Key Takeaways

• Optimizing site CTAs and navigation has a proven conversion lift of 111%. Optimize your site navigation to boost subscription visibility and intentional conversion.
• Use sticky banners, homepage carousels and exclusivity visuals to maximize subscription awareness.
• Research proves shoppers are most open to suggestions when already browsing. Embed subscription promotions throughout the shopping experience.

How to fight falling conversion rates by optimizing diverse channels of acquisition

With data from a 2023 Digital Experience Benchmark Report revealing retail conversion rates fell across the board from 2022, making every site visit count is crucial for conversion. We broke down styling your PDP strategically in course 1 of this series, but optimizing your overall site experience to promote subscriptions is also crucial to drive higher conversion rates.

To do this right, we first need to look at channels of traffic, and the customers that travel them. Shoppers are coming from increasingly diverse channels as platforms like social media and email evolve with trends and advancements.

Some shoppers will come from organic or paid searches, socials, email, display or ads, or direct. Each of these will mean customers are landing on different areas of your site; so it’s important to raise subscription visibility in each of them.

So here are 5 tips to optimize your site experience for subscription visibility for every channel and their shoppers:

• Increase engagement with a subscription CTA in your site navigation
• Implement sticky banners with your subscription offer sitewide for continuous visibility
• Showcase subscriptions in homepage visuals for direct channel converters
• Use inlay ads on category pages to drive visibility

Increase engagement with a subscription CTA in your site navigation

CTAs are impactful tools for conversion; with industry leaders like HubSpot recommending a multiplicity of CTA optimizations for revenue maximization. For optimal conversion, nest your subscription CTA in your sticky navigation; so customers can navigate to it from anywhere on your site. Your CTA should link to your subscription program landing page - more on best practices for a landing page that converts here.

And copy/phrasing matters. A software company increased their conversion rate by 111% by tweaking their homepage CTA copy from “Book a Demo” to “Get Started.”

Peet’s Coffee leverages a similar technique; nesting their subscription landing page beneath “free shipping” to entice prospective subscribers with one of their core subscription value propositions.

Wilderness Athlete leverages similar value propositioning; using the copy “save 15%” as their CTA in their navigation bar to make prospective subscribers aware of their recurring incentive.

Implement sticky banners with your subscription offer sitewide for continuous visibility

Similarly to your site navigation, sticky banners are an effective way to target customers from all acquisition channels. You should leverage your subscription program’s value propositions for maximum engagement, like highlighting your recurring incentive or any GWPs.

If you run other promotions onsite like an email list or loyalty rewards, we recommend implementing rotating sticky banners; allowing you to alternate promoting subscriptions and other offers in tandem. 

Tula highlights their recurring 15% discount with auto-delivery, alongside their free shipping threshold and free return system.

Showcase subscriptions in homepage visuals for direct channel and ad converters

Direct channel traffic, or customers who land on your site from a URL search or other untracked channels, will likely be directed straight to your homepage. To make the most of these top of funnel pages, we recommend visually optimizing subscription promotions via homepage carousels and visuals.

The Homepage Banner

La Roche Posay displays their subscription offer on their homepage via a banner; highlighting 15% savings and linking to their program landing page for more information.

The Homepage Graphic

CBDistillery includes subscriptions in their top-of-fold homepage visual, alongside a CTA to shop.

The Homepage Carousel

Redken displays subscription value propositions in their homepage carousel to convert shoppers coming directly to their homepage.

Homepage DTC Exclusives

Clarins calls out DTC customer benefits, like gift cards and loyalty rewards, alongside their auto-replenish and save program.

Redken advertises auto-replenishment via tiles on their homepage, utilizing the exclusivity value proposition of “only here.”

Use inlay ads on category pages to increase visibility

In our last course, we learned that different channels of conversion like cart opt-in can boost enrollment by up to 3x. This boost is largely due to increased visibility to the subscription offer. With this in mind, it’s important to drive awareness in every aspect of the shopping experience. 

Additionally, promoting subscriptions via the Quickview Shop and other category pages increases visibility while shoppers are already in “shopping mode;” which a McKinsey study proved is when consumers are most open to receiving product recommendations. 

In the example below, Redken leverages inlay ads on their category page to promote subscription benefits during the shopping experience.

Callout subscription-eligible products with Autoship iconography

Like discussed above, suggesting products while shoppers are in browsing mode has a more likely chance of conversion than at other points in their shopping journey. So take advantage of this by calling out or highlighting subscription eligible products from pages like your PLPs (Product Listing Pages) or quickview shop views.

Mondou labels all subscription-eligible products with their distinctive an intuitive Autoship iconography; letting shoppers quickly and informatively browse options from PLPs/Quickview Shop.

📝 Try it now!

To recap, here’s how to start driving increased conversion through optimal subscription site visibility:

• Increase engagement with a subscription CTA in your site navigation
• Implement sticky banners with your subscription offer sitewide for continuous visibility
• Showcase subscriptions in homepage visuals for direct channel converters
• Use inlay ads on category pages to drive visibility