If you run a small business, you’re probably aware that carving your spot in cyberspace can be an uphill battle. You neither have the name nor the resources of large enterprises, so you really have to put in extra effort to establish your brand and make customer conversions. Most of today’s consumers have at least a minimum amount of an online presence, so it’s vital to know the best ways to get their time and attention in the often noisy digital world. Lead generation, the process of starting and cultivating relationships with customers, is an artform in and of itself, and it takes knowledge of certain methodologies to get them to view your websites and to convert them to bona fide customers.
From your website’s loading speed to the smoothness of its checkout process, there are various factors that contribute to how well your site can generate leads. To help you in your efforts, we’ll lay down some of the reasons why you may not be making the most of your platform—and how to correct such issues.
Limited Payment Options and Burdensome Checkout Process
Having multiple payment options is the standard for any business in the digital era. These days, it’s a must for businesses to have more than one mode of payment for purchases. These channels may include cash on delivery (COD), online bank transfers, credit cards, e-wallets, or even cryptocurrency. If anything, visitors to your website are more likely to complete their purchases after seeing that your website supports payments coursed through their preferred channel.
That said, customers also value efficiency and speed in transactions. As such, it would be ideal to partner with a financial institution (FI) or financial services provider that employs a digital payment solution designed to efficiently handle transactions during checkout. These tools may include cross-border payment and trade finance features that allow you to cater to international customers. Having these features despite being a small business sets you apart and brings you on a par with the big players.
Slow Loading Speed
A seamless user experience can entice customers to linger around your website and see what you have to offer. On the other hand, a website that takes too long to load (even with a stable internet connection) will drive your customers away and possibly lead them to believe that your website is not working. Slow-loading contact forms may also be a disadvantage, as these are tools that you need to drive conversions.
The causes for your website’s slow loading speed can range from unoptimized images to too many ads. There’s also the potential that your website relies on a bad hosting service, an unclean code, and excessive HTTP requests. With this, you may want to enlist the help of a web developer or a UI/UX professional to help smoothen out the wrinkles on your website.
Difficult to Navigate
A cluttered website often goes hand in hand with slow loading speeds. An interface peppered with too much media, unnecessary widgets, and confusing layouts is sure to ward off customers who would have been willing to buy your products if they can easily find them. Ideally, your website must act as a “conversion funnel” that leads visitors to calls to action (CTA) or a landing page to jumpstart their buying journey. Having a structured “flow” throughout your landing pages gives your customers direction and eases navigation. On top of that, incorporating a funnel allows you to pinpoint the specific pages where your customers bounce off.
An “F” shape web layout is one of the most efficient since this aligns with most people’s scanning habits. For this layout, the most important information is brought to the top as well as the left side of your page. You may also need to break up the text content on your website into bullet points and subheaders rather than keeping them in large blocks of text, which tends to cause reader fatigue.
That being said, it’s vital to ensure ease of use and good design in the mobile version of your website. People don’t always shop using their laptops or desktop computers, so you also need to provide a clean interface for mobile users. If you’re not sure how to go about improving the look of your website on desktop and mobile interfaces, you may want to work with a web designer. A professional will help you determine the best approach, especially when considering other elements such as accessibility features.
Low Web Traffic
If you do a quick web search on your products and your website doesn’t appear on the first few search results, you may need to work on your web presence. One increasingly popular way to boost brand awareness is through search engine optimization (SEO). This marketing tactic can help you improve your digital footprint, rank higher on search results, and generate high-quality leads.
In addition to having an SEO strategy, you may need to build an audience through various social media channels. It would be ideal to post regularly to foster engagement and give the impression that you’re always responsive to your clients. Some agencies specialize in these matters and can help you establish a solid strategy for SEO and social media management.
Insufficient or Poorly Produced Content
While efficient technologies and marketing tactics help boost your web footprint, content is still king. For one, a bland landing page with poorly written copy is unlikely to make a good impression on first-time visitors to your page. To gain and sustain valuable leads, you may need to produce more engaging, high-quality content. It would also be a good idea to place customer reviews and testimonials on your page to build your credibility among potential and existing customers.
It may also help to set up a blog section on your website where you can regularly post interesting updates and articles about your business and about the activities your people engage in. Paired with SEO best practices, the content in your blog is bound to catch the attention of the search engine as well as prospective customers.
Big Results for Your Small Business
Being a small business does not have to mean being content with near-anonymity on the web. The internet is the new frontier, and forward-thinking business owners must know how to leverage the digital landscape in unique ways. One way you can start planning your lead generation efforts is by observing the strategies of your competitors. You can identify specific elements in their websites that look different from yours, then determine if these tactics will also work for you.
At the end of the day, people are looking for brands that are fresh, exciting, and sincere. By showcasing these qualities in your web branding, you can easily attract a new client base—and possibly give your existing one a pleasant surprise.
References
https://blog.hubspot.com/marketing/optimize-website-for-lead-generation
https://www.businessnewsdaily.com/8947-research-roundup-ecommerce-issues.html
https://www.optimizely.com/optimization-glossary/lead-generation/
https://www.browserstack.com/guide/why-website-loading-slow
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