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Loading...- What Are Case Studies & Why Are They Important?
- Optimizing Case Study For Better Conversion
- Case Studies Can Drive Conversion
What Are Case Studies and Why Are They Important?
While SEO, in general, is a long-term task that requires iteration and constant vigilance over time, case studies are simply when you look at real-world examples, what they did, and drawing conclusions from them. There are many examples of successful case studies and analyzing any one of them will give anyone an upper hand when it comes to optimizing their own website. It’s important to look at those who have succeeded before you in order to know what has worked and what will work again. [caption id="attachment_42848" align="aligncenter" width="750"]
An example of a straightforward case study from Backlinko showing the results of the process.[/caption]
When it comes to creating your own case study, you want to have a plan and an actionable progression towards it, so that you can track any progress made (if any) and judge the actual results accordingly. Having a plan laid out in front of you is crucial if you want better ranking results so that you know where you are trying end up and how your current actions have succeeded or fell short.
Not only do case studies give you (and your team) peace of mind, you also deliver that peace of mind to any investors or customers as well. In effect, you are saying, “X site did this and saw massive results, we will do the same,” or “Y company did this and failed, here is how we will handle this.” This gives your project a powerful boost of confidence it may need to push it to the next level with supporters. They are simply one of many tools you can utilize for your own benefit and for the benefit of your audience or customers.
Optimizing Case Study for Better Conversion
There are many avenues of attack for one to consider when trying to optimize a site. It’s important to understand your weaknesses and strengths before making any large, lasting changes, and case studies allow for greater reflection on these facts. There are an incredible amount of ways you can improve your website, all having been done by professionals at some point or another, and finding which ones apply to your site are crucial in the long run. Using these case studies to further the knowledge of your own site will lead to an increase in conversion.
A case study is usually contingent on how complex your business model is. If you sell chopsticks, there is not much complexity involved, and therefore drafting a case study for your company may not bear much fruit; on the other hand, if you create complex electronics, a thorough plan and analysis is crucial. By taking case study optimization to heart, you can see massive returns on your conversion rates and explain to everyone else how you got them (and create great web content by doing so!)
The Importance of Brevity
Shakespeare knew best, and the soul of wit was the same in the 1600s as it is now. Having a brief, concise case study is important both for your own understanding (when looking at other companies) and for the understanding of the customers and investors who support your project. By cutting out irrelevant details, focusing on the plan you have previously laid out, and detailing the actions you put forth in order to reach your end goals, you save a lot of time and a lot of headaches. Be descriptive, be detailed, but don’t pretty up the data with irrelevant verbiage. Just the facts, please.
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To make sure your Case Study keeps it brief you can implement sections that sum up the most important information from the whole case. Just like we did on our website![/caption]
Everyone Loves Relatable Content
All web content is web content. What does this mean? It means that your case study isn’t a presentation in a board room, or a dry, mathematical analysis. It means that your content is being seen by professionals and laymen, young and old, newbies and veterans. It means your content is public and continually being compared to its competitors. It means that you need to step up your game and include great charts, graphs, writing, and more. Most blogs never write with just text, for instance, and neither should a case study be so bland. Remember, you’re writing this case study for people like you, so make it interesting and relatable! This rule applies to the formatting of the content as well. No one wants to read a massive block of text, they won't properly edit the content that is easily readable. Spelling and stylistic mistakes are right out – always remember what you would like to read and act accordingly. There are many ways out there to identify great formatting with readability always at the forefront.Specificity Matters
Using clear data, visualizations, and precise numbers to prove your point is essential when creating a case study. Specificity matters here, because you want to explain fully what you did, why you are going to do what you’re going to do, and what results happened because of them. Having a clear progression path, with data showing every step, is the best way to analyze your business’ decisions and show your audience how your actions led to the current state of your site. [caption id="attachment_42850" align="aligncenter" width="750"]
Exemplary Case Study titles from Hubspot - numbers really can attract users to check what process is behind that success story![/caption]
