Whether it is filling out a lead form, making a phone call or making a purchase, conversions represent any action we want a user to take on our website. Therefore, conversions are often the most important metric when gauging the success of a campaign.

Here are 5 steps to setting and achieving conversion goals (which can be challenging!).

1. Set realistic goals and benchmarks
   During the planning process of a marketing campaign, it is important to determine a conversion goal based on the client’s business objectives. Setting benchmarks throughout the campaign will provide a roadmap to prepare and guide the campaign to success. Keeping benchmarks in mind throughout the campaign will then allow you to have a detailed look into how you are pacing toward the overall conversion goal. 
2. Reach users at all stages of the decision-making process
   Not every user is ready to make a purchase or fill out a lead form. It is important to incorporate marketing tactics into the overall strategy to reach users who are not as far along in the decision-making process. Making users aware of your brand and allowing them to engage will guide them through their decision to ultimately convert.
3. Learn from those who have converted
   As digital marketers, we have the ability to analyze data based on users who have been to our our website and closely monitor data of those users who have converted. Understanding the demographics of those users, the landing page that converted the most and even the creative asset that drove the most users to convert will provide insight into how to best reach potential users likely to take the desired action.
4. Make data-driven optimizations
   A conversion isn’t going to be the only metric tracked during a campaign. Additional supporting metrics, such as time on site, conversion rate and cost per conversion should support the overall conversion data when making optimizations throughout the campaign. Having an understanding of the user’s entire journey will provide insight into the most effective optimizations to make when working toward that conversion goal.
5. Have a clear call to action
   Users spend an average of 15 seconds on a website. Because we have such a short amount of time to engage a user, it is crucial to make it as easy as possible for them to convert. Outlining a clear call to action on your website will help users understand how to better navigate the landing page and increase the number of users that convert.

Since conversions are often the most important metric in a digital marketing campaign, following these 5 steps will allow you to outline and reach your conversion goals, or at least the knowledge to question your curent agency.

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