How a start-up can attract the right website visitors
Phil Roybal, VP marketing at CollegeOnTrack (not a client), executed just about everything the right way on his web site, right out of the start-up blocks. As a form-and-content template for consideration by other raw start-ups, it’s as good as any we’ve seen. To us, it’s recommended viewing for early-stage companies in any category. CollegeOnTrack is a software package that simplifies the application process for jittery students and their anxious parents. Roybal, a former marketing exec at Apple, understood the need to keep the story on the web site simple because simplicity is what his product is all about. The demo video on the home page, for example, is a classic how-to explanation of the company and their offerings. The rest of the site features relevant, sticky content dealing with issues that matter most to students juggling applications, essays and appraisals of this or that school.
While CollegeOnTrack can be justifiably proud of its life-simplifying software, as most parents of a college students past and present can attest, the focus of the site reflects the world as seen through the eyes of students, parents and counselors. In other words, Roybal’s customers. This outside-in perspective can be easily blurred during the content creation process. CollegeOnTrack proves that this doesn’t have to be the case. As far as his web traffic goes, Roybal admits that while it could always be better, conversions are tracking the plan. “We had a great trade show this month and look forward to next month’s event,” he said. Just as high school students and parents have been looking forward to seeing what’s in their snail-mailboxes lately.
What’s your method for ensuring your web content reflects the POV of the visitors you want to attract? How often do you refresh site content? What’s your most recent rate of conversion and how is it trending?