Page type: “How It Works”
Audience: CEOs, CMOs
Sophistication: Low
Stage of awareness: Lower-end of Product Awareness spectrum
Page goal: Free trial start (by educating and building trust)
Some products are lucky enough to be the first in their market. Nothing else, at least not for the time being, can compare to it. While you may have access solutions that verge on the same principle…this one’s truly unique.
And whoever comes second will be…well, second. Or third, or fourth. But “first” is a great title to have.
Why?
Because that means the founders (or the copywriters 😉) don’t have to smash their heads on the keyboard trying to come up with a winning value proposition for an ultra-sophisticated audience.They can appeal to simplicity. A statement as short as “we do XYZ in this way” is enough.
But even simplicity can be tricky. If you’ve ever tried to explain something simple to someone, you may have already tripped all over your words and thought to yourself “Man, I’m dumb”. Or “This sounds way more complicated than it looks.”
The following product’s value proposition was simple. Which is exactly why it required such careful explanation.
The Product: A Benchmarking Platform Unlike Any Other
When we talk about benchmarking, especially when it comes to paid media, we usually turn our noses and raise an eyebrow. How accurate is that information? And how much can I really trust it?
And usually other questions around our businesses, like…
Is our conversion rate good or bad? Is our CPC high? But compared to what? To whom?
Truth is, if you rely on broad averages, there’s simply no way of knowing how you stack up.
That’s because looking for benchmarks typically means we have to sift through outdated reports that collect data from companies that are different in every way possible – size, spend-level, vertical, AOV, and more.
(By “outdated report,” I mean just a-few-months-old reports. Depending on market shifts, even days-old reports can contain outdated parameters.)
But Varos is here to solve that problem.
Varos is a MarTech crowdsourcing solution that lets ecommerce and SaaS companies of all sizes and verticals compare their data against companies just like theirs. In the same size, spend level, AOV, vertical, sub-vertical, location…and more.
It does that by consentingly gathering KPIs from thousands of companies, tagging and sorting that data, and showing it back to them – so they can see how they’re really doing in terms of metrics.
For example:
If you own a small candle shop, instead of scrambling to find what the CPC of Facebook Ads for other “home decor” companies is, you can compare against other candle shops exactly like yours.
The best part: the data gets updated every 4 hours. So, if your CPM costs went up and you’d like to know if it happened to anyone else today or if it’s a “you” thing…check Varos.
This way, you can be much more confident that you’re spending the right amount of dollars in the right channels.
The Challenge
Creating a “How It Works” page that made it crystal clear:
- What Varos does
- How it does what it claims it does
- Why people who have never used a solution like this can trust this company with their data
- When they’ll start seeing results
So that people could confidently start a free trial when they were ready to. Because we don’t just want any clicks – we want the right, qualified clicks.
For those of you who love in-depth explanations, I’ve split the page into sections and I’ll go through each part separately.
The Hero Section
The Value Proposition Headline: “The Only…”
If you’ve watched the show Mad Men, you might remember Peggy Olson coining the winning value proposition “The Only Ketchup” for a Heinz ad campaign. No wonder she beat Don Draper’s tagline on that one!
“The Only…” is one of the most used and celebrated value proposition formulas since it highlights the uniqueness of your product. And that’s what value props are all about.
It fits like a glove for Varos, as it’s the first solution to offer first-party data from direct competitors to direct competitors. Not highlighting this would be a crime in my opinion.
The great thing about this is you don’t need to resort to bells and whistles or clever headlines; you could just say it like it is, which is why I went for “the only benchmarking platform that gives you first-party competitor data.”
Of course, I sent plenty of variations to the client, which included “The only first-party benchmarking platform,” for the sake of brevity, but the approach and the thought process are the same.
We ended up going with “The only first-party benchmarking platform.”
The Subheadline
Even though I crafted the headline to be as easy as humanly possible to understand, we still need subheadings for a reason: to flesh out that value prop even more, so that the solution becomes clear as noon.
“Anonymously compare your performance with companies in your exact spend level – even for ultra-specific verticals. See the real-time average for your most important KPIs. And confidently spend your ad dollars to scale your business.”
I used outcome-driven language to talk a bit more about how first-party benchmarking data can help companies scale. Starting with what the product does, but always finishing with the “so that,” so we can close with a bang and drive home the outcome they’re really expecting.
Okay. Now Prove It.
At the time of this project, the platform was the largest data co-op in the world for SaaS and e-Commerce businesses. And I believe it still is. The numbers were already high; they had over 4,500 companies benchmarking data against their best competitors. That may not sound like a lot at first glance, but it allowed Varos to reach statistical significance for several verticals.
Not to mention, four digits is something huge for social proof. When you’re trying out a platform for the first time (especially if you have to give your data in order to receive data), you’ll want to know that several other companies have already used it and reached success with it.
See the square where I wrote “Supporting screenshot of Varos dashboard – preferably one that demonstrates real-time averages”? That’s where I suggest the best images, screenshots, videos, GIFs, or any visuals that will support the copy (or even contain supporting copy).
I suggested that the client add a screenshot of the platform instead of any graphics or drawings, simply because if a prospect is interested in using a platform like this, a screenshot helps with future pacing, meaning that they can see the product in action before they commit. It’s like giving people a sample of yogurt at Walmart before they buy it.
The Primary CTA
“Full access. No credit card needed.”
This click trigger next to the button helps reduce anxiety and friction. People who are just about to click may be wondering, “OK, well, will I need to give my credit card details? What if they charge me before I get a chance to cancel? What if…what if…they just give me access to a couple of features and leave me stranded?”
And it’s so easy for them to not click when that happens. No matter how persuasive the rest of the copy may be. Which is why a simple line of friction-reducing copy goes a long way in countering those fleeting objections.
The “How” Section
The “how” can be either long or short depending on the page you’re on. Since this is a “How It Works” page, it makes sense that it would encompass most of the page. Let’s get right into it.
On Crossheads and Eyebrow Copy
(A crosshead is what marketers will usually call “subheads”. Conversion copywriters call them “crossheads” as they run across the page.)
Are you the type of person who will just settle for a “How It Works” crosshead when talking about your solution?
There’s a simple reason why people do it: because everyone else is doing it. They see it all across their competitors’ websites and just do the same.
In this case, allow me to introduce you to the concept of what conversion copywriters know as Eyebrow Copy.
It’s the little line of copy right above the crosshead (“Why Varos Is Different”), which is a spin on “How It Works.” It shapes the section just like eyebrows shape your face.
Every crosshead is another chance to pull your visitor into your copy. You could lose them at any part of the page, and having a bland crosshead that simply says “How It Works” or “Why We’re Different” won’t help them stay engaged. This is just the type of reading you scroll by without a second thought.
So instead, I use those placeholders as eyebrow copy, and use the actual crosshead to signal to skimmers that they’re in the right place.
Okay, Let’s Say I Believe You. Why Should I Buy What You’re Saying?
When I talked to a member of the sales team, as well as a member of the customer support team (both awesome people), I found that some prospects might be reluctant to share their data with the platform. Some of them wanted to get data without giving their data for peers to compare against. And that’s understandable – they want their data to be safe.
Other people had questions about whether this data is statistically significant. They wanted to know if the sample for their sub-vertical (e.g. scented candles) was large enough that they could extract meaningful, accurate results from it. So I made sure to mention that in the copy.
By making it extra clear how this data is collected and tagged, and by whom (statisticians, marketers, and developers) I could address these potential objections. I’ve also made sure to include that not even those professionals could view their data, as it’s protected by encryption. Their data is just used to calculate averages, and that’s about it.
My Recommendations
I talked to the client about potentially including a badge from the company that provides data encryption to Varos. This way, visitors could get a quick-hit trust signal that their data is safe even if they don’t read through the copy. Which could happen! We’re solving for all kinds of readers and skimmers.
And for those who aren’t familiar with statistical significance, potentially mentioning how they would only add verticals with a large enough sample for accurate results.
Prove It…Again!
Because I mentioned that you’re dealing with a team of kick-ass people, I have to prove it. I just do.
By adding their photos and their titles, I could connect seamlessly to what I’ve claimed before, so it’s as persuasive as possible. I wanted to make sure people trust this platform and know that their data is safe in these guys’ hands.
Some people would be like, “Really? Are people gonna pay attention to that?” I can’t guarantee they will, as some people will just be scrolling down and not reading section by section. But as I mentioned before, I’m addressing objections for both readers and skimmers.
My Recommendations
Ideally, there would also be a very brief description of each team member’s roles in the data collection and tagging process. But only if I still knew there were objections regarding who handles the data and how they do it.
It would also be wise to add their LinkedIn or social media handles. A lot of team members were active on several platforms and posting awesome stuff about their processes and achievements. This could add an extra layer of trust, and there’s no such thing as too much trust. Not for me.
The Section I’m Not Proud Of
Let’s not pretend that we don’t go back and wish we could have done things differently. This section is one of those moments.
I initially wrote this section, as always, with Voice of Customer (VOC) data and persuasive principles in mind. However, looking back, I realized that the true value of this platform was buried in the body copy: the fact that their benchmarking data is updated every 4 hours.
When compared to reports that came out months ago or even years ago, 4 hours between updates is insane, in the best possible way. Because reports (or other inferior solutions) weren’t going to give users the certainty of working with the right data, with the up-to-date information they want.
I could easily have shortened this section, but just for your viewing, here’s what it looked like.
What Would I Have Done Differently?
I would’ve switched up this crosshead with the undeniable value they wouldn’t be able to find anywhere else (at least for at the time of this copywriting project) which is data updated every 4 hours. Something like…
“Benchmarking data updated every 4 hours. Not every 4 months.”
I would’ve gotten rid of the first two sentences, “If your business relies on paid media to attract new audiences, you need real-time market data. You spend hard-earned dollars on ads, so you should be confident that they’re doing their heaviest lifting.” And get straight to the meat and potatoes.
Visuals Are Also Copy. So Use Them.
Some things are much more believable when you show a visual representation of them. It helps visitors see things clearly, and they don’t have to go through the work of creating a picture in their heads themselves. This saves their already overloaded brains a lot of work.
Just a reminder that I’m not a designer; otherwise, I’d have created a more vivid depiction of the platform’s richness of data. But I did what I could as a copywriter and provided the designer who would be working on this page a little bit of creative direction. So they could know exactly which concept to go for.
Of course, moving pictures like GIFs or Loom snippets are both incredible ways to please both readers and skimmers. And it also generates future pacing, where people actually have a peek inside the actual product and can see or visualize themselves using it.
Testimonials Are Not Just for “What Our Customers Say” Sections
I supported the following sections with testimonials for one simple reason: testimonials are, essentially, copy written by your clients or customers. Some people just stash them into a “What Our Customers Say” section way down the page, which people won’t always reach!
Ideally, testimonials should also support the copy you’ve written. The testimonial added is from the Head of Growth in a company with a very large ad budget, which further proves that this platform can support the needs of large companies.
What Would I Have Done Differently?
If I had written this page today, I would have included a side-by-side testimonial of a CEO or Head of Growth of a smaller company with a smaller budget. That would have had a lot more impact.
And I would also have added a button or a drop-down where people could see all the verticals supported and find their own, right then and there.
Switching Prospects From the Anxiety of “Is It Just Me?” to the Certainty of “It’s Definitely a Macro-Trend”
During my research, I learned that one of the main reasons why users switch to this platform is: they had a lot of anxiety regarding the rising costs of ads. Oftentimes, they would change up their targeting, creatives, or copy when they didn’t have to do it at all.
They’d talk to colleagues and friends in different industries to ask if the same had happened to them (which I mentioned in the first section of the “How”), but those conversations were never accurate. These people were in different industries, different verticals, and they had different ad spends.
But why did I mention Facebook, exactly? It came up a lot during my research!
And if they had to change their targeting, then Facebook would take a while to learn and to cater to that new targeting, they would lose time and money…and that might lead to a hairball of problems.
This solution would let them know whether Facebook was acting up due to glitches or industry macro trends. So they can only focus on what’s within their control – and not stress over what they don’t need to stress about.
(After I wrapped up the project, they created a new email alert system in which users would get notified about any industry shifts in real-time. Of course, this would have earned a spotlight here with a screenshot of a potential email.)
Testimonials All the Way
Further proving that this solution can help its users let go of control and act only where their expertise is called for, I followed with not one, not two, but three testimonials from different users saying that they can only step in when they know they can make a change. And they don’t need to freak out when their costs go up because, hey, it might just be happening to everybody else! So they can just calm down and ride out the storm.
The Close, AKA the Opportunity-Rich Section a Lot of Marketers Forget About
The closing section, or the close, is often one people take for granted. However, it’s, I dare say, the most important part of your page. Here’s why.
Even if somebody scrolls down this far, they still need to be convinced for a lot of reasons. Yes, they may have read the entire copy leading up to the close. Or, they may have “muddled through” and scrolled up until this point. Either way, we need to treat each section as its own “little package”, so that no matter where they are on the page, they can get the gist just by glancing at it.
The close is extremely important because it’s the decisive time where visitors just might be ready to take you up on your offer. So, you need to reduce all the friction you can in this area and encourage them to move forward. Because it’s safe, and because it’s what will help them give you the right click.
Eyebrow Copy + Crosshead
Instead of some watered-down version of “Get Started” or “Try Free for 14 Days,” I made this section about what they want most and made it sound within reach.
Yes, I still made it clear that a 14-day free trial awaits in the eyebrow copy. But the star of the show is the crosshead.
I wrote the crosshead as the desired outcome, so visitors could remember how the product can fit in their daily lives, and why they want that to happen. In this case, they want a data-driven solution to their benchmarking problems. And it’s so close to them: their next planning section could be the most data-driven of them all if they act now!
Body Copy
Getting started is so simple and easy. It takes 2 minutes and a few seconds, and they’ll have full access for free for 14 whole days, plus you need no credit card details. Let’s remind them of that.
It’s about removing all objections while stacking up on motivators.
The Final CTA
“Instant” is the word. So is “get,” as it carries no baggage or implies any work. And, of course, click triggers. Because reducing anxiety is crucial, especially when visitors move closer and closer to the “yes.”
How Did I Get to Those Conclusions, You Ask?
Feverish research is the answer. My research process is so detailed, most copywriters out there would say “yeah, I’d rather just write what they tell me to.” But not me!
For this project (and for every web copywriting project I’ll ever take on), I’ve created research documents with insights my clients can use all across their messaging.
I dive deep into their prospects’ state of mind at the moment they land on the specific pages on their website. The result is powerful messaging opportunities.
However, research isn’t enough. I need to know how to use that research to pinpoint:
- The leading messages most likely to hook the right visitors and keep ‘em reading
- The messaging hierarchy that will best resonate to the visitors to that specific page
- What to say, and how to say it…
- …as well as what not to say (and why not)
- And of course, the best visuals (or shall I say, visual copy?) to support your messages
It’s a lot of stuff. But it’s also a whole lot of fun.
So, you like the way I work? Need to chat about what’s going on with your website copy, and how I can help you improve it?
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