Cove Digest: Edition #2

Happy Sunday, Cove Crew! This week we’ve got a little something for everyone—whether you’re growing a local business, e-commerce store, or cooking up something else. Here’s the scoop on this week’s edition 👇️ 

• 🗣️ Important Update To Meta Shops

• ⭐️ Design Inspo (UGC TikTok Ad)

• 🗒️ Free Resource: Must-Exclude Google Ad Keywords

• 🏪 A Local Business Funnel Outline (👉 Insta-Improve Appt Show Rates)

• 😱 Conversion Excellence: When A Product Page Is Done Right 👏 

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Feel like we’re missing something, or have an idea you’d like to share? Get in touch with us directly at [email protected]

🛒 Meta Shops Update

If you’re a Shop owner, this is a big one: From August 10th, businesses are required to enable checkout with Facebook or Instagram.

What does this mean? 🤔

Well, if you have a shop on your Facebook or Instagram page using other means of checking out, you’ll no longer be able to operate without enabling in-platform checkout. So, essentially, Meta is saying, “Enable our in-platform checkout experience or do business elsewhere.” Bit of a hardball update, if you ask us. What are your thoughts? Think it’s a fair expectation to set?

⭐️ Design Inspiration: UGC TikTok Ad

We’re all well aware of the power of UGC content at this point 🤳 but love to see content creators run UGC videos as paid ads as they flow seamlessly on video platforms like TikTok and IG Reels.

@thelindsayann

If your kids are glued to the ipad… you’re gonna wanna check out this mom hack. We looove the monthly create delivery from @KiwiCo. Kinsle... See more

Some quick facts about what Lindsay did right with this video:

1️⃣ Video kicks off in a highly relatable way and speaks to the pains of most modern parents - kids being GLUED to their iPads and not getting enough creative/active playtime. #modernparentproblems

2️⃣ Proceeds to show an iPad alternative that keep her child busy and occupied with no screen time. (+ Her daughter clearly LOVES the activity)

3️⃣ Video is quick to absorb and brings most of us back to our less technological childhoods.

Google Ads - Negative Keywords List 🗒️ 

As any new Google Advertiser quickly discovers, without a solid negative keyword list you’re going to pay for a plethora of keywords that lack buyer’s intent or worse… are just plain spammy.

That’s why we put together a negative keyword exclusion list for your Google Ad Campaigns; one that can be applied to most businesses. Although, I would recommend a quick glance at each keyword to ensure it doesn’t directly conflict with your offering.

🤔 Not quite sure how to insert negative keyword lists, or just want to better understand the types of keywords to be able to better optimize your campaigns and more efficiently spend your money? Worry not, we’ve got you covered with a longer-form explanation about Buyers Intent Google Keywords.

Disclaimer: These keywords would not help a top-of-funnel or even middle-of-funnel-type campaign where you are focused on gaining readers, email subscribers, etc., this list is intended for campaigns where you’re trying to generate immediate sales.

Use This Local Business Funnel To Increase Appointment Shows

I created this funnel personally back in my days of running an advertising agency. I used this format to help gyms, dentists, and med spas drastically improve their appointment show rates, so, I thought I’d share it with you. I’ll use the example of a micro-needling appointment, but the principles apply to any local business service.

1️⃣ Meta Ad: Use the ad copy to hone in on the potential customer’s problems and how your service solves them. In the creative, show the experience or results of the procedure in an uplifting light

2️⃣ Lead Form: Collect the lead’s information & then redirect them to a post-opt-in page that links to a video 👇

3️⃣ Video 1: 🤳 A 45-60 second selfie-style video, where…

• The receptionist introduces her/himself by name

• He/she outlines the service, sets expectations, and explains the next steps

  • IMPORTANT: Mention that the lead will receive a phone call from your number, and show the number in the video!

• Mention that there is a URL beneath this video that will give them further insights into the procedure 👇

4️⃣ Video 2: (up to 3 minutes) - Record the esthetician introducing themselves & continuing a micro-needling service while answering FAQs in the format of “Many people think micro-needling is painful, but it’s not because XYZ”.

This funnel successfully…

✅ improves rapport/trust prior to even speaking to the lead

📈 increases answers, appointment bookings, and showings

Want to see your brand name here?

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Disclaimer: We are extremely particular with who we allow to become a Cove Digest sponsor—your product must be relative to our audience and of course, ethical. Applying does not guarantee acceptance.

DTC Conversion Excellence

This week, in place of a conversion teardown, we wanted to highlight an exceptionally well-done product page… one that can be used as inspiration for your own e-commerce store.

The product page that deserves all the praise is by… 🥁 drum roll 🥁 Thorne®. Below, you can see the full product page as well as 6 things that we LOVE about this page—design and typography A++ aside.

At first look, it might not look like anything special—but don’t let the simple, modern design fool you, there’s great strategy behind this product page.

1. With their low price point, displaying the price this way helps hone in on how affordable the product is per dose

2. If you offer a subscription—make it incredibly easy to subscribe. However, don’t make it difficult to opt out of subscriptions, that will U-turn any trust you’ve already built with your visitors

3. Not everyone will convert after visiting the product page. In fact, most won’t… and that’s fine—offering a ‘down-sell’ of sorts to collect lead information and most importantly provide value, is incredibly helpful in increasing your value per visitor

• Seeing ‘In 1886 Thorne Storefronts’ immediately establishes authority and trust, letting the visitor know that despite this product only having 14 reviews—the brand can be trusted

• SEO benefits aside, many visitors are in more of an education/consideration mood than purchasing, so allowing them to read through (or watch) material about a specific product, or related ones goes a long way in furthering the relationship 🤝 

• Nowadays, it’s more common than not for consumers to have restrictions or niche selections on the products they purchase. There’s nothing worse than having to email customer support to ask if the product is {insert any dietary specification}

Overall, this is an extremely well-done site, from a design and typography standpoint as well as conversion optimization.

Et Cetera

• Chat with your favorite industry experts on Intro. (Not sponsored! Just a really cool access point to quality (paid) mentorship)

• Chico’s (clothing brand) sees immense success with their loyalty program converting 80% of customers within the first 9 months