proof. Customer feedback greatly impacts a person’s buying decision.

8. Leverage on evidence to strengthen your claims.

Conversion rate optimization efforts all go to waste when you’re not providing a believable story. That’s why it’s important to back up all your claims and protect your credibility among your audiences.

You may prepare your own case studies backed with data and have these available on your website. Conduct interviews with experts in your field, and ask them to review your products and services. 

Honesty is the best policy in marketing, whether digital or otherwise. Showing evidence to back up your claims is a sign of good faith in your part.

“Just saying the truth and setting the message in a clear fashion is a simple way to make sure your marketing will help your clientele and make sure they are happy doing business with you. It will also most likely create recurring sales, since the user was pleased. Don’t go over the top with lies or vague promises. You’ll lose in the long run,” advises The Forbes’ Jonathan Laberge.

Key takeaways

Never underestimate the power of conversion storytelling because this is how you persuade your audience to choose your brand and your offers. Infusing storytelling into your content marketing can increase your conversion rates. Always remember the following points:

• You must always focus your storytelling on the pain points of your audience. Let them know that you’re aware of what they are going through and that you can help them create a solution.
• Present your offers as the only solutions to their pain points. Clearly highlight the features of your products or services and match these with your audience’s problems.
• Make it a practice to back your claims with facts. Claims can make or break your brand. If your audience got what they expected from your brand then this will build your brand’s credibility in the market. Otherwise, it will ruin your reputation.

Are you ready to use storytelling to boost your online sales? Follow us on Facebook, X, or LinkedIn to get more information about increasing your conversions.