Internet Marketing Basics – Directing People to the Right Place

Are you a small business owner looking to get started marketing your business online? You’ve come to the right place. In this post, we’ll discuss where you are sending you customers in your advertising, whether that is through internet marketing or traditional advertising. If you have any questions, or would like to set up a personal, free consultation, call Don at 805-262-2518. No automated tellers here, just personal, professional consulting based in Thousand Oaks, CA.

You Advertise. But Where Do You Send Customers?

Every business owner knows you have to advertise. So when you advertise, do you direct people to the homepage of your website? And we don’t just mean internet marketing. We’re talking about all kinds of advertising here, including online and traditional.

Flyers you pass out in your local area. Online advertising, including pay-per-click (PPC). Local newspaper ads and yellow book ads. So if you send customers to the home page of your site, they may not be taking the action you want them to take. What is your goal? I mean, your home page most likely gives a big picture, broad overview of your company and your services. However, your pay per click ad, or the flyer you distribute, or your ad in the local paper is probably a lot more specific: “15% Discount this Week Only!”

So Why Are You Directing People to Your Homepage?

You should always be asking yourself, “What is the GOAL of my ad?” You should be directing people to the page you want them to see. If you want people to know about a discount or offer coming up, don’t direct them to a page that has nothing to do with it.

Your solution is to create a page on your website that relates directly to the offer, discount, product or service you’re advertising. This single page is called a “landing page” because the web address you show in your ad has your customer or prospect “land” on that particular page of your site.

A Landing Page. That’s Great, but How Do I Convert That Into Sales?

So with that in mind, here are three tips to help you turn the prospects who respond to your ad into paying customers:

Step 1: Define Your Goal and Success

In order to reach your goal, you have to know what it is. If you’re offering a 15% discount this week only, then you know you want your customer to get on the phone and make a call to you TODAY.

Step 2: Create an Outline or “Wireframe”

A wireframe is essentially an “outline” of your page. Start by listing all of the pieces and elements that go on the page and write them down on a piece of paper. Make sure they take up approximate amount of space that they need and should get. You should do this before you write copy because the space available will let you know how much copy you have to work with. Make sure to place the most important elements “above the fold,” or in other words, the place on the page where most people will have to scroll down in order to see more.

Step 3: Copywriting

Here’s a news flash that you probably already know. People don’t actually read on the internet … they scan. They see the things that stand out, images, headlines and bullet points are what draw a person’s eye. Headlines should refer to what the visitor was looking at before they came to your page. Only about 20% of your visitors will actually read the body copy! But still, it has to be good. And make sure you don’t forget a call to action! It might be a good idea to match the call to action with the headline, since that is most definitely the one element on the page that you know they will read.

So make sure to take these steps to create and direct your customers to a specific “landing page” that is tied to your advertising — and then watch your sales increase!

Stay tuned for more internet marketing basics. And for more information or to set up a free consultation, call us at 805-262-2518 or email don@wsiepro.com at WSI ePro Marketing, your Thousand Oaks internet marketing company.