Virtual Assistants Aren’t Just for Corporate Call Centers Anymore

by Audrey Dalton on March 19, 2012

 At CodeBaby, we work closely with call center professionals, and we understand the demanding nature and unique challenges they face handling millions of calls on an annual basis.

Call center managers seek solutions that give a better experience across all channels by providing efficient and courteous service as well as empowering associates to waive late fees and add complimentary services. But that can be expensive and in the long-term isn’t sustainable.

So in order to keep delivering excellent service and managing costs, call centers have started pushing frequent transactions to web self-service — one of the lowest cost channels in the contact center environment. 

In addition to providing more self-service options, a few innovative organizations, have started “employing” virtual assistants. Virtual assistants are even more effective than traditional web self-service, because they engage, guide, and make recommendations. CodeBaby virtual assistants deliver on all counts, plus they emulate human emotions, show motion capture 3D movements, are rendered in stunning high definition quality, and give intelligent, natural language responses, with real human voices.

CodeBaby police department virtual assistants are similar to typical customer service virtual agents as they provide information and assistance with filling out forms. However, that’s where the similarities end. CodeBaby, known for its customization capabilities, is able to transform typical customer service requests into non-emergency crime reporting assistance, community information, crime updates, prevention, and FAQs.

Let’s take a look at some of these capabilities. 

The Reno, NV police department employs “Virtual Officer” to make a report on the following situations. 

 

 

The Reno Police Department thinks the virtual officer will deflect calls and help officers from having to ascertain report accuracy and reduce online anxiety.

This capability differs slightly for the Winston-Salem, NC police department who employ Officer Maria Evans. 

 

 

In a USA Today interview, Benjamin Tuttle, an IS analyst with the police department says  there have been fewer e-mails and calls from people with questions about the website.

 

After incident reporting, the police departments use their self-service virtual assistants to educate the public on community outreach and safety prevention. Watch both videos to see some of these interactions or visit the sites by click the links below.

 

Winston-Salem, NC Police Department                                                                                   Reno, NV Police Department

Read the USA Today article.

Read the Reno, NV article.

Read the Winston-Salem, NC article.

 

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Providing Interactive Support – Maximizing Online Outcomes (5 of 5)

by Dennis McGuire on December 22, 2011

As we reach the last post in our series, “Maximizing Online Outcomes,” it’s time to switch gears from using your website to increase revenue to the concept of using your website to save money. It’s not a surprise that the payroll for customer support often accounts for a large portion of a company’s personnel budget. Yet, customer support is not somewhere you can afford to cut corners – after all, a bad customer service experience can frustrate or even alienate customers. Moreover, the proliferation of social media sites means that when one person has a bad experience, they’re probably sharing it with 200 others. Given this balancing act of trying to keep customer support payroll under control while providing excellent customer service, your company may be considering strategies to make the website the hub of customer support. The challenges associated with making a website a customer support resource include:

1. Organizing large amounts of information. Your customer support materials likely include a FAQ section, a Help area, internal search and even a knowledge database or live chat. This vast amount of data must be stored online in such a way that it is easy to search so people seeking customer support can find what they are looking for…and quickly. 2. Making the customer experience personal. Oftentimes, in an effort to bring customer support online, the web-based services feel impersonal and remote. It’s hard for customers to have the confidence that their questions will be resolved when the support consists of impersonal emails from customersupport@yourcompanyname.com. 3. Handling the unpredictable nature of customer service. As anyone who has ever held a customer service position will attest, people can be fickle. From bizarre situations to irate customers, an online support portal must be flexible enough to accommodate unusual situations and direct customers to the proper resource, if their situation is escalating. 4. Providing a positive experience. It’s difficult to overemphasize how important good customer service is in terms of your client satisfaction and retention rates. Online customer support, at times, has received a bad reputation for being confusing, impersonal or inconsistent – all of which contribute to a poor customer experience. One strategy you might want to consider is making the customer experience more personalized and positive by utilizing a CodeBaby Conversation. With the ability to tie multiple applications together into our Conversation platform, the visitor will have access to various customer service resources such as knowledge bases, FAQs, live chat, etc. Rather than the online customer service experience feeling impersonal or lacking cohesion, the CodeBaby Conversation can react to a visitor’s interactions, searches, inquiries, etc. and then direct the visitor to the proper resource. Consider the case of the City of Colorado Springs and Officer Smith. Created by CodeBaby, Officer Smith guides the viewing experience of website visitors that need to file non-emergency police reports. Rather than read a lot of fine print or sift through a rather bulky form, Officer Smith takes visitors through the form and provides guidance, FAQ support, etc. along the way. The Colorado Springs Police Department has been able to place more officers in the field because they need to spend less time on paperwork and administrative tasks – a fantastic outcome due to Officer Smith and CodeBaby! In this same manner, you can transform your online customer support and services by utilizing a digital character. Not only are your customer support materials organized and integrated in a manner that is easily searchable, but also your customer service liaison can be a lifelike, memorable and customized character. In this manner, we’ve created a customer service experience that is positive and saves you money and resources – that’s a maximized outcome.

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New Product Announcement – Maximizing Online Outcomes Series

by Dennis McGuire on December 20, 2011

As we reach the last two posts in our series, “Maximizing online outcomes,” today we’ll examine another way your website can be used to increase engagement, and ultimately, revenue. You can use your website as an interactive nerve-center for important announcements and news. Take the case of a new product or service announcement. From research and development to capital investments in equipment and technology, new product development is an expensive endeavor. In order to begin to recoup these costs as soon as possible, a new product needs to be successful immediately. Part of making a new product more successful is to create awareness and education, beginning with its launch. Consider a new pharmaceutical product. While the average R&D cost of bringing a new drug to market is a hotly debated issue, most experts agree the price is somewhere between $21 million to $333 million. Keep in mind that this enormous expense only accounts for the research and development portion of creating a new pharmaceutical product. Healthcare providers and pharmaceutical reps must be educated about the new drug and its benefits. Additionally, awareness about the new drug should be created and promoted via television, radio, print, conferences, etc. These costs could easily add tens of millions of dollars to the final price. With these extremely big numbers in mind, it is important that the pharmaceutical company capitalize on its promotional investments by generating interest and awareness about its new product. As a rule, most advertisements send viewers to the pharmaceutical company’s website. Yet, when you visit a pharmaceutical product website, the experience is nothing short of boring. A few images, some copy about the features and benefits of the new drug and possibly a link to watch television commercials online. Not exactly an engaging experience! If you want to learn more about the product, most pharmaceutical websites provide giant PDFs with tons of fine print and disclaimers. While including this legalese may be mandated by the FDA, isn’t there a better way to convey this information in a manner that is both educational and interactive? This situation is the perfect opportunity to utilize website technology to engage the viewer. From interactive demos to videos of doctor testimonials and narrated research studies, pharmaceutical companies have many options when it comes to bringing their new product to life. Another solution might be adding a digital character to the website. In the case of CodeBaby Conversations, we can create a character with a customized appearance that resonates with the target demographic so the visitor immediately feels the product is relatable. In addition to a customized appearance, CodeBaby Conversations are designed to interact with visitors based on their unique actions. In keeping with our pharmaceutical example, a digital character could be added to the more text-heavy parts of the website to answer questions, provide a product overview or guide the visitor experience. Rather than making it incumbent upon visitors to read a large PDF or find answers to their frequently asked questions, the CodeBaby Conversation can provide interactive support and guidance. In this scenario, the visitor has an engaging and informative web experience, which helps the company better capitalize on its advertising and promotional expenditure. The product is better positioned for a memorable and successful launch, which is the optimal outcome.

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Generating Interest in a Loyalty Program – Maximizing Online Outcomes Series

by Dennis McGuire on December 16, 2011

In our blog series, “Maximizing online outcomes,” we have discussed the concept that a website’s success is largely based upon whether it ultimately generates revenue or reduces costs – or both! One place where a website can have a powerful impact on revenue is if it engages and retains current customers. To accomplish this goal of increased retention, your company may have established a customer loyalty program. According to the article, “Customer Loyalty Brings Long-Term Sales” published on May 12, 2010 by Entrepreneur, “Nearly 80 percent of marketers are committed to maintaining or growing their loyalty programs as primary customer retention and relationship building tactics.” Why are almost 8 out of 10 marketers focusing on customer loyalty programs? More than just encouraging repeat business, a customer loyalty program can: 1. Differentiate your company. A great loyalty program with stellar rewards can set you apart from the competition, and it might even be the determining factor as to why you win a sale, if all other variables are equal. 2. Incentivize specific behaviors. You can offer points and rewards to incentivize customers to buy selected products, visit your business at specific times/days or try new beta products. 3. Create brand loyalty. Once your customers enroll in a program and begin earning points, they are less likely to spend their money with a competitor where their points do not grow. 4. Provide market research. Your loyalty program typically gathers a lot of valuable information about its members, which is an excellent opportunity to learn about your customers’ demographics, preferences and expectations. 5. Increase website/email/social interaction. Your database of interested and loyal customers will be more likely to return to your website, open email and interact with you socially – all contributing “sticky” (or recurring) online traffic. 6. Reward your best customers. A customer loyalty program can be customized to reward your very best customers with higher value points and awards which is a great way to say, “Thank you” to your best customers. As these benefits demonstrate, growing your customer loyalty program rightly deserves to be a high priority. Yet, achieving this goal is not as simple as it sounds because your program needs to entice a certain number or sign-ups or participants in order to be successful. As we all know, getting people to spend time on your site and voluntarily surrender personal information is not an easy feat. To meet this challenge, begin by exploring what features/benefits would make your rewards program outstanding and unique. If your business is a hotel, can you store customer preference information regarding the preferred floor or bedding arrangement, favorite amenities, etc.? Or create lower levels of point categories that include free breakfasts or room upgrades so members don’t have to rack up tens of thousands of points to experience a reward? In addition to unique attributes, you need to be able to educate potential members about the benefits of your program in a quick and persuasive manner. As recently as 10-12 years ago, customer loyalty sign-ups occurred in person or over the phone, when a live person explained the benefits and rewards. These days, with so many transactions occurring online, if you aren’t making a compelling case for your customer loyalty program online, you’re likely missing a huge number of potential enrollees. One way to convince people to sign up for your customer loyalty program is to bring it to life online by using a digital character. If a website visitor clicks on the customer awards/loyalty section of your website, a character can provide a program overview, most popular benefits and any fine print/details. This experience is much closer to having a live person explain the program, as opposed to asking viewers to read through several pages. By bringing a level of visual interest and interaction to the enrollment part of your loyalty program, you’ll be able to gain more sign ups and strengthen your customer loyalty – an outcome that we’re all looking to achieve.

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Boosting Conversions – Maximizing Online Outcomes Series

by Dennis McGuire on December 6, 2011

As we discussed in the introduction to our blog series “Maximizing Online Outcomes,” your website needs to contribute to your revenue in order for it to be deemed successful. One way it can accomplish this goal is to increase website conversions.  Depending on your industry and online goals, your conversion could be defined as an online sale, a completed inquiry form, social media follows/likes, a document download, etc.  Regardless of how you define a conversion, one of your marketing goals is likely to have one or more of these conversion objectives!  After all, more conversions are likely lead to more sales. Yet, even though the goal of increasing your website conversion rate sounds very straightforward (as most marketers will attest), boosting conversions is a tricky task.  Why?  Conversions are a reflection of whether a visitor is persuaded by the message your website presents about your products or services – and if your website fails to sway a potential buyer, he/she will go elsewhere.  We’ve listed a few common website challenges and why they present a barrier to conversions:
  1. No credibility.  First impressions matter, whether you’re meeting someone at a party or visiting a corporate website.  Oftentimes, your website is the first place a potential customer will visit in order to learn more about your company.  It follows that if the website looks unprofessional, poorly maintained or unsecure, a visitor will be less likely to complete a transaction/conversion.
  2. Confusing layout.  Few things are more irritating to website visitors than the inability to find the information they are seeking because the website lacks intuitive navigation, straightforward page names, logical categories, etc.  If visitors cannot find the information they need to learn about you or your products, your conversion rate will suffer.
  3. Lack of focus.  When defining conversions or website goals, it is tempting to encourage visitors to complete a transaction, sign up for a newsletter, subscribe to the blog, follow you via social media, etc.  Yet, promoting so many calls-to-action on your website might distract or even overwhelm visitors.  As a result, visitors will lose interest and leave the site, costing you potential conversions.
  4. Too complicated.  In an effort to gain more data about possible prospects, many websites use forms with multiple fields/pages or shopping carts that require a lot of user information.  Most people simply do not have the time or patience to complete such lengthy forms.  The result?  In an effort to better qualify leads, you lose conversions.
  5. Unappealing design.  The fashion industry is based upon people liking things that look good, and the same principle holds true for your website.  Much like appealing color schemes, images and interactive elements can improve your visitors’ experience, poor design aesthetics and elements can prompt visitors to exit your site quickly.
You can mitigate many of these website challenges by identifying what goals are the most important and then structuring your website to encourage such behaviors.  Perhaps you might incent particular actions, such as, “Try it for free for 30 days,” or, “Free shipping for orders over $50.”  By defining your most desirable conversions and limiting the focus to only a few items, visitors are less likely to be overwhelmed by choices – and more likely to complete the goals that are truly important. Another tactic could be using technology to guide your visitors’ behavior.  Many of our customers use a CodeBaby Conversation to prompt viewers to complete a form, transaction, etc.  For example, if the visitor is completing a conversion form but having trouble submitting it successfully, a CodeBaby Conversation can provide on-the-fly assistance and coaching.  In this scenario, a CodeBaby Conversation does more than guide visitors to your highest value web goals – it also helps to reduce fall-off during the conversion process.  Talk about maximizing your outcomes! ——————————————————————————————-   “Best Practices: A Guide to Enhancing The Website Experience” This free six-page guide shows you how to overcome the most common obstacles to an engaging website. Click HERE to get your free guide now!

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Maximizing Online Outcomes (Part 1 of 5)

by Dennis McGuire on November 29, 2011

What are your online goals as a marketer?  From lead generation or completed contact forms to actual online transactions, your optimal website outcomes will vary depending on your unique business and vertical market. Regardless of your objectives, one fact remains consistent – your website needs to either make a positive contribution to your company’s revenue stream or reduce bottom line expenses in order for it to be successful.  In order to boost your website’s success or ROI, you’re likely turning to different technologies, marketing strategies and tools to help get the job done.

At CodeBaby, we liken this process to learning how to play blackjack.  Just like a “How to” guide about blackjack will review the different combination of cards and the odds associated with each hand, you can view your website with the same analytical approach.  In blackjack, once you’ve mastered the mathematical probabilities of card combinations, you can nearly negate the house advantage of eight percent!

The same principle is true of your website.  By embracing strategies that encourage visitors to complete the most desired results, you’re optimizing the website or maximizing online outcomes.  In this series of six blog posts, we’ll  apply this approach to five common website objectives and the challenges that many marketers face in achieving them.  We’ll then explore how a CodeBaby Conversation can have a positive impact on achieving these goals – no card marking required.

    ——————————————————————————————-   “Best Practices: A Guide to Enhancing The Website Experience” This free six-page guide shows you how to overcome the most common obstacles to an engaging website. Click HERE to get your free guide now!  

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Why an Engaging Online Experience is Critical to Universities

by Sarah McCartney on August 16, 2011

  One message we consistently emphasize at CodeBaby is the importance of creating a unique and memorable website experience for your visitors.  Strategies to accomplish this goal include clean website design, compelling content, targeted landing pages, mixed media and interactive technology.  But you don’t have to rely on our opinion that a positive web experience is important – there’s research that proves it. Higher education consultants Noel-Levitz recently published a study, “2011 E-Expectations Report: Students and Parents.”  This report gathered information from college-bound high school seniors and their parents about their expectations of college websites, social media and recruitment.  While we found all of the research interesting, this stat in particular really jumped off the page, “One in five students said they removed a school from consideration because of a bad experience on an institution’s Web site.”  

Think about this stat in the context of real-world numbers.  A university or institution of higher education could lose 20% of its prospective applicants if the website fails to deliver a positive experience!  That could translate to a significant loss in enrollment that most universities can ill-afford given the challenging economic conditions and decreasing enrollment numbers.

  Forward-thinking institutions have recognized this fact, and they have taken steps to provide prospective students and parents alike with a better, more engaging website experience.  Consider a CodeBaby client, Pike’s Peak Community College (PPCC).  As the second largest community college in Colorado with more than 20,000 students, its applicants frequently need to complete the in-state residency application.  Due to some very specific requirements and residency questions, the form itself is rather complicated and long…and PPCC noticed a lot of students “abandoning” the form without completing it.   After researching strategies to reduce the form abandonment and to provide a more positive viewer experience, PPCC enlisted the help of CodeBaby to create a digital Conversation.  A Conversation is a highly realistic digital character solution that “lives” on a website, and it is customized via appearance, voice and interactions. In the case of PPCC, they added a digital character to guide the residency form completion process.  More than a “talking head” or static FAQ section, the customized digital character “Addy” guides visitors through the application process and provides interactive support whenever needed.  Now, interested students can complete the form accurately and without frustration.  This web enhancement has translated to more completed forms…and a better website experience for prospective students. To learn more about CodeBaby and how we’re developing Conversations that improve your visitors’ experience – and your conversion rates – please contact us today.  To download the complete Noel-Levitz study, please go to this link: https://www.noellevitz.com/papers-research-higher-education/2011/2011-e-expectations-report  

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Why Websites Fail…and How to Stop It

by Sarah McCartney on August 11, 2011

  Much like marketing or sales campaigns fail to drive the desired results, sometimes websites can fail too.  The reasons why a website or specific web pages don’t succeed can be complicated, ranging from design flaws to poorly conceived navigation or an utter lack of search engine optimization maintenance.  Whatever the cause, a website failure is especially painful because in today’s world a significant amount of revenue is dependent upon what happens online.   Here are a few of the most common reasons a website fails plus ways to fix these challenges:

 • Dated look & feel.  Much like fashion evolves and certain trends go out of style, the same is true of websites.  Framed pages, narrow layouts, lack of dynamic elements, etc. can make your website look as modern as an 80’s Hair Band.
Solution: Make a point of budgeting for a website redesign at least every two years to ensure you are giving your online presence a new, current look.  Even if you cannot afford to overhaul the entire site, a new header and fresh images can liven up its look.

• Unclear calls-to-action.  Website visitors should be guided to performing the actions that are most desirable, whether it is filling out a contact form, completing a transaction or some other response.  Yet, many websites suffer from vague calls-to-action…or they overwhelm the visitor with too many options.
Solution: Streamline your calls-to-action by focusing on only one or two.  Also, consider using technology such as a digital character that can interact with visitors and guide them to complete the most preferred calls-to-action.

• Confusing navigation.  It’s hard to imagine a more frustrating scenario than having website visitors leave your site because they simply cannot find what they are searching for, how to contact you, etc.
Solution: Begin by identifying whether this problem is affecting you by looking at your website’s stats, in particular the exit pages.  If certain page stats are trending higher than your site-wide average, visitors could be getting marooned on a page(s).  Consider changing the site structure so it is intuitive and consistent on all pages.  While such a fix may be costly in the short term, it is nothing compared to losing a high percentage of would-be buyers.

• Outdated copy.  Nothing says, “I’ve given up on this website,” like a copyright date that is eight years out of date or a blog that hasn’t had a new entry in more than 18 months.
Solution: Perform a copy audit at least every six months, where you update company information, copyright dates, etc.  If you don’t have the time or resources to maintain your blog, consider taking it offline or outsourcing the copy writing until you can devote more time to it.

• Lack of credibility.  First impressions matter.  If you offer online shopping but website visitors get a message that your security certificate is expired or you don’t use a certain level of encryption, they will likely leave your site quickly…and without making a purchase.
Solution: Employ a reputable web master or consultant who is responsible for overseeing your e-commerce and shopping cart security.  Even something as simple as regularly scheduled, quarterly maintenance can do the trick and eliminate such concerns.   These problems and solutions represent strategies to do more than simply improve the way your website looks and functions.  Once implemented, they can also provide viewers with a more pleasant and memorable website experience which can help you gain and retain customers. The most important aspect is to know what is happening with your online visitors, whatever your analytics tool may be. This is the fastest indicator that something may be wrong with a page, a message or a link. Keep it fresh, people!   ——————————————————————————————————————————–   “Best Practices: A Guide to Enhancing The Website Experience” Free Best Practices Guide   This free six-page guide shows you how to overcome the most common obstacles to an engaging website.   Click HERE to get your free guide now

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7 Reasons a Digital Character Brings Value to Your Website

by Sarah McCartney on August 4, 2011

  What makes one website more memorable and likeable than another?  The websites that make a favorable impression seem to strike a certain balance between visual aesthetics and user functionality, while also making the viewer’s experience engaging.   While there are a number of tactics to consider in enhancing your visitors’ experience, one idea to explore is the use of an interactive, digital character.  We are not talking about something like Clippy, but a highly realistic character that “lives” on your website and is customized via appearance, voice and interactions so that your visitor gets the most out of their visit.   Here are seven reasons why a digital character can take your website experience – and its effectiveness – to the next level.  Digital characters:
  1. Make your site more memorable. A digital character can be thought of as your online brand ambassador.  By creating an emotionally warm experience by welcoming viewers, guiding their viewing experience and answering any questions, people are more likely to remember your website.
  2. Engage the auditory sense as opposed to just visual. Most websites employ only words to convey value propositions, special offers, etc. to visitors.  A digital character uses voice to help guide the website experience, which engages the visitor on another emotional level.
  3. Decrease page abandonment. When website visitors cannot find what they are looking for on your website, they leave and resume their browsing/shopping experience elsewhere.  Digital characters can be programmed to respond to certain keystrokes and then offer the viewer advice about finding the appropriate section, page or product.
  4. Lower shopping cart abandonment. Conservative estimates place shopping cart abandonment (the act of ditching your order mid-checkout) at 30%, while some peg the number at nearly 70%!  Whatever the actual number, the fact remains that your company’s bottom line will improve if more people complete the checkout process.  A digital character can be added to the checkout page to guide buyers’ next steps, direct them to Help Section, etc.
  5. Differentiate your website from competition. If you are in a competitive market (and who’s not these days?), it is smart to take advantage of every competitive edge you can find.  If your fiercest online competitors aren’t using digital characters, you have a great opportunity to be the leader and make your website more memorable than theirs.
  6. Create a unique viewer experience. We don’t need to tell you that websites face a tremendous amount of competition in attracting and holding a viewer’s attention.  Therefore, it is critical to capture his/her attention quickly and make a great initial impression.  Digital characters can do just that with their customized appearance, helpful tips and user-driven responses.
  7. Help direct viewer to calls-to-action. From connecting with you on social networks to buying a product, there is probably a primary call-to-action (buy our product) plus several secondary ones (join an email list, like us on Facebook, etc.).  A digital character can help emphasize your primary call-to-action so your most important goal is emphasized and viewers aren’t distracted by too many options or suggestions.
  By thinking through these seven ideas and benefits associated with digital characters, you can begin to decide if exploring one makes sense for your company.  CodeBaby has been creating best-in-class digital characters for nearly 10 years, and we’d welcome the opportunity to chat with you about your website goals and needs.   ——————————————————————————————————————————– “Best Practices: A Guide to Enhancing The Website Experience”   This free six-page guide shows you how to overcome the most common obstacles to an engaging website.   Click HERE to get your free guide now!

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5 Ways to Increase Engagement…and Conversions

by Sarah McCartney on June 30, 2011

  According to a Netcraft Web Server Survey completed in December 2010, 266,848,493 websites are currently online.  This number represents an increase of 7 million in number of hosted websites during the last few months of 2010.  As these numbers clearly illustrate, there are a lot of websites today.   What do these numbers signify in relation to your web marketing efforts?  Basically, it means online viewers have literally millions of websites to choose from. If and when your website doesn’t hold their interest they will probably leave your website, in search of finding something better.   With this challenge in mind, you need to do more than just attract visitors – you need to keep them interested and engaged.  Here are FIVE no-nonsense ways to accomplish this goal:
  1. Create specific landing pages.  Your homepage does not need to be the only entry point to your website, and I would argue should not be your initial entry for a potential customer.  Instead, think about creating specific landing pages and linking them to relevant ad campaigns or traffic sources.  For example, if you’re a bicycle retailer, send keywords that relate to specific bike brands to the actual brand page, as opposed to the more general homepage.  The increased relevancy boosts visitors’ chances of finding what they are interested in…and staying on your site…and maybe even buying from you!
  2. Utilize multi-media.  Forums, surveys and comments sections are great ways for you to change up the traditional website experience.  Giving visitors a way to interact with your site, as opposed to simply reading words, is more interesting and engaging.  By using different mediums to express your company’s message and value proposition, your visitors can educate themselves about your company in new and interactive ways.
  3. Develop buyer persona.  Make your web pages relatable by writing content that appeals to your most popular buying demographics.  Rather than address visitors with a formal, monotonous tone (which feels impersonal and generic), think about the different types of buyers and shoppers who visit your site and/or storefront.  With these personas in hand, write web content to appeal to their wants and needs.  Once such content is in place, you can utilize the strategy outlined in the first point to send these personas to the most relevant pages.
  4. Interact socially.  Social media is a great way for you to engage website visitors because you can let them choose their method and level of interaction.  From subscribing to RSS blog feeds to Facebook and Twitter, give viewers several ways to express their level of interest.  You are now building a following of people that have expressed interest, and you can continue to engage them with product updates, company news, trivia questions, surveys, giveaways, etc.  As you develop your social media profiles, be sure to use the 70-30 rule, where at least 70% of your communications are educational and informative in nature, with only 30% being promotional.
  5. Explore digital characters.  There are technology companies such as ours that create customized, interactive, digital characters (avatars).  These characters come to life on your website, and they can substantially improve the visitor experience by responding to interactions, offering helpful tips or guiding the website browsing experience.   This approach takes website visitor from a static experience to an emotionally engaging one that is enhanced by a digital character. In addition you can look at a lot more metrics and analytics to understand your visitors more.
By exploring any or all of these ideas, you can begin to move your website from simple brochureware to relevant content with interactive elements.  This visitor interaction and interest will help your site retain more visitors, giving you time to showcase your products and services.   ——————————————————————————————————————————– “Best Practices: A Guide to Enhancing The Website Experience”   This free six-page guide shows you how to overcome the most common obstacles to an engaging website.   Click HERE to get your free guide now!

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