Simple Tips to Increase Your Case Studies’ Conversion Rates

Marketing case studies are a smart and tactical way for your business to showcase the types of proven strategies and real-life results customers can expect when partnering with your team. But even excellent case studies can be optimized to work even harder for your business. With a few simple modifications, you can optimize already compelling case studies into content that moves more customers from “consideration” to “commitment.”

Why Case Studies Matter in the Conversion Funnel

Conversion funnels are designed to generate sales (though not every conversion action is a sale — more on that momentarily). But just because that’s the ultimate goal doesn’t mean every organization maximizes its conversion funnel’s potential.

Content marketers understand the value case studies hold for prospective customers. Nearly two-thirds of marketers include case studies in their conversion-funnel content offerings, and 36% of marketers say case studies are effective. This type of content is so powerful because the format allows you to tell a customer-focused story while detailing why your company was the best solution, and how you helped the customer achieve their goals.

To create case studies that convert, your story must achieve the following:

Establish expertise. A well-crafted story outlining the problem, solution, and outcome for specific clients backs up what prospective customers learned about your company in the awareness stage. Case studies show your team in action and make the connection between your product or service and proven results easier for the audience to embrace.

Provide proof. Case studies serve as the social proof many of today’s consumers need when making a purchase decision. Testimonials and product reviews may get someone in the door, but case studies offer the kind of in-depth storytelling and quantifiable results that get people to take a closer look at what your business offers.

Build trust. Expertise combined with social proof provides a solid foundation for building trust with prospective customers. Focusing the story on the customer helps your audience see how they will benefit from working with you — not how your company benefits from their business.

How Case Studies Impact the Buyer’s Journey

Successfully moving prospective customers along the buyer’s journey requires presenting relevant content at strategic points along the way. Case studies are among the most important types of content marketing teams can use to nudge customers closer to conversion, and they encourage progression in a few important ways.

1. They showcase real-world examples.

Case studies allow prospective customers to picture themselves in comparable situations in a more concrete way than they could in the awareness stage. They may see themselves facing similar challenges and seeking a solution that offers results more quickly or cost-effectively than they’ve previously experienced. Case studies lay out what the prospect’s path and eventual success could look like before they fully commit.

2. They start — or continue — a conversation.

As we mentioned earlier, “conversion” doesn’t always equal “sale” when talking through marketing and conversion funnels, especially if your product or service is complex or requires a large investment. So although a seriously compelling case study could lead directly to a sale, it’s just as important if they result in a prospective customer requesting more information, scheduling a call with your sales team, or inquiring about a free trial or demo.

3. They provide an opportunity to highlight your competitive edge.

For many marketing teams, case studies feature most prominently in the consideration stage of a conversion funnel. Prospective customers have moved beyond a general awareness of their own challenges and your product as a potential solution and are now seriously weighing how your product or service might be better than a competitor’s offering.

Case studies can demonstrate your unique value proposition and key benefits by including product comparisons. Highlighting your product’s features alongside what your competitors do or don’t bring to the table, and why certain customers ultimately chose your solution, could be the reassurance prospective customers need to move onto the purchase stage.

Improve Your Case Study’s Conversion Power With These Tips

Your customers want to read case studies: 42% of B2B buyers find this form of content most appealing, and 25% of buyers list case studies as the most useful form of marketing content — more than blogs, videos, or white papers. Give your customers the information they want and maximize your content’s effectiveness with these best practices for optimizing conversion rates through case studies.

Headline

Make a strong first impression by writing a customer-focused headline. Include the most impactful result from your work with the client, and be as specific as possible. Numerical data is great here because it’s both eye-catching and easy to understand. In cases where numerical data doesn’t make sense for the headline, include action verbs that allude to the client’s improvements or achievements. The headline isn’t the place for outlining challenges — that’s what the body of the case study is for.

Story structure

When broken down into the most basic building blocks, case studies typically follow this structure: challenge, solution, outcome. This is what most audiences expect, so there’s no need to reinvent the format if you can address the audience’s pain points and provide proven solutions.

Still, you want to convert more customers than your competitors, so it’s important to make the client the star of the story. Centering the narrative around the client helps to show prospective customers that your focus is on providing customer-specific solutions and not on bolstering your own brand.

Engaging extras

Your audience is made up of different types of people with various content and media preferences. Hook more readers by including a header or infographic calling out the most important outcomes and relevant statistics at the top of your case study. This not only serves your TL;DR audience segment but also breaks up blocks of text for a more engaging reading experience.

Other ideas for more engaging content include:

• Charts or tables: Clearly-labeled charts and tables make statistical data easier to digest. Using this tactic also highlights relevant data that could be easily overlooked in a block of text.

• Videos: Recent survey data indicates that nearly 90% of consumers want to see more videos from brands. Embedding short videos into your case studies not only adds visual interest, it’s also a great way to summarize a lot of information in a concise and easily shareable format.

• Data visualizations: Include visuals like flowcharts, diagrams, or timelines for a more tangible illustration of user journeys or specific processes. Visualizations are an excellent way to simplify complex processes and can help visual learners easily understand important information.

Content That Works Smarter, Not Harder

Crafting case studies for better conversion is a strategic way to meet or exceed your company’s growth goals. By making a few simple changes to your current case study format, you can create more engaging, customer-centered case studies that set your company apart from the competition.

Another easy way to make your content work smarter for you? Partner with Comma and let our team help you create content for every stage of the buyer’s journey. Schedule your free 20-minute consultation to learn more.