It can be challenging to be found, noticed and seen as a valid option for potential customers online. There are many ways to do this but we’d like to simplify the process for you. Here’s how, as a small or start up business, to begin converting online visitors into paying customers.
Online Marketing Services Edmonton
Step 1 – Website Presence
Your website is an important part of your business. Often, it’s where people go first. They’ll look at your services, check for specials or find your contact information. As one of the first places they encounter and experience you, it’s important to put major consideration into the design and quality of your site. It should reinforce who you are as a business and give them a good user experience. Search engines also take these aspects into consideration when ranking search results. Below are three ways to ensure you convert those website visitors into customers!
- Responsive Design – ensure your website adapts to all screen sizes, including mobile devises. If someone has to zoom in and out often or can’t easily read and find information, you’ll lose them quickly.
- Easy Navigation – can the user find what they are looking for fast? Don’t hide things in drop downs and keep important information such as phone, location or sales on the first page or you’ll risk losing the user.
- Quality Content – you have something to offer! You have expertise and experience. This should be turned into a blog and updated on a weekly or monthly basis. Then, users visiting your site will learn about your business, your expertise, your current satisfied customers and they’ll develop trust with you. Fresh and constantly updated website content a key factor in SEO ranking as well. (See Which SEO Superhero are you? for more on this topic)
Step 2 – Social Presence
Once a user finds your website and likes what they see, step two is probably finding you on a social channel. Ensure there are obvious links to your social media pages from your website so they can like you on Facebook and follow you on Twitter, Instagram or Pinterest. They may also be interested in watching content on new live streaming platforms such as Periscope or Blab. The important thing is NOT to have all these social platforms going, but FOCUS specifically on the ones most applicable to and used by your demographic/average user. This will also help you not feel totally overwhelmed! Below are a few things to do to convert your social users:
- Post: Too many businesses post infrequently and lose their visitor’s attention. Post frequently and get personal with your posts! You might post business meetings, current projects you’re working on, the new display you just put up, the blog you just posted on your website, etc. This draws the user into using your services.
- Support: Social posting isn’t all about you! Remember to tag local companies when you use their services, share other useful content or blogs from related industries or complementary businesses, engage with followers who comment on your posts, and support others in any other way you can think of.
- Show Off: Every business has happy clients; it’s time to share yours with your social audience! This will create an engaged audience who now feel safe choosing your company from the reviews and positive feedback of other customers. This might be a weekly or monthly feature you post directly to your social accounts, or could be placed on your website as new content and shared on social media with the website link to drive more traffic to that content. (For more ideas on creating content in less than an hour a week, see our post on Fresh Content Creation)
Step 3 – Ad Presence
To finish the cycle, you should consider investing in some advertising. Social platforms like Facebook and Twitter give cheap and effective ad space options, so we highly recommend you finish the cycle with this step. Otherwise, your great posts and fresh content might not be seen by your followers or visitors at all. Your followers joined your social platform on their own accord and are already interested in you. Don’t target mass demographics when you can target a specific demographic ALREADY following and engaging with you in some way. (For a break down on why you need to invest in online ads, see our post on Pay to Play)
Let’s review the Profit Cycle!
Step 1 – The user finds your website and is drawn in with good design, ease of use and quality information
Step 2 – The user clicks through and finds you on social media to continue the online relationship
Step 3 – The user sees your online ad through social media and follows a link back to your website for the second time, this time with a purpose! They saw a special or promotion you’re offering, which will now…. CONVERT them into a client!
With these three steps in place, you will be converting website visitors into clients in no time!
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