You work hard developing the content and design of your website, but unless those aspects drive users to engage on your site, it doesn’t mean anything. If visitors aren’t pulled in and compelled to take action, you’ve got to re-strategize.
Engagement means maximizing the value of your website visitors. By encouraging their regular return to the site and the sharing of their positive experience with your brand, you increase the probability of new business development.
There are many unique ways to track your website’s engagement: screen sharing, heat mapping and deep analytics to name a few.
Study the behaviors of your site users – what’s working and what isn’t? What is it specifically about your custom website that is attracting prospects; what is enticing them to take action? What might be causing your site visitors to bounce or scroll past your CTAs (calls to action)?
It’s critical to understand what actions visitors are taking, but more importantly why and why not. If the engagement level on your site could use improvement, try some of these best practices:
Content
Content is what will bring your users to your site and what is going to keep them coming back for more. Videos, images, blogs, articles, and resources bring value to your website. Our SEO predictions for 2015 are continuously proven true as content, especially on mobile devices, becomes increasingly important. Make sure to update and/or add content regularly that is relevant and valuable to your target audience. Do you have content on your site that has driven quality traffic and engagement? Start working on repurposing that content.
Ask Questions
Ask your visitors questions that they feel compelled to answer, whether it’s at the end of a blog post, a survey, an exit poll or a call to action. On your blog, ask a question at the end of a post that relates to the content might induce a reader to answer in the comments section. Provide a survey or an exit poll question that can provide you with the answers to questions that will help you improve your site and brand all together. Never ask questions that have a yes or no answer. In order to gain value from your visitors’ responses, you will need in depth answers that can provide you with the most information possible. Engaging with those users via email, social media, via blog comments, etc. will show that your brand is listening, cares – and is human!
Positive User Experience
Giving your users a positive experience on your website will keep them happy, engaged and regular visitors. Keep your design simple and easy to use. Good customer service is essential when it comes to converting visitors to customers. Provide a live chat on your site so that you can readily assist your site visitor with whatever they need immediately. Minimize frustrations and give them a power and control in order to give them confidence when moving through the stages of conversion. Having a mobile friendly website is essential in today’s world where mobile devices are officially the preferred means for browsing the web. Make sure your site’s speed is as fast as possible – no one likes a slow site (especially Google).
Calls To Action
Clear call to action brings success to your site. Make sure your CTA buttons are bright, attractive and do not give your visitors the option to say “no.” Tackle those who are afraid of commitment by making sure your consumer knows that the process is flexible; you can do this by letting them know how simple your return policy is or by reassuring them that unsubscribing from your mailing list is just one click away. Automated emails with dynamic content or announcing sales will lure impulse buyers while making subscribers feel special. Add an email capture form on high traffic pages and blog posts to inform visitors about when new content or products have been added.
Website engagement makes your work worthwhile. If visitors aren’t purchasing, sharing your content, using your live chat, calling your customer service number or subscribing to your email list – something is wrong.
Consult with our team of digital marketing experts to make your website as effective as it can be. At Liqui-Site we work closely with our integrated digital marketing clients to ensure measurable results. If you have any questions about our services, comment below or contact us to schedule a consultation.
