Annoy users with audio for a 10.4% conversion rate increase . . .

We’ve been optimizing landing pages for nearly a decade, and one of the most consistent tricks that works is the addition of a simple audio message.

Not just any audio message, mind you, but a loud, intrusive, auto-playing message.  Many of you right now are probably wishing horrible acts of violence against us for suggesting this – but it works!

First a disclaimer – this type of loud and auto-playing audio works well for mass-market traffic: think AOL, Google, FaceBook, and the New York Times.

For more technical or business savvy audiences, however, the addition of an audio can actually harm your conversion rate – so do your best to segment your campaign, and test, test, test!

So – why does it work and how can you test it?

Through our analysis we’ve come up with the following conclusions.

Audio startles the user into paying attention . . .

Having something unexpected happen that is very personalized – a human voice – demands a user’s attention.

Audio speaks to your target market . . .

While you may scare away visitors that are just showing up to tire-kick, it provides crisp & clear information to your target users.

Audio humanizes your website, and increases trust . . .

A professional voice actor has spent years developing a persona and diction that feels and sounds trustworthy. This eases the fear of your users, and instantly makes your website feel less like a machine.

So how do you give this a whirl yourself?

There are essentially two steps: creating the audio script and then producing the audio clip.

First, write your script . . .

• Use your headline. If you’re doing website conversion testing already you’ll likely have found a headline or two that works. Write a script that either repeats, or reinforces your headline.
• Write in a conversational tone. Read the script outloud and try to keep it within 15-30 seconds.
• Don’t try to get too fancy. A simple “Congratulations, you are one step away from [what problem are you going to fix for them].  Simply fill out the form below to get started today!”  can work wonders – stay focused, simple, and on point with the action you want them to complete.

Remember, this is just a simple introduction.  You are not trying to get the user to act with the audio alone.

Second, produce your audio. . .

Start by finding yourself a voice actor – we recommend Voices.com or VoiceTalentNow.com .  For $50 – 100 you can get a full 30 second audio clip, and the turnaround time is less than one working day.

In our testing experience a young, energetic, female voice seems to convert the best but this can change from site to site.

Once you’ve found your actor, simply get them to record your script, and put the audio to your website!

Why you need to test this today . . .

Our average results from testing auto-playing audios for various clients?

A 10.4% conversion increase at a 95% confidence interval.

Of course, we always like to re-iterate, TEST, TEST, and TEST!  Every website and traffic source is different and what works for one may not work for another.

If you’d like our help testing an audio message, or have us drive up your website conversion rate please contact us for a free consultation.