You’ve heard the adage, “First impressions are everything.” That rings true in all areas of life. Marketing companies know this. The evidence is everywhere in San Diego.
Ever stepped into a fabulous restaurant you can’t wait to tell your friends about? Or had a “perfect” experience when buying a new car? That isn’t just happenstance. Rather, it was carefully crafted.
It’s not just in a geographical location like San Diego. It occurs online, too. Ever visited a website where the user experience is exceptional? What about the opposite? Ever visited one that looks like it’s straight out of 2000? How fast did you back away? Did you trust it?
We’re at a point where 88 percent of users are unlikely to return to a site after a bad experience. If you have a poorly designed mobile web presence, 57 percent of users state they will not recommend it to friends.
Still think web design isn’t vitally important? One more statistic to convince you — 75 percent of users judge website credibility based on aesthetics alone.
If you want engagement, website design matters.
What’s the Purpose of Your Website?
It may seem like an obvious question, but few marketers spend quality time contemplating the true purpose of their websites. Your website is the public face of your business — it shares information with visitors. But it’s more than that. It serves a purpose. If you don’t spend enough time defining it, you’ll never achieve it.
There are many different reasons to build a site:
- Sales: The purpose is to generate sales.
- Information: The purpose is to inform users.
- Entertainment: The purpose is to entertain users.
- Lead generation: The purpose is to generate leads.
- Portfolio: The purpose is to showcase and present.
Each of these would have a different strategy. Each would be designed in a unique way.
If your purpose is to sell, then every page should have a clear action step that eventually leads to a sale. If your purpose is to design a portfolio, every detail should be considered. Ultimately, every page should clearly represent what you do.
Engagement comes from that clarity. If you know why you’re building, it comes out in the design. You build it into the overall presence and create the best digital presence to make it shine.
Website Engagement Is Essential
Before we get into specific ways to increase engagement, it’s important to understand how to measure it.
How much time do visitors spend on your website? What pages do they view? Where do they exit? Are your calls to action (CTAs) bringing them in?
Each answer helps you determine how engaging your website is. By measuring the right statistics, you’ll have critical information on building for the future.
You can create a more engaging community. And that can:
- Create higher customer satisfaction: A well-designed website encourages visitors to click and stay longer.
- Increase the duration on the website: More clicks bring them deeper into your website and increase the likelihood they’ll interact with you.
- Increase conversions: Whether it’s a signup or a sale, your goal is connection.
How do you do this?
Make Your CTAs Compelling
We’ve all been attracted to call-to-action buttons. They direct you to specific tasks: “Join Now” or “Add To Cart.” These should exist throughout your website, directing people to take action in whatever way you desire. If you want them to join, ask. If you want them to buy, ask.
Don’t be elusive; do so in an expected way. Color matters — make it stand out. Shape matters — don’t do something unexpected. Stick with standard rectangles or circles; surprises don’t trigger results.
Make Your Messaging Clear
We often get bored with our own messages. Marketers have a tendency to change things just when they’re starting to work. Get crystal clear in your message, then refine without significant change.
You’re building a core message that you want to resonate with your website users. It should communicate your brand’s mission while focusing on your purpose and presenting it well.
Create More Personalization
In today’s world, copycats will never stand out. Yes, you can have a lot of competition and still do very well … if you create your own personality. You have a voice; develop it and use it well.
With a web presence, this means crafting a brand you showcase on every platform. You listen to your audience and give them what they’re missing. You automate enough of your communication so that you can be where your audience is when they want the information. This is where refinement matters most.
Give Users What They Want
Think your website is all about you? Think again. Customers only stay where they feel understood. It’s all about the user.
Everything you do impacts your users’ perceptions of what step to take next. Every color, shape, header, paragraph and image should be well thought out and ready to boost engagement. This is from every angle, from a first-time user to a well-seasoned customer.
Understand Your Target Audience
Who is your customer? What do they want? If you don’t know, you won’t engage with them as they desire.
Start by conducting surveys with your current client base. Then go deeper with interviews to find out what they think. This is the only way you’ll develop a stronger voice for your messaging.
Website Engagement Impacts Digital Results
The only reason to be in business is to make a profit. Every business optimizes to build and grow. Hence, increasing website engagement is an essential goal for developing a brand in the marketplace.
Marketing companies in San Diego know this. They know website engagement is key to selling products and services and ensuring customers build loyalty and choose to stay with you for a long time.
Want a stronger business? Focus on engagement. Your website provides an easy platform to get the job done.
Want to explore how to get there? Want to make improvements now? InnoVision can help you build a robust strategy to achieve the results you’re looking for.
