9 Best Practices for Driving Successful Website Lead Generation in 2024
Without effective lead generation, businesses rely on market whims and fanciful consumer trends. The days of an enterprise organically accumulating brand loyalists have faded in the rearview mirror. Proactive companies are leveraging the internet to attract new customers and pluck local-business-first advocates away from brick-and-mortar shops. If there’s a silver lining to this seemingly bleak outlook, it’s the fact that just about every operation has a website that can help generate meaningful leads. Leveraging your online presence to connect with people in need of products and services can deliver the following benefits.
a. Support Sustained Business Growth
b. Maximize Sales Efforts
c. Enhance Brand Awareness and Visibility
d. Eliminate Inefficient Cold Calling
e. Increase Profit Margins
f. Onboard Positive Customer Reviews
At the end of the day, a well-crafted website possesses all the tools to reach people around the world and promote your products and services. However, entrepreneurs who are experts in their particular field don’t always take advantage of their digital platform. These are 8 ways your website and domain can be turned into a powerful lead-generating asset.
1: Optimize Your Website for SEO
For those outside the digital marketing industry, Search Engine Optimization is the art and science of improving your website’s rankings. When someone uses Google or another search engine to locate products and services, the keywords they input result in a list of websites that predominantly use the same terms.
For example, if someone’s automobile breaks down outside of Cincinnati, the driver might search for a “tow truck near Cincinnati” or “24-hour towing in Cincinnati.” Companies that repeat “tow truck” and “Cincinnati” and use these keywords in headings are likely to pop up in the list. Those that omit “Cincinnati,” for instance, may end up on the second or third page of results. Tweaking your website to include SEO terms can also attract interested parties to provide contact information.
2: Create High-Quality Content
Another marketing strategy involves creating high-quality content to engage everyday people. Companies enlist the support of freelance writers, who possess niche expertise, to craft persuasive narratives about subjects related to their operation. Often published as blogs, white papers, or articles for third-party media outlets, the same SEO principles are applied.
For example, a dental practice in Fort Lauderdale, FL, might request a piece written about a new technique to whiten teeth or a painless way to extract impacted molars. Such an article typically delves into the process and anticipated outcome while peppering the contents with terms such as “molar extraction in Fort Lauderdale” or “Fort Lauderdale teeth whitening” treatments. High-quality content provides community members with a fact-based resource that links to a lead-generating page on your website.
3: Implement Effective Calls-to-Action (CTAs)
Effective calls-to-action typically encourage and motivate readers to click on an anchor link to request more information, schedule an appointment, or download a free ebook, among others. Poorly written CTAs are generally ignored by prospective new clients and customers, despite having read the information in the blog post, article, or web page. These are examples of phrases to include that help entice people to click on links and provide contact information.
a. Join today
b. Let’s get the process started
c. Check out
d. Enjoy a free subscription
It is not realistic to assume that someone will provide their name, email address, or cell phone number without an effective CTA. The short paragraph leading up to the motivational terms should instill a sense of urgency.
4: Leverage Social Proof
Social proof involves demonstrating that people are trying products and services and having a positive experience. Reviews, social media mentions, testimonials, and case studies can provide factual evidence that your brand enjoys growing trust, credibility, and loyalty. But no organization can truly garner positive traction and trust without a strong business foundation.
That’s why entrepreneurs typically form Limited Liability Companies (LLCs) to demonstrate their operation isn’t a scam or an unprofessional side hustle. Many utilize the LLC business structure because it provides protection against civil liability, creditors, and tax benefits. E-commerce and other types of internet-driven ventures gravitate toward filing a Delaware LLC. Due to its business-friendly laws and tax benefits, savvy business professionals prefer establishing their LLC in Delaware over other states.
5: Utilize Landing Pages
Standalone landing pages present an excellent opportunity to engage potential customers. Companies continue to build multiple landing pages using SEO, particularly locations. Its primary heading might read: Reliable HVAC Repair and Installation in Tempe AZ. The platform would include an online form that people can fill out, giving the organization leads.
By that same token, the HVAC operation may establish multiple landing pages to funnel traffic to contact forms. The other standalone pages might possess headings that replace Tempe with South Tempe, Guadalupe, Mesa Grande, Mesa, and other locations within the company’s service area. Each page can be used to generate leads in an efficient fashion.
6: Offer Lead Magnets
Lead magnets are essentially marketing tools that provide a free product or service in exchange for contact information. When consumers sign up for the giveaway, they provide their email address and phone number. They also agree to receive text messages, emails, and other communications regarding the brand.
When smartly deployed, lead magnets are giveaways that consumers find worthwhile. Chain coffee shops sometimes offer buy-one-get-one-free offers, ongoing discounts, or a latte at no charge if you sign up and download an app. These are examples of commonly deployed lead magnets.
a. Free Trials
b. eBooks
c. Free Wi-Fi
d. e-Newsletters
e. Free consultations
f. Checklists
g. Webinars
h. Discount Codes
An app serves as a vehicle to deliver information and alerts about special offers. In many cases, the person who downloaded the app gets an alert on their phone or handheld device. People who take advantage of the lead magnets also provide their email addresses and phone numbers.
7: Implement Chatbots and Live Chat
Anyone who searches the internet for products and services has probably encountered chatbots and live chat options. Chatbots use AI and machine learning technology to field questions and provide predetermined answers. They can direct users to areas of a platform where they can find additional resources or leave contact information for a real person to call them back.
Chatbots allow companies to provide 24-hour interactions, responses, and garner information. They are among the more cost-effective ways to collect consumer contact information and pass it along to sales teams.
Live chat applications work in a similar fashion to chatbots. Both are usually positioned on a home or landing page. When someone opens the platform, both pop up and invite the person to engage in communications. The critical difference between chatbots and live chat is what happens next. A live chat AI may ask a series of questions to determine where to direct the potential customer. The information gathered by the live chat may be sent to a member of the sales team, who takes control of the digital interaction, with actionable intelligence in hand.
8: Utilize Email Marketing
Email marketing campaigns are a tried-and-true method of connecting with consumers. Even though too many companies flood customers with daily emails, people with a vested interest in the product or service still open them.
The average email conversion rate hovers around 15 percent. That figure may not seem adequate high, unless you weigh it against thousands of low-cost emails. Studies indicate that more than 40 percent of marketing firms confess that email campaigns are their most productive tool. These are tips on how to improve email engagement.
a. Update Your Email List Regularly
b. Segment the Email List by Relevance
c. Time the Emails Based on Consumer Availability
d. Employ Enticing Subject Lines
e. Adapt Emails for Mobile Devices
f. Avoid Getting Caught in Spam Filters
It’s also important to consider your business’s trustworthiness. When an outfit sends out large volumes of unsolicited emails, it can land on a blacklist. Once your IP or email account has been blacklisted, the messages are automatically routed into spam filters. Some of the best ways to avoid this setback are to maintain a credible website, form an LLC, onboard a subdomain, and moderate the number of times you utilize email marketing each week.
9: Use Analytics and A/B Testing
An A/B Split Test involves comparing apps or web pages to see which one performs the best. Sometimes referred to as “split testing,” you can create two versions of a home or landing page. Leveraging each web page in an equal manner, the data collected through the testing helps identify which option consumers prefer, and why. These are benefits businesses gain after using the A/B testing to make website improvements.
a. Higher Conversion Rate
b. Lower Bounce Rates
c. Improved Product Images
d. Cart Abandonment Reductions
As a lead generation tool, A/B testing provides insight into ways to tweak headings, images, color schemes, CTAs, and other items that encourage people to provide contact information.
Power Up Your Lead Generation Efforts & Close More Sales
Generating solid leads typically results in sales teams closing 10-15 percent more deals. Keep in mind that the average has highs and lows baked into the calculation. You can outpace other companies’ performance by taking the time to assess your lead generation efforts and maximize their effectiveness. Building an eye-catching website, forming an LLC, integrating AI and machine learning assets, and crafting interesting content with welcoming CTAs are all ways you can generate high-quality leads that turn into sales.
Conclusion
In 2024, a combination of mobile optimization, enhanced SEO, and personalized content will be necessary for effective website lead creation. Lead nurturing and engagement are improved by utilizing AI, automation, and interactive components. Efficiency and continual development are ensured by utilizing data analytics, A/B testing, and social proof. These tactics can help companies generate more leads and achieve long-term success.