You’ve put in the time and effort to create a site that’s generating organic traffic. This is a fantastic feat in itself, but it’s by no means the end of your website’s to-do list. Once you’ve got people on your site, what do you want them to do there? And how will you get them to do it? Converting organic traffic into leads is just as critical as getting those visitors to show up in the first place.
Why is organic traffic so important?
Organic traffic arrives on your website with intent. When a stranger initiates a relationship with your business by showing organic interest, the transition from stranger to customer is more natural. They’re already interested in what you have to offer (they actually searched for it to find you), so it’s much easier to convert your website’s organic visitors from prospects into paying customers.
If you’re tracking inbound leads from your website, be sure to track conversion rates by acquisition source. This will show you which channel is bringing you the most relevant traffic (the higher the conversion rate, the higher that relevance). For many businesses, organic traffic has the highest conversion rate since users have come to the website specifically looking for a product, service, or information.
Click here to read more about digital marketing metrics.
Since organic traffic is so valuable, we’ve compiled a list of five tips for converting organic traffic into qualified leads to help your website become a hard-working employee, 24 hours a day, seven days a week, 365 days a year.
1. Make it super simple for visitors to find what they’re seeking
As humans, we are hard-wired to take the path of least resistance. Your website should make it convenient for visitors to turn into customers. To do this, you need to know who your ideal customer is, determine what he or she wants, and ensure that thing is easy to find. Make it your goal to remove any roadblocks that may prevent visitors from finding what they’re seeking.
For example, if you visitors to fill out a form to contact you, ensure that it is easy for them to find the form by placing it somewhere they would expect to find it, and somewhere that they can’t miss it. For the initial contact, don’t require too many form fields—unless your intent is to weed out certain types of visitors by creating a little friction. Also create a call to action (CTA) button that draws attention and spells out what you want them to do, e.g., “Get in touch now”.
2. Encourage visitors to opt-in
Not all website visitors and potential leads will be ready to buy, get in touch, or take some kind of conversion action. They may just be in the research stage, shopping around to get a sense of the available options. Their need to buy may not be urgent. One way of keeping your business top of mind when they are ready to buy is to use email marketing, which is a great way to keep in touch with people interested in your business.
You can collect the email addresses of potential customers by putting an opt-in form at the bottom of your content pieces and pages. Remember to share the benefits of joining your email list, such as exclusive discount offers, or great advice or tips that your visitors won’t want to miss. Nobody wants random spam, but if it’s done well, email is a great way to add value for your leads and help them keep your business in mind.
Another option is to create gated content pieces—high-value content such as worksheets, eBooks, white papers, research papers, or guides that require the reader to input an email address before they can access the content. You can then use an email marketing strategy to send relevant emails to your database to keep them interested in your business and what you have to offer.
3. Use social proof throughout your website
Even if your brand’s unique value proposition is perfect, it may not be enough to secure a conversion. Once an organic visitor lands on your website, you should put your company’s best foot forward by offering up all the great things your current and past customers have said about your business. Social proof (seeing that other people have enjoyed the product or service) removes doubt and persuades people to take the desired action.
Well-integrated social proof:
- Backs up your value proposition
- Builds trust
- Encourages conversion
Examples of social proof include:
- Testimonials
- Reviews
- Efficacy data
- Endorsements
- Quotes from news media
- Business credentials
4. Provide an unbeatable user experience
User experience (UX) is critical to your website’s traffic conversion efforts. Good UX is about creating an easy-to-follow path that directs your website visitors where you want them to go. Self-guided exploration naturally prompts users to take the specific actions that lead to them converting into qualified leads.
There are many factors that go into creating an exceptional user experience, such as website navigation structure, responsiveness, site speed, media usage, and content scannability.
5. Make sure that your content is relevant and engaging
Your website copy, blog posts, and all the content on your site must be relatable and relevant to your target audience. Content that resonates with your audience will help your business connect with them on a deeper level, build your email list, and help you convert more visitors into customers.
The key to creating great content that results in successful lead generation starts with having a deep understanding of your audience’s needs and wants. Create buyer personas, which outline the characteristics of your target audience, and write your content with these personas in mind. By identifying your target customers and marketing to their needs, you’ll not only get more organic leads, but higher quality leads too.
Is your website a lead converting machine?
Optimizing your site for conversions should be high on the priority list of any marketing strategy. At Brighter Messaging, we specialize in creating websites that drive organic traffic and convert visitors into leads. Contact us to learn more about our digital marketing services that can help you convert organic traffic into leads.
