Finding prospective customers is the easy part. Getting their attention? Not so much.
But say you’ve used your social media, say, an interesting blog or Twitter post, a YouTube video or a document posted on SlideShare or Scribd. People are taking a closer look at you.
So, now that you’ve got their attention, then what?
With traditional marketing, it has always been true that a gimmick can get people through the door, but it’s the product, in the end, that will get them interested in buying and keep them coming back. The same thing is true on the Internet. Give people a reason to be interested.
That’s why when your Web site, particularly your content, is that marketing tool that you will use to ultimately get a customer to pick up the phone, write and e-mail and get the wales process started.
First, you’ll want to assess what users are doing on your Web site now. There are a number of different tools to track Web traffic, the most popular of which is Google Analytics. Once installed, after gathering about a month or so of traffic, you’ll want to check your bounce rate, the percentage of users only viewing one page on the site and leaving.
Ideally, your bounce rate should be relatively low; most experts believe a rate below 35 percent to 50 percent for blogs is realistic. A low bounce rate means that your content is good.
But does it get your customers to the last step – contacting you?
When thinking about how you can get your users to contact you, consider the following: How does your site content speak about your products and services? Does it show users what you can do you for them, or why they should choose you over a competitor?
One other thing to think about is offering something free, such as a sample of your product or a consultation, as part of your content. This can be even more beneficial, as it will allow you to learn more about their needs, which can, in turn, give you a chance to tailor your services to them.
Regardless of your direction, remember that by having a strong Web presence, you can start to reap the rewards of your social media efforts.