Websketching On/Offline
October 2009 Newsletter
10/1/2009 - FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Click here for the .pdf version of October’s newsletter.
For the next few months, we will expand upon the 3 key activities of online marketing outlined in September’s newsletter:
Acquisition – Getting traffic to your website.
CONVERSION – Getting your visitors to take action.
Retention – Increasing the value of your visitors by deepening the relationship.
This month, we will start with conversion, because we believe there is no point in wasting your time with acquisition if you currently have problems with conversion.
First, let’s define conversion as when a visitor:
- Clicks on a link within your site (reading content, is interested, is engaged).
- Fills out a form on your site (wants more information).
- Makes a purchase.
- Makes a phone call.
- Interacts with a feature such as a video, a sweepstakes or a product demo.
So, why don’t more visitors take action while they are on your site? The answer is usually very simple. They don’t trust you. That’s right—they do not trust you.
Websites are not made of brick and mortar. Visitors are not greeted with a smile and a welcome. Due to their previous bad experiences with other websites, they already do not trust you—will you SPAM them if they give you their email address? If they order a product from you, will it arrive undamaged and on-time? If they give you their credit card, will their information be secure? If they need help with their order, will someone answer the phone? Why should they even bother to read anything you have to say—who are you anyway???
One of the first things you need to do is establish some credibility—and having a professional website goes a long way toward achieving that goal. Your site should be:
- Designed properly with content that is written for the web.
- Free of grammatical and spelling errors.
- Updated on a regular basis to keep it fresh for the visitors.
- Free of any false claims or misleading information.
Next, you need to do a few things to build trust, such as including:
- An “About Us” page—let your visitors know who you are.
- Clearly displayed address and phone numbers.
- Testimonials.
- Shipping information and return policy, if applicable.
An important point to keep in mind is that you will never achieve 100% conversion. Not every visitor to your site is a potential customer. Some are not ready to take action; some cannot afford your product or service; some are rivals doing competitive research; some are simply surfing the web and thought it was worth a second of their time to check out your site. There are countless reasons that some visitors will never buy and an important realization is that there is nothing you can do to influence them to act. This will be the case of the majority of your traffic. It is the remaining traffic that deserves your attention – the group that might take action, but needs some convincing from you. This is where you need to take measures to tip the scale in your favor. Just understand that your conversion rate “ceiling” is well below 100%.
So, how can you convince that remaining group to take action? We believe the answer lies in education. You need to provide your visitors with the information they need to make informed decisions. Educate them about the services you offer and build credibility by becoming the business they turn to when they need an answer they can trust. For example, if you are a realtor, your website should provide a wealth of information about the area you serve, the customers you serve and any other niche markets you serve. And, you should be giving this information out for free. Check out one of our clients who did just that: www.SouthamptonVillageRealEstate.com
On the Internet, content is still king. It is what the search engine crave and what your visitors are seeking. Take the time to understand what your visitors need from you—and then give it to them.
