Have you ever wondered why businesses invest in case studies? Not sure if case studies are worth the investment? Here are 5 reasons why you need to invest in case studies to increase your conversions.

At OptinMonster, you’ll notice that we spend a lot of time conducting case studies and highlighting them on our blog. This isn’t a coincidence or a random occurrence. In fact, we make a regular effort to communicate with our customers to produce great case studies. Why? Because we understand just how valuable case studies are in educating customers and increasing conversions.

Understanding the Value of Case Studies

Case studies are vastly under leveraged, yet wholly effective.

In fact, case studies are often more effective than brochures and traditional sales collateral. Why? Because everyone loves stories.

You have probably heard the saying, “A picture is worth a thousand words”.

This wisdom also applies to sales conversation and marketing.

The stories you share paint pictures, evoke emotions and give your presentation a sticky power.

That’s exactly what a case study allows you to do, tell stories about your brand.

People connect with stories, and there’s no better method of storytelling in business than using your customer’s voice in a data-backed case study.

The Basics of a Case Study

While there is no singular format for an effective case study, most contain similar elements.

Generally speaking, there are three major parts to a case study.

You start with the problem, outline the different solutions available, and then offer proven results that showcase your product/service as the optimal solution for the problem.

In essence, a good case study highlights “what’s in it for me?” from the target prospect’s perspective.

5 Reasons Why Case Studies are Important

Okay, so now that you understand the big-picture value of case studies, let’s narrow the focus and dive into some of the specific and tangible reasons case studies matter when it comes to increasing website conversions and directly driving sales.

1. Niche-Specific

One of the great things about case studies is that they are very targeted and niche-specific.

In other words, you will never see a case study – if properly developed – that’s vague or general.

By nature, case studies hone in on a very specific goal that’s related to your product offering. As a result, you can rest assured your case studies are going to resonate with your target market.

There’s very little risk that your case study will miss the relevance mark. While it is possible to mess up a case study, a properly developed one will always meet target customers where they are.

Example: Our CodeInWP case study highlights how MonsterLinks helped them increased conversions by over 1000%.

2. Position Your Brand as Authoritative

Few things are trusted more than statistics and factual claims.

Since case studies are built on the premise of researched conclusions, your decision to publish these documents helps position your brand as an authoritative figure in your industry.

By regularly producing thought-provoking and insightful case studies, you’ll be able to fast-track your way to becoming a thought leader in your niche.

For example, Yoast develops the most popular SEO plugin in the world which is used by over 4 million websites. In our Yoast case study, we highlighted how OptinMonster helped them add 10,000+ new email subscribers in a month.

A case study with a well-known brand in the industry helps you elevate your brand.

3. Explain How Problems are Solved

Case studies are problem-centric and solution-centric. While a product page on your website may say something like, “Our widget helps you reach more customers,” a case study dives into this statement and produces takeaways such as, “Our widget helps you reach 42 percent more customers by uncovering X, Y, and Z needs.”

While some customers may purchase your product based on the fact that a product page claims it’s an optimal solution for their problem, most want to know the “why” behind it.

Case studies serve as the foundation for the “why.”

Our case study with Ryan Robinson highlights how he recovered abandoning visitors and increased conversions by 500% using an exit-intent popup.

4. Provide Social Proof

In this technology age, customers have become more demanding in terms of proof.

Fifty years ago, a customer relied heavily on sales copy when it came to making a purchase decision.

If an advertisement for a pair of wool socks claimed it would keep their feet warmer than the closest competitor, that customer generally took the statement at face value.

However, as social media and the internet have evolved, customers have been given access to additional resources and information.

As a result, customers are far less trusting of sales copy and invest more in peer reviews and factual findings. Studies show 92% of online consumers look at a product review prior to making a purchase.

Top Tools AlertCheck out this list of social proof software you can use to easily add social proof to your site.

Case studies can satisfy this desire for social proof by highlighting customer experiences and revealing real-life results.

You may also want to see these proven ways to use social proof to increase conversions. Not sure about the value of social proof? Take a look at these social proof statistics!

5. Lead to Spinoff Content

Many businesses with limited content budgets are hesitant to invest in case studies because of the cost and time commitment. While case studies certainly require a heftier investment, they’re also generally more efficient.

After publishing a case study, you can then hone in on specific takeaways and use them as a framework for spinoff content.

This spinoff content could take the form of blog posts, newsletters, video features, or podcasts. Think of a case study as research. Once you’ve conducted the research, it’s fairly easy to discuss the intricacies in more detail.

Maximizing your Case Study Conversions

Case studies can take weeks or months to develop. Depending on the data you’re using, where you’re gathering it from, and how you’re putting it together, creating a valuable case study is an extremely intensive process. The last thing you want to do is waste your effort.

With that being said, simply creating and publishing case studies isn’t enough. If you really want to experience positive results and high returns, you need to make sure that everyone who reads the case study at the minimum joins your email marketing list and be entered into your sales funnel.

That’s where OptinMonster comes into play. With our incredibly versatile software, you can unlock the full potential of your case studies by converting abandoning visitors into subscribers and customers. With built-in analytics and A/B split testing, you’ll never wonder how your case studies are doing. Get started with OptinMonster today!

We hope this article helped you understand the value of case studies and explain 5 ways it can help your conversions. You may also want to see our article on 27 clever lead generation ideas you can implement immediately.

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