{"id":7922,"date":"2014-10-08T15:08:00","date_gmt":"2014-10-08T22:08:00","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.yola.com\/blog\/?p=7922"},"modified":"2015-01-14T09:42:56","modified_gmt":"2015-01-14T16:42:56","slug":"the-key-to-new-customers-interact-with-your-sites-visitors","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.yola.com\/blog\/the-key-to-new-customers-interact-with-your-sites-visitors\/","title":{"rendered":"The key to new customers: Interact with your site\u2019s visitors"},"content":{"rendered":"

Guest article written by Megan Totka,\u00a0chief editor for ChamberofCommerce.com<\/em><\/p>\n

\"InteractingRunning a website (let alone a successful <\/i>site) is never quite as simple as it seems. This is especially true for small business owners today, constantly multitasking and juggling every<\/i> aspect of their business, whether they have the time or not. Of course, the evolution and accessibility of the modern web has made the process of online marketing much less daunting.<\/p>\n

Breaking down the barrier between the average small business and real-life customers has never been easier. However, many SMBs are still squandering their online success<\/span><\/a> because they\u2019re overlooking one<\/i> crucial element when managing their sites. What element is that?<\/p>\n

Interactivity.<\/i><\/p>\n

Today\u2019s customers, both online and off, are looking for some form of engagement<\/i> from the businesses they frequent. While the term \u201cengagement\u201d has become the go-to buzzword of the Internet marketing blogosphere, let\u2019s break the word down ala our friends at Merriam-Webster.<\/p>\n

Engagement<\/b> – verb <\/i>– to get or keep (someone\u2019s attention, interest, etc.)<\/p>\n

In a world where customers are bouncing from site to site and business to business without a second thought, engagement<\/span><\/a> is often the missing piece of our online marketing puzzles. While we seem to have everything in order when it comes to sealing the deal, we often forget to interact<\/i> with our audience.<\/p>\n

Yet doing so is easier said than done, isn\u2019t it? Isn\u2019t that what social media is for? How can we possibly make our sites more interactive<\/i>?<\/p>\n

Breaking Your Site Down
\n<\/b>You\u2019ve probably put a lot of effort into building your small business site, but let\u2019s take a moment to break your site down. That is, into three categories which ultimately drive your traffic and<\/i> engagement.<\/p>\n

Design<\/b> – The visual backbone of your site, setting a tone and helping keep your visitor\u2019s eyes quite literally on the page.<\/p>\n

Content <\/b>– The cornerstone of your site, delivering your business message and providing crucial information that will help create new customers.<\/p>\n

SEO<\/b> – The technical foundation for building new traffic, guiding new users into your funnel and, with the help of the two elements above, hopefully generating new business.<\/p>\n

The holy grail of success for your small business site is to see these three elements come together and leave a lasting impression on each and every one of your site\u2019s visitors. The process of making this happen simply requires a change in perspective. Assuming you already have a site, you therefore already have a design, content, and search engine optimization techniques in place. It\u2019s how<\/i> you utilize them that makes or breaks your site\u2019s interactivity. So, what do you need to do to make sure you\u2019re getting the most out of what your site has to offer?<\/p>\n

Dare to Design
\n<\/b>Asking the design and layout of your business\u2019 website to literally engage<\/i> visitors may sound a bit ridiculous; however, the idea may not be as farfetched as you\u2019d think. Design is rather subtle when it comes to customer interaction, often working on a subconscious level. It\u2019s been proven that color influences buying decisions<\/span><\/a>, for example, and is not<\/i> a mere oversight when it comes to marketing campaigns. What is the scheme of your site saying to your customers? Is it delivering the right message? Is your sight laid out in a way that encourages users to browse around or simply shuts them out? Remember, the first step of engagement is making your audience feel welcome<\/i>. Are you?<\/p>\n

Connecting with Content
\n<\/b>Time and time again we\u2019ve stressed the importance of compelling content<\/span>. Your website should connect to your audience on multiple levels. That is, anything written on your site should have a purpose, whether it\u2019s a weekly blog posts or directions to your store. The time of your visitors is incredibly valuable, so don\u2019t waste it. While your content should always pique the interest of your reader, you should also give them something to do<\/i> with your content. Comment. Like. Share. Debate. Agree. Disagree. A simple call to action<\/span><\/a> can go a long way when it comes to retaining readership.<\/p>\n

Optimizing Your Opportunities
\n<\/b>SEO<\/a><\/span> may seem like the black sheep when it comes to visitor interactivity. After all, SEO is something that happens in the background, right? It\u2019s technical. It\u2019s less than user-friendly, right? Not necessarily. After all, proper SEO is all about what your users want when it comes to targeted keywords and phrases. As search terms are what drive organic traffic, it\u2019s important that those search terms deliver on their metaphorical promises. That is, if your site ranks for \u201cbest pizza in New York,\u201d your site better be ready to deliver visitors a slice in the Big Apple. The better your SEO, the more opportunities you have to interact with an audience.<\/p>\n

The Bottom Line
\n<\/b>Finding success online is often an uphill battle for small businesses. You can greatly increase your chances of new customers and more conversions online by throwing in more opportunities to interact with your audience. Today\u2019s users are hungry for companies that want to engage with them<\/i>. Are you and your site living up to their expectations?<\/p>\n

—<\/p>\n

Megan Totka is the Chief Editor for <\/i>ChamberofCommerce.com<\/i><\/span><\/a>. She specializes on the topic of small business tips and resources. ChamberofCommerce.com helps small businesses grow their business on the web and facilitates connectivity between local businesses and more than 7,000 Chambers of Commerce worldwide.<\/i><\/span><\/p>\n

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