The idea of a website playing a role in an overall marketing strategy may seem an odd one to most, but it is becoming a more and more vital component in effective strategies to drive new business.
As you may be aware, there are various different types of website that can be utilised for different types of businesses, however it is also worth considering how your site sits in your marketing plan rather than just in terms of the presentation of your business.
For a number of years, the main way that companies have interacted with visitors to their site is via a blog that serves to update on industry news, events and company related information in general. While blogs can still be highly effective in building an audience of regular readers that trust and have a relationship with you, it doesn’t necessarily serves as an effective way for customers to really become invested in your business and differentiate your product or service from your competitors’.
The primary aspect of this is the type of website you utilise because this can greatly impact the way a customer interacts with your business; E-commerce, information based or converting.
As each names suggests, the sites have specific purposes based on whether you are selling direct consumer products (e-commerce) or giving information for a larger, more complex purchase (information – e.g. machinery, architecture or real estate).
It is this third type however, the converting website that is designed specifically to help generate new business via a call to action on the site. This could be to sign up for a free trial, free consultation or low-cost product, to receive a free gift in return for joining an informative email list or a direct contact us form to request a quote or further information.
All of these are examples of calls to action that are intended to move a prospect along the buying cycle and, as you may notice, in all of these cases the information is not readily available on the site, but rather encourages visitors to register their interest in one way or another in return for something, instantly transforming them from a cold prospect to a more engaged, warmer lead for you to follow up with.
The next key step is what to do with the data you receive.
Email marketing systems can allow you to keep your business, product or service front of mind of a prospect over time to help them with their buying decision and ensure that, when they are ready to move ahead, you’re the first one they contact.
Social media is the often hyped part of the marketing mix, but on its own it is rarely used to maximum advantage. However, by getting your email lists to engage with you on social media as well helps to build a community of interested prospects and allows them to interact with other customers and prospects.
Both the email list and social media naturally also allow further interaction via the promotion of articles and blog posts (see the difference between just posting a blog and sharing your blog with a captive audience of interested prospects?).
The same also works the other way around.
If you have active social media feeds, or a good readership on your blogs or articles, you should promote your email list to them (through the offering of an incentive to sign up, such as an e-book of information about your product/industry), as this will tie your marketing funnel together and ensure that those on one list are interacting on all and help to create a fully engaged audience of prospects that know and trust you rather than just a series of visitors considering a purchase from you or any one of your competitors.
What Role Does Your Website Play In Your Marketing Plan?
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