Is Irrelevant Website Content Stunting Your Business Growth?
Is your website failing to provide a return on your investment? Does it fail to provide leads and generate sales? And how can you turn it around?
Answer: Focus on delivering "customer-relevant" website content.
What Is "Customer-Relevant" Website Content?
Website content refers to the text, pictures, audio or video messages, data, forms or downloadable files used on your website to communicate with your customers.
"Customer-relevant" website content is the most crucial factor in helping customers decide whether to interact with your business.
The more relevant the content is to their specific needs, the more successful your website will be in achieving leads and sales.
Many websites fail to engage the customer, because the content is planned from an inside perspective of the business. Business owners think they are the people most qualified to plan and produce website content, because they understand their business better than anyone. That may be true, but your website will be far more successful if you step into your customer's shoes instead.
To produce "customer-relevant" website content, you need to think how your customers think, use the words your customers use, and really understand the problems your customers are trying to find answers to.
Customers browsing your website want relevant information and they want it fast. They don't want to read your business's 35 year history, or wade through technical jargon they don't understand.
Identifying Your Customer Types
Before you can start planning "customer-relevant" website content, you must identify your key customer types. Don't base these types on demographics alone (e.g. age, gender, location, computer literacy, etc). Also consider which stage your customer relationship is at.
Marketing experts say that sales to new prospects are the hardest and most expensive ones to make, and that marketing to existing customers is more cost-effective and produces better sales results.
So, why do most websites focus solely on content targeted at new prospects?
Imagine how your business could grow if your website content not only helped turn prospects into customers, but customers into repeat customers, and repeat customers into referrers, which then brings more prospects.
What Website Content Works?
All customers expect your website content to be easy to find, easy to understand and presented in a manner appropriate to them.
In addition to this, customers will expect different things from your website at each stage in their relationship with you.
Let's look at examples of website content you can provide at each stage to encourage them onto the next stage:
Prospects >> Customers
Prospects may come through an internet search or a referral, and usually won't know you personally. Before deciding to become a customer, they need content that gives them confidence in your products and services, industry expertise and reputation.
For example:
- case studies and testimonials from past customers
- secure order forms and payment pages
- glossaries or answers to common questions
- highly visible contact details - encourage them to contact you via the method that suits them (e.g. email, phone, mobile)
Customers >> Repeat Customers
To encourage repeat business and customer loyalty, existing customers must have a reason to return to your website regularly. By continually providing useful tools and information, you are keeping your business in their minds, for whenever they are ready to re-purchase.For example:
- articles which help customers gain real value from your products or services
- news on industry trends affecting them
- easy online methods of upgrading from one product or service to another
Repeat Customers >> Referrers
Customers will refer people to your business if they feel they have received good service. Sometimes they may need a little persuading, and you can use your website to do this.For example:
- "tell a friend" message prompts at the end of articles and forms
- incentives for referring new customers, such as online shopping vouchers, or access to special reports
In Conclusion
Deliver website content which is relevant to customers at every stage in their relationship with you, and your website will more than pay for itself with increased leads and sales.
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