As consumers become more and more connected to online technology, business websites play an increasingly important role in customer-business relationships. But creating an online space that captures your customers’ attention is only half the story. A website driving sales is also critical to its success.
To sharpen your company’s online prowess, 15 members of the Forbes Agency Council share their tips for making your website an engaging and successful part of your sales effort.
Photos courtesy of each member.
1. Start with strong content
We believe in the power of powerful non-promotional content to help prospects and customers overcome their most pressing business challenges. It’s just the beginning. It’s important to keep your customers engaged with the right message at the right time and through the right channel until the deal closes. – Paula ChiocchiOutward Media Co., Ltd.
2. Offer something relevant
Enabling prospects to intentionally navigate your brand’s website is extremely important. No deep navigation or endless meandering, just a few clicks to provide something of interest and relevance. Once your topic resonates, entice your visitors to want more. Keep the conversation going by offering additional areas and ideas to explore with easy contact. Relevant engagement turns prospects into lifelong customers. – Dave Wendlandthe Hamacher resource group
3. Use a more engaging call to action
Businesses can increase consumer engagement by making interactions easy, convenient, and fun. Deepen customer connections by using ‘Try a product sample’, ‘Watch a live demonstration’ or ‘Book now’ instead of a simple ‘Contact us’ button I can. Be creative and specific. For example, one of her B2B clients asks, “How do you test industrial valves?” – Francine curveMarkitects, Inc.
4. Leverage user-generated content
The power of user-generated content extends far beyond social media. Consumers want to see a product in action before they buy it, so providing content from real customers can help build credibility and increase purchase intent. User-generated content tends to be more credible, personal, and engaging. This is the quality consumers look for in brands they buy from. – David Shadpoolsocial native
5. Streamline
This is all we do for our clients. Strategically test and measure every element to know what matters most to your visitors. This quantitative approach really helps drive sales conversions and average order value. Knowing what they like and dislike will help you better position the products you sell and see exponential growth. Justin Christiansonconversion fanatic
6. Use chat tools
One of the things I always add to my clients’ sites is a chat tool. why? This increases consumer engagement and ultimately increases the time he spends on your website. There are plenty of chat tools to choose from, but most small businesses don’t have the internal resources to manage this, so I always rely on a third-party company’s tool for his 24/7 availability. . clock. – Dustin Detorresdetorres group
7. Take Retargeting Offline
Teams focused on driving site traffic are often different than teams focused on driving conversions. Creating focus is good, but it can lead to conflicts. Bring these goals together and implement programs that break down silos. Web-based direct mail leverages increased site traffic with browsing data shared by consumers. You can use this to retarget via direct mail and increase conversion rates. – Lori Paikin, NaviStone®
8. Monitor analytics
Your website tells the story of your company and its services while appealing to your target audience. A particular service offering, mixed with an individual corporate culture and a distinct target market, calls for a unique his website. The site should be an evolving project and the webmaster should regularly analyze consumer flows, interactions and behaviors and adjust the website accordingly. – Ahmad KaleTwisted Lab Marketing
9. Leveraging User Behavior
Even if your website generates crazy traffic, it doesn’t mean that it will bring you tons of leads. On average, it takes about 6-8 interactions between a brand and a prospect to become a customer. Invest in observing user behavior on your website and use remarketing ads across different channels. – Solomon TimothyOneIMS
10. Lower your bounce rate
Lower your bounce rate by any means possible. Every step in the user interface/user experience should propel the user forward. Entertain, showcase options, and provide information at every step to keep them moving forward. should contain other action buttons that can be navigated to within the – Susan AckbarpoolMAVATAR TECHNOLOGIES INC.
11. Find funnel leaks
Use analytics to analyze where leaks occur in the funnel and implement new marketing tactics to fix them. You may find that your content is driving traffic to your site, but that traffic isn’t converting. Use A/B testing to experiment with different headlines and personalized content to see what can drive more leads to sales. Sometimes it’s as simple as redefining your value proposition. – Christopher JonesLSEO
12. Keep things simple
Reduce the number of steps (the amount of friction) it takes for a customer to complete a purchase or submit a contact form. Provide sufficient context and marketing materials about your product/service, but always include a call to action at the end of the experience. – Jordan EdelsonAppetizer Mobile LLC
13. Craft a Compelling Offer
Once you’ve interacted with your target audience online, create an attractive offer to encourage them to take the next step and close the sale. Know your audience and offer specials that motivate and drive repeat business based on the products and services they choose. Keep your message simple and clear, and drive people quickly through your site to points of conversion. – Stephanie Shreve, PowerChord
14. Consider customer paths
Check the purpose of each page. Some pages are for information. Some companies move customers down the funnel, while others focus on conversions. Consider your customer’s path and strategically include call-to-action buttons throughout your site to direct them to the correct path to drive conversions. – Bernard Maynational status
15. React quickly with options
In the service industry, if someone fills out your lead generation form, assume they’ve probably filled out a few. Response time is important, as is flexibility to meet the requirements of the prospect (by phone, email, or at any time). make them easy. Speed and convenience are often critical differentiators. – Marcus GrimmWeb Talent Marketing
