Content That Converts Website VisitorsHave you ever been to an ecommerce website or any other website that sells products on it, only to be frustrated and/or uncomfortable about providing personal information or credit card numbers? In most cases, there are three major reasons why you may not feel confident:

1. There is no phone number to contact anyone if there are problems with shipping or with simple satisfaction.
2. There may not be proper guarantees in place in case things go bad.
3. The entire site is all about the product and not enough about the company Or even worse, little about the product and nothing about the company!

The contents found on your page, for the purpose of this article, is often what makes the difference between a high bounce rate and a low one.  Navigation and usability are also very important, but for the present argument, let’s just take a look at your messages.

Simple Things Your Web Site Should Have

The first thing you want to make sure is that there is contact-ability on every page. Have a nice big phone number prominent in the same place on every page.  Preferably somewhere in the header, in most cases, people will automatically look at the top right corner.

If the visitor prints a page and then leaves the website, they still have a way to contact the company in case they can’t navigate back to the site for any reason. If they can’t see a phone number, you won’t get a call. Period.

In many cases, phone call leads from a site visit have more quality because the visitor is more serious. It is their attempt to establish some kind of relationship with a person as opposed to filling out a form.

Add Contact Forms On Every Page

Small contact forms have their place as well, so you want to make sure that these are provided as well. 

Sometimes the visitor doesn’t want to speak to anyone, but still wants information. If they are in a hurry or if the context is not right to provide more in-depth information, then a mini contact form is more appropriate. Having one on every page is a good way to capture just enough data for a contact, even if you only get their email.

Strong Content Breeds Credibility

I went to a shiatsu massage website (ok don’t ask!) that provided very detailed background on the company’s history, their vision and family lineage that went back 10 generations. In short, it bled credibility. If I want a massage, who will I go to? Someone who just got in the business or someone who has done it forever?

The idea is to provide transparency. If you are hiding something, you won’t build trust and you won’t get sales.  Be as open as possible. Spill your guts about who you are, what you are about, and what advantage the visitor has in doing business with you.

One of my favourite sites for providing information about who the company is and what they stand for is www.walmart.com. Yes, Walmart. Irregardless of what you may or may not think of them, their website speaks volumes about integrity and speaks to a culture and a mindset.  Their text is in small snippets.  It is also direct and to the point.

If you build your site with the messages with this transparency mindset, you will be in a much better position to develop a good long-term relationship with your visitor. Give value, educate and be transparent.

Here Are Some Content Basics For Every Website

  1. The ‘About Us’ Page - Have information about the team, bio’s with pictures, company history, the company’s Vision, the mission, etc.
  2. The ‘How We Are Different’ page - Why should someone do business with you instead of someone else?
  3. Testimonials - Provide testimonials of satisfied customers including the ability to contact those individuals. Give Case Studes. One of the best testimonial tools is the video testimonial. Good ones are hard to get, but if timed properly, you can capture someone’s rave review that are worth their weight in gold. The more credible the source, the more powerful the testimonial.
  4. Mention charitable associations and do charitable marketing.
  5. Contact Us page – How contact-able are you? Do you provide dedicated phone support beyond a 9 to 5? Even if you can only do 9 to 5 support, that’s better than nothing. In the cold internet world, where the big companies aren’t calling you back, there is a lot of value to a simple phone call.  When it comes to following up, at the very least, call them back within 24 hours.

I always say that if you have a Ritz-Carlton attitude with a FedEx sense of expediency, you will go a long way in delivering results to people who are looking to you to be that “go to” person or company.

The contents of your website speaks volumes about who you are and the thought you have put into your online persona.  If you are serious about the image your company gives the public, your website is the gateway for people around the world to see who you are.  Make sure the picture you paint of your company online is thought provoking as it speaks volumes to your audience.
 

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