Converting website visitors into customers requires an understanding of where your customers came from, and what page they arrived at on your website.
When analyzing a website we call that arrival page, or point of entry, a Landing Page. The place the visitor came from is called the Traffic Source.
Here's a list of common sources:
Google SERP
Google AdWord Ad
Google Places Listing
Google+ Page
Email Newsletter
Facebook News Feed
Facebook Ad
Yelp Listing
Understanding the content of each of these sources will help you convert your website visitor into a paying customer. Was the person reading your email newsletter, or did they click on a Facebook or Google ad?
The context of each traffic source changes what the person expects to see when they arrive on your website. Let's break down the possibilities of each item listed above.
Google SERP:
You really don't have control over where Google sends users. Just make sure your Meta Descriptions for all your pages clearly explains what the page is about, and include a value proposition for the page.
Google AdWords Ad:
These ads are limited to images or 97 characters of text. The landing page should have a balance of jewelry photos and copy so visitors can choose to read or click into a product catalog. Whatever your ad mentions, make sure you point to that specific landing page rather than your home page. If your ad mentions a jewelry sale then land the user on your website's jewelry sale page.
Google Places and Yelp Listings:
Someone arriving from Places is probably interested in your store hours and services you provide. As we mentioned last week, you should change your Places URL to your mobile website, then program your mobile site to redirect PC browsers to your PC. You could also try directing visitors to a page that has your list of services as well as some customer testimonials.
Google+ Page and Facebook News Feeds:
Visitors from social networks will react according to the type of information you post there. There isn't a set strategy here other than to make sure you share the appropriate website page for the posted conversation.
Email Newsletter:
Each email you send will have a specific purpose, and each purpose should land the visitor on the appropriate page. If your email has a lot of information you probably should land the user on a product detail page where they can quickly place an order. If your email is brief with a glamorous photo, then you need to land the user to a page with more information.
Facebook Ads:
Like AdWords, you have few characters for these ads, but you also have a thumbnail image. Make sure you direct users to pages that relate to the ad, whether it's a jewelry sale or store information. If you advertise a contest then direct users to the contest rules and entry page.
This list is far from exhaustive. It's important to realize that every website visitor has a reason for visiting, if you know where they came from you can start to understand what they expect, and then how to convert them into jewelry buyers.
