I have no idea who measured this or came up with the conclusion but the general consensus is that web visitors will land on a site as many as 7 times before they buy (or register or whatever the most wanted response is).
It is rare for a transaction to be completed on the first visit.
For this reason, it’s important that every business website offers something of value to encourage repeat visits and site loyalty.
I am not suggesting you give away the crown jewels – simply to put yourself in the place of your web visitor, look at your site with a critical eye and ask yourself
- Would I come back here?
- Would I bookmark this site?
- Would I link to this post on Twitter?
- Would I email a link to my friends
If your answer is ‘no’ perhaps you are not providing value.
People search the Internet for all manner of reasons and you need to have something for them.
I have a problem…..
Perhaps your web visitor has a problem they need to solve. What information can you give away for free to help them? Of course, this information can link to a product or service recommendation but think about what you can give them for nothing first. You want to use the opportunity to help them as a way of building trust and rapport. If you struggle to write decent articles for your site pay a competent copywriter to help you. Always be thinking of ways you can solve problems for your web visitors – that’s how you get repeat visits, bookmarks and referrals, by building trust.
Help me first and then I will listen to you
Think laterally. How can you capture web traffic looking for something other than your offering but for which you have a solution. A searcher may be seeking information about how to remove black mould from walls – you sell air conditioning systems and dehumidifiers. Provide the information to answer the searcher’s question. Tell them the best way to clean the mould off the walls – earn the right to then tell them about how they can prevent it coming back.
Thank you for not making me think
People judge books by their covers. They also make snap decisions about websites based on their look and feel, their load times and their accessibility. Make it an easy and pleasant experience to be on your website. Don’t make people struggle to find what they want. Help them to do business with you.
My friends would enjoy this
There’s no doubt that some people surf the web because they have nothing better to do. The dedicated web surfer is quite likely to make good use of the social media sites to bookmark websites he or she finds interesting. Don’t underestimate the value of what these people can do for you. They may well not be in buying mode BUT if you entertain them and provide value they will tell others and growth in traffic can be exponential from a simple thumbs up on Stumbleupon.
OK, I’m ready to buy
Of course, in an ideal world, everyone who comes to your website is ready to buy. They are sitting at their keyboard with credit card in hand – but let’s not mess it up. Is the online sales process straightforward? Is there an offline alternative for those nervous about handing over card details on the web? Is the shopping basket and checkout process intuitive to use? Is it robust and reliable? If you are providing online services or products, are the deliverables set up properly? This is all continuing to provide value. The sale is just the beginning. For that sale to generate further sales for you the process of selling and the after sales service has to provide value. Don’t turn your back on your customer once they have paid.
Make your website valuable to web visitors to see an increase in traffic, an increase in enquiries and an increase in sales.