Which Converts Better - A Text Only or Multi-Media Webpage?
The debate rages on. Do webpages with nothing but text generate more sales, or do webpages featuring both text and images (e.g. illustrations, photos, etc) and/or other graphical or multi-media elements (e.g. videos) convert more?
There are many schools of thought on this subject. Some people say they get more clicks and sales on text-heavy webpages, while others swear by including images, videos and other graphical or multi-media elements. Who is right?
As you might suspect, there is no one universally correct answer. You might find that a text-heavy webpage generates higher conversions for one offer in one niche… whereas graphical or multi-media based webpages convert better for another offer in another niche. The only way to find out what works best for you is to split-test one type of webpage against another.
Nevertheless, a number of Internet marketers have said that webpages including videos, images and graphical elements have resulted in significantly more conversions than pages with nothing other than text. One marketing company studied this phenomenon and found that including pictures in a webpage increased sales by 25 to 100 percent.
Intuitively it makes sense that online stores, for example, will do better by displaying images of the products they’re selling. Where consumers are likely to base part of their purchase decision on seeing the product, it almost goes without saying that you’ll want to display images of that product.
Similarly, if consumers want to see the product in action, then a video demonstrating the product should theoretically lift conversions. Also, it seems logical that videos would be effective in eliciting greater trust. This is one of the likely reasons for why a number of Internet marketers have found that videos of them discussing or explaining an information product, or showing their results, or videos of happy customers giving testimonials, have all resulted in higher conversions.
Still, some successful direct response Internet marketing companies are notable for not using many, if any, multi-media elements in their webpages and opting, instead, for a classic text-heavy sales letter. In particular, some of the major companies behind paid newsletters in the investment, diet and money-making niches continue to use nothing more than a compelling headline and copy to sell their products. Are these companies behind the times, or do they know something everyone else does not?
I suggest the latter: but it’s not so much that such companies necessarily know ‘the’ answer to selling all kinds of products, but that they know the answer to selling their kinds of products. Which just underscores the need to test your offers and webpages - only then will you really know what works best for you.
Anna Johnson publishes Internet marketing newsletter, Kikabink News. Go here to get a FREE subscription to Kikabink News as well as a FREE copy of Anna’s ebook, Killer Internet Marketing Tips, plus four FREE killer 60+ minute audio interviews with top Internet marketers: Killer Internet marketing tips