Your small business website can often be the very first touchpoint that someone has with your organisation. This is why it’s incredibly important to maximise the opportunity for engagement from first-time visitors.
In this article, we’re going to cover 4 useful tips which will help you maximise that engagement.
Did you know that on average it takes someone up to 12 interactions with your organisation before they will make a purchase?
Modern research shows that consumers need to see or hear your message 5-12 times before they are ready to commit to a purchase.
This means that it’s unlikely a first-time visitor to your website will convert into a sale.
Whilst that’s a little disheartening there are other ways to maximise the impact of these first-time visitors that will not only maximise your chances of sales down the line but also better serve your regular visitors too.
We’ve put together some tried and tested tips that will help you best serve first-time visitors.
REGULARLY UPDATE YOUR HOMEPAGE
Continually refreshing and updating your website’s homepage is a great way of grabbing the attention of first-time visitors.
Visitors will be met with your current products, services, events, and information which will engage the visitor with your current objectives and give them more incentive to get involved.
This will allow you to demonstrate that your business is taking action, not standing still.
A fluid homepage will also benefit returning visitors, providing them with new information to digest, it’s a win-win.
Plan out your main call to action month by month and include that in your header. Regularly update featured products, services, events, and any other important information taking place on your homepage.
CREATE AN IRRESISTIBLE LEAD MAGNET
Giving away something valuable to your potential customers, in exchange for their contact information, is a quick way to move them down the sales funnel. As studies show, customers need multiple touchpoints with your marketing messaging before they are ready to commit to a purchase. Adding them to your email list ensures those extra touchpoints.
To ensure maximum uptake of subscribers, you need to have a static opt-in call-to-action on your key pages, such as your homepage and relevant blog content. You can also add a pop-up to prompt visitors to subscribe. If you’re having trouble coming up with ideas for an irresistible lead magnet, there are free idea lists available online.
INCLUDE INTERNAL LINKING
Internal linking refers to linking other pages and content within the pages that visitors are viewing. For example, using a blog article, you can strategically place links to other relevant blog articles or key landing pages on your site.
By placing internal links within your content, you are guiding new visitors to interact with more of your site, increasing their chances of remembering your business. Additionally, this decreases your bounce rate, which indicates to search engines like Google that your site has high-quality and engaging content, and boosts your search traffic.
In this blog article, you can see we have added links to previous blog posts that dive deeper into certain subjects or are relevant to the tips provided in this article. The longer visitors stay on your site, the better the chances they will remember your brand and eventually convert into customers.
USE STORYTELLING
Stories are a powerful way to connect with customers and build a lasting impression of your small business. People tend to remember stories better than data, making storytelling an effective tool to engage with your audience and drive conversions.
You don’t need to be a professional writer to create great stories for your small business. By following some basic rules and establishing a storytelling system, you can ensure that your brand is conveying its message in an engaging and memorable way.
Consider developing a blueprint for your small business storytelling strategy. This can help you identify key stories that align with your brand and create a framework for how to present them.
While customers may not make a purchase on their first visit to your website, effective storytelling can help keep your brand top of mind and encourage them to engage with your business further. Have questions about how to improve your storytelling and boost conversions? Share them in the comments below, and our team will be happy to help.