Demonstrating expertise is my favorite copywriting technique/secret for two reasons (that I’m sure will be of interest to you):

1: It boosts conversions like crazy when done right (more on that in a bit).

2: Most copywriters don’t use it, which means those who do use it get a leg up on the competition.

Why Does Demonstrating Expertise Boost Conversion Rates?

We are living in a hyper-specialized world. If I have a heart condition I don’t just want to go to a doctor– I want to go to the best doctor who specializes in my specific heart ailment, is affordable, is taking new patients, and operates at a location within driving distance. That is what I want, anything less feels like a bad deal (because it is!).

Your shoppers feel the same about you and every other site they stumble across. They don’t just want to buy from a site that sells a product that kinda fits their needs, they want to buy from someone who developed a product only after studying every other option that was available, then used their research and knowledge to build something superior.

They want an expert, an authority. Otherwise, it’ll be far more difficult for them to convince themselves to open their wallet.

Here’s the math:

In the next section, I’m going to use an example of how you can demonstrate expertise on your product pages.

Example of Demonstrating Expertise

Let’s say I was hired by Highkey.com (a healthy snack retailer) to improve bestseller sales (Mini Cookies: Chocolate Chip).

Here’s why demonstrating expertise matters. I Googled “healthy chocolate chip cookies” and this is what I saw (watch the video below—it’s just 46 seconds):

There are countless competitors out there, and most shoppers are fully aware of this. Even if your business only has one or two major competitors, you’re still not immune to the bargain hunter: between 70% and 80% of online shoppers are comparing prices.

You don’t want them to rely on price alone because price doesn’t tell the whole story (see our article on price justification).

Users on your page are aware of what’s out there so if they don’t get a compelling reason to stick around, they will leave. To create a more sticky experience, demonstrate expertise.

Here’s How

if I were Highkey.com I’d focus on the following:

– Talk about the hard science of getting the ingredients to work just right.

– The science of metabolism.

– How we taste-tested everything that was available at our local grocery store, drove to locations that were a 2-hour away, and bought from a bunch of online specialty stores. I would praise these alternatives. Praise?! the consumer expects us to criticize the competition. By not doing that we’re fighting their expectations– which gets them to notice us.

These are just some of the things I considered. You will likely end up with a different (and just as effective) list of angles to pursue.

You’re probably wondering: isn’t this too much content? It’s a valid point. Good question. The trick is to get the shopper to care about the details you are talking about. As explained in this video:

What Demonstrating Expertise Is, and Isn’t

Like everything in life, things work best when they are done in moderation. Yes, we want to demonstrate expertise, but we don’t want to do it in a way that comes across as arrogant or overconfident. The vibe you’re looking for is this:

Why Marketers Don’t Rely On Demonstrating Expertise As Much

Here’s what marketers say: Make the buyer the hero of the story. Don’t make yourself the hero.

This is very good advice, but there is a little asterisk (*) here. Before you can make the buyer the hero of the story you need to prove you are worthy of their undivided attention. You need to demonstrate expertise.

In the video below I discuss this idea:

Next Steps

You likely came here from our 9 Truths About Online Shoppers article. If so, you need to read the next item on that checklist: People Root for People Who Beat the Odds.

If you aren’t coming here from the 9 Truths About Online Shoppers article you absolutely need to see this: Marketing Secrets.