How Google Analytics Blog Gets Conversion So Wrong

How the Online Giant Makes a Classic “Noobie” Conversion Faux Pas.

The other day I rediscovered the Google Analytics blog . A great read and one I instantly wanted to add to my RSS feed list.

However, for the life of me I couldn’t find the friendly orange RSS button. See screenshot. No matter how hard you look, you won’t find it.

“What?” I thought. “What’s going on? Surely not?”

Eventually I found it after scrolling down the page and finding the universal orange button below the fold.

“Below the fold? Is anyone still making this mistake?”

Alas, it was so.

This is a classic textbook example of where not to put a “call to action”.

Don’t Make it Hard for the Customer

As a customer I wanted to take the action, to convert, but I couldn’t find where or how to.

I knew what I was looking for and the action I wanted to take but the web page didn’t deliver.

As a result, I was getting frustrated and mildly irritated.

Google, after all, does most things impressively well, so when something like this happens it’s a real customer disconnect. It shows how simple mistakes can have a dramatic impact on your online marketing and conversion efforts.

In this instance there was not a lot at stake, but if it had been a potential sale where money was involved then the customer tension and disconnect would have been even higher.

“Huh! They don’t really want my money, I’ll go elsewhere.”

Gone in a mouse click.

Make it Easy for the Customer

In any event, I eventually signed up and, curious as I was, I checked out another Google blog, the equally good Conversion Room blog.

This time the little orange beacon was where I expected it to be; high right side. (Otherwise known as the “Hot Zone” in advertising and marketing parlance.)

I suspect the previous mistake was just simply an oversight on Google’s part, and one that no one’s obviously pointed out to them so far.
However, it serves as a good example for the rest of us.

As I said, a simple mistake so easily and commonly made. Placing your “calls to action” in the right spot can have a huge impact on your conversion rates. Don’t just place them anywhere, give it some thought, and of course always test the results.

* Just so we’re clear, I’m not having a go at Google, I'm just demonstrating an example of where not to put a “call to action.”