Is your website ARMed?
Posted by Scott Vetter on Sun, Feb 05, 2012
We all appreciate the importance of a strategic presence on the Internet. We realize that most personal and corporate purchases are researched online (even if that is simply to find the location or hours of a retailer). We believe that relationships (loyalty) can be built and nurtured online. We understand that knowledge is power and gathering data online provides valuable insight into the marketplace and your customers habits.
So why then, are so many websites little more than online brochures? Still today, with all that we have learned about the power of the web and connecting with people online, many websites simply inform their audience. There is little engagement, few call-to-actions, no specifically designed landing pages, and barely any content that is written to provide the reader with a take-away, with some tips or information that they can put to use for themselves.
Let's take a page from the social gaming and apps marketing playbook. These sectors are built on adoption. they have to attract potential users, very quickly engage them, and then provide enough interest/value to persuade them to subscribe for a monthyly fee.
They use the ARM model: Acquisition - Retention - Monetization in a very disciplined and relentless fashion. Gaming and app companies live and die by this model (and a host of many metrics measuring cohort acquisition cost, lifetime value, avaerage revenue per user... these guys like thier data!) Point being that gaming and apps producers don't have the luxury of simply telling people what they do; they couldn't survive with such a passive approach. They understand that their online presence (be it a website, product or a social media post) has to be results driven.
What if you applied this rationale to your own website? How well ARMed are you?
Acquisition: How are you getting people to your website? Consider your SEO efforts, an active blog, use of social media, posting on other blogs and contributing to community/industry portals, cross links and referrals, online advertsing, Google Adwords and Pay Per Click. Develop a strategy of attracting relevant traffic to your website and measure your success. Make sure to have analytics in place, review them routinely and make changes as required to reach your goals.
Retention: Why would people stay on your website? Why should they come back? Provide them with content of value, reuqire them to register for some content so that you can build a relationship, add new content regularly and keep your blog active to encourage repeat visits. Develop specific campaigns and tailored landing pages to appeal to niche market segments. Engage with your audience by using rich-media content, games and apps. Use questionnaires, polls and games to find out what else your audience is looking for (and then deliver that). Review your website anayltics, CRM and social media metrics to hone your approach.
Monetization: Gaming and app producers are looking for monthly subscribers; you may have a product or service which can be purchased online, in which case you should be encouraging your new audience to discover, try, buy and refer. Not having an e-commerce option does not mean you have no monetization opportunities. You can turn online interest into real-life clients. Offer discounts, online reservations, opportunities to review your product/service, video testimonials... these tactics can turn online browsers into in-store buyers. If your website is now generating significant interest and traffic, you can also start selling advertising.
Want to learn more? We can help you get ARMed with an arsenal of proven tactics. Inbound Marketing ARMs your website and marketing strategy to get found online, convert interest into leads, transform leads into clients, and nurture relationships to maintain loyalty.
