Customer engagement is key to generating website traffic that translates into more revenue. The good news is that to generate that engagement, businesses don’t need to scrap existing websites to see significant improvements.
“Every Web development shop says you need a completely redesigned website; that’s why customers aren’t becoming engaged. On a case-by-case basis that might be true, but most of the time it’s a matter of optimizing what’s already there,” says Ryan Niddel, CEO of QuickLaunch Solutions.
“It’s about mining data from your customers and getting the most out of the visitors to your site; getting them engaged in your brand by taking them through a proven funnel. Capture their information, get them engaged through a follow-up sequence and get them involved in your social media, so when they need your product or service, you’re at the tip of their tongue,” says Niddel.
Smart Business spoke with Niddel about strategies companies can implement that help them grab the attention of existing and potential customers — a circular marketing campaign unifying their overall Web presence.
Where does the process of building engagement start?
It begins with a few simple changes in the website design; nothing more than a giveaway, something related to your business. A business that paints houses might feature a free e-book on how to care for your house’s paint or the simplest way to scrape it off. When someone provides an email address, he or she is added to a database and gets to download the material for free.
From there, it’s a series of email, text and mail promotions that all circle back to the end goal of getting them involved in your brand. Someone doing research and shopping for a painter might take 30 days to make a decision. You’re staying in front of him or her without being intrusive, giving him or her good information on a regular basis while also providing him or her with a way to connect to you. The best frequency is between once every 10 days and once every 25 days; that’s not intrusive at all.
You can also set up a blog that links to your website to allow customers to provide real-time feedback. If someone’s unhappy, that gives you the chance to apologize to the world, and show how the problem was fixed and what you do for your customers.
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Does that strategy work regardless of the type of business?
It’s more congruent with someone not selling a product, but it will work for e-commerce as well. We worked with a company that sells various pumps and gaskets for industrial use, which is a niche market so it’s not a high visibility website or search term. But it was able to get people engaged with its site and that has increased its customer acquisition 8 percent in 30 days.
How do you get customers to connect with your business via social media?
Offer a simple giveaway, a free quote or a 5 percent discount coupon if they follow you on Twitter or ‘like’ you on Facebook. Make sure every online aspect, whether it’s your website, blog, Facebook or Twitter, interconnects and have links to each other.
If you’re doing a good job and providing helpful information, engagement rates will be about 10 percent. That 10 percent will actively stay involved in the brand and provide vital feedback.
People visiting websites usually don’t take immediate action; it’s too easy to conduct research and shop around. Getting customer engagement sets you aside from every other company prospective clients search. Not every business will become a Nike or an Apple, but Joe’s Painting has people who like and trust Joe, and will tell their friends about Joe. That becomes easier when you stay in touch with them.
Ryan Niddel is the CEO of QuickLaunch Solutions. Reach him at (419) 631-1270 or [email protected].
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