These days you can’t just inform consumers, you have to entertain them too. Getting traffic to your site is one thing, but how do you get people to stay? And better yet, keep coming back for more? You have to have some aspect of engagement marketing in your digital strategies to truly gain and retain a healthy customer base.
WAV Group
What is Engagement Marketing?
The internet is slowly shifting from the information age to the relationship age as more and more consumers are expecting personalization and engagement. Engagement marketing starts with a benchmark. This is typically your current level of engagement. Ways to measure engagement vary but a few kinds include:
- Bounce Rate
- Time on site
- Number of pages visited
- Mentions on social media
- Inbound links
- New users by date range
- Return visits
- Categories of interest
- Page Depth
The list goes on. The idea is that this includes any metrics that demonstrate the user’s level of interest. If the Bounce Rate is low, for example, that’s a good indication they are staying on your page and thoroughly reading the content.
INMA
Other indicators, like time spent on site and return users, can tell you a lot about how engaging your content truly is. The higher these numbers are, the better you’re doing.
Optimizing for Engagement
Metrics are what you use to increase engagement. They will define where you are doing well and where you need to focus more. Perhaps your homepage is dazzling but your blog is blah. Engagement metrics will paint that clear picture.
Generally speaking, there can be a few rules that you can apply to increase your levels of engagement. Consider the following:
Less is More
If your website has a thousand pages, people will likely be clicking away a lot faster. The old rule applies that less is more. When you limit choices, it increases your levels of engagement. Only give people the information they need and cut out the fluff.
Create Benchmarks
You have to start by defining success before you’ll know if you are succeeding. How will you know if your engagement optimization has worked if you don’t create a starting point? Decide on a few metrics and quantifiable measures you will be taking and make note. This is your beginning.
A/B Testing
It’s about being iterative and experimenting with your audience. If something is not working, consider A/B testing a few slightly different pieces of content to see what works best with your audience. Sometimes simply changing a headline to a blog makes all the difference in the world.
Sunflower Labs
Call to Action
Words matter so make sure you are focusing on placing the proper CTAs in the right places. Be explicit and tell the user exactly what you want them to do. A/B testing your CTAs is also a good idea. There’s a huge difference between saying “Free Trial” versus “Try it Free.” Consider always changing up your CTAs until you find the perfect recipe.
Group3 Communications
Engagement marketing is about considering the consumer’s emotional needs. We live in a fast-paced world and people get bored easily. It’s information overload and now people just want to relax. The true thought leaders are the ones that can not only inform, but engage and inspire.