Lead Generation: Website Best Practices

A visitor takes action, a contact form is submitted, a lead is born.

It happens millions of times each day. It’s common, but not simple. There are dozens of little factors involved in lead generation. When it works, a stranger who needs help finds a webpage offering a product, service or advice. They learn, they trust and they take action.

Some websites do it well and generate leads all day long ...but most don’t.

A lead generation website has a specific set of pages, each with specific elements. Each element aligns with the expectations and psychology of the visitor and the marketing program of the business.

Let’s break it down. The flow often looks something like this:

The website is gently guiding the visitor through a series of steps: awareness, interest, trust, then action. That’s a classic “conversion funnel.” Notice how the pages align with steps in the funnel:

This only works if each page in the process is built specifically for the purpose. Each page needs a set of elements that keep the process moving and the visitor flowing. Here is a breakdown of the best practices for each page on a lead generation website.

Blog Post: How Can I Help You?

It all starts before the visitor arrives. They received an email you sent them. They notice your content in a social stream. Or even more likely, they typed something into a search engine.

Your audience is constantly looking for useful information. To attract them, it’s important is to write many helpful blog posts and align those articles with keyphrases. The better you are at getting the expertise out of your brain and into search-friendly blog posts, the more visitors you’ll attract.

These articles should be so useful that the readers will be thrilled to have found you. And during that visit, they’ll find fast, easy ways to get more of your helpful advice through your email program (a prominent signup form), social media (icons let them follow you) or more content (internal links to related content).

A great blog post is the first step in the lead generation process. It should include all of the following elements:

1. Keyword-focused header

Use the target keyphrase once in the <h1> header. Along with the <title>, this is one of the most important places indicate relevance and use the phrase. Very specific pages generate more qualified leads.

2. Featured Image

Every great post has a great image. This makes the post more attractive, both on your site and in the social streams when it gets shared. This is your chance to explain concepts visually with informative charts or diagrams. It’s also your chance to use cat pictures.

3. Prominent email signup form with descriptive call to action

A great signup form tells people what they’re going to get and gives some evidence that it’s good. Make sure to follow the Three P’s of email signup forms.

4. Social sharing buttons

Make it easy to spread the word. Share buttons can appear at both the top and bottom of the post, or even as a “sticky” element that follows them as they scroll down the page. If you get a lot of shares, use share widgets with counters to show the number of shares. If shares are low, don’t show a counter. Those zeros are negative social proof!

5. Helpful, detailed article

It’s the deep, how-to content that positions you as the expert. These posts are also more likely to rank in search engines and get shared by readers. So go big. The more useful, the better.

Tip: Don’t limit yourself to a certain length. Use as many words as necessary to make it a great article and not one word more!

6. Multiple compelling images or charts

Your readers are scanning. You can slow them down and keep them engaged by adding visuals. Don’t stop at just one image. More bloggers are adding more visuals to every blog post.

Source: Blogging Statistics

7. Internal links to other blog posts and service pages

Guide the visitor down the funnel through internal links. Each blog post should have at least two links within the body text:

• Link to a relevant service page
• Link to another blog post

8. Call to action for comments, more information

Most visitors come to get answers and information and then leave. Great blog posts have extremely high bounce rates.

You can improve the chances that they’ll stick around by ending each post with an invitation to get more information: Download the complete guide or talk to an expert. You can also end with a question that triggers comments.

Warning! The vast majority of these visitors will never become leads.

This is the dirty little secret of content marketing. Most of your blog readers will never hire you for anything. But you want them anyway. The blog creates huge, indirect benefits for your marketing...

Skip down to the end of the post to learn the misunderstood but super powerful connection between blogging and lead generation. 

Service Page: Simply What You Do

Here’s where you sell. Like the blog post, information here is helpful, but now it describes how you do the work for the prospect. The goal is to state the value you provide in simple terms, answer the visitors' questions, provide evidence to support those answers and offer clear calls to action. This is the structure for high conversion rates.

9. Contact link or phone number

The top right corner is the standard place for contact information. Visitors will look for it here. Use either a button to your contact page, your phone number or both.

10. Descriptive header

The header should simply say what you do. Call your services what your visitors would call them. Avoid vague benefits statements such as “Experience Excellence” or “Humanizing Technology.” A descriptive header is good for visitors and good for search rankings.

11. Clear answers to top questions

The visitor has questions and concerns. The better you answer those questions and address those concerns, the more likely they will get in touch and become a lead. Every question you leave unanswered increases the chances they will leave and look for answers on other websites.

12. Evidence, examples, data and social proof

Anyone can claim to do something, but not everyone can prove it. Add evidence of your legitimacy and the value of your services. This may include examples, statistics and research. Better yet, add social proof in the form of testimonials, using the voice of your happy customers.

Source: How to Write Testimonials

13. Videos, demos and diagrams

Visuals are powerful. If your service requires a high degree of trust, videos are an excellent way to improve lead generation. They let the visitor see your face and hear your voice. If you offer a service that is hard to explain, use diagrams and demos to explain those complex ideas.

14. Calls to action

Services pages can either be a dead end, or they can have a quick, friendly call to action, such as “Contact us for more information about (service).” You can be more approachable and personal by adding a face of a sales associate next to that call to action.

About Page: Building Trust

Your visitors want to know who they might be working with. That’s why the “About” page is always one of the most popular pages on every lead generation website. Just check your Analytics! Here is where you put a face to the name, tell your story and explain your mission.

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Nobody cares how much you know until they know how much you care.” - Teddy Roosevelt, American President

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15. Personality, values and your story

Here you’ll answer the big questions: Why are you in this business? How long have you been doing this? What motivates your team? Why does this service matter?

You are the only one with your story, so make this a page that sets you apart. Talk about your values, your origin and why this work is important.

16. Awards, certifications and credentials

Just like the service pages, this is a good place to add evidence of legitimacy. Anything that applies to the entire business and not just one service will work. That includes awards, certifications, ratings and association memberships, as well as quotes from customers.

17. Video

If at all possible, upgrade the format to video. Video is the most powerful format in marketing. Use it for your most powerful message: why you exist as a company.

18. Pictures of key team members with links to detailed profile pages

Don’t be a faceless corporation. Be a person. If you’re small, show the faces of your entire team. If you’re big, show the faces of your key leadership. You are the only company with your people, so feature them prominently.

Every lead generation website should have pictures of real people. Your visitors want to know who is involved in the service and in the company.

Contact Page: Where the Magic Happens

The trick here is to get out of the way. It should be as effortless as possible with no distractions. Just a simple form. The idea is to start a conversation, not interrogate your visitors.

19. Simple contact form

This is one of the best tips for converting visitors into leads: use a contact form with the minimum number of fields. Don’t make them answer 10 questions now. Don’t build a greedy form.

Of course, you’ll need a lot of information to qualify them as a legitimate leads, but get it later, during the sales process.

20. Phone number, address and directions

Not all visitors want to become a lead. Some want to call. Great. Put all of your contact information on this page, including a link to a map with directions. And If you have an attractive location, show a photo of it. It shows you're legitimate.

What’s not here: Content, navigation, distractions.

They’re close to the goal, to keep them moving, remove everything but the form. This page doesn’t need any more content! Even the navigation should be kept to a minimum.

Thank You Page: Mission Accomplished

On many lead gen sites, this page is nothing more than two tiny words. That’s a missed opportunity. The thank you page is your first interaction with your newly generated lead. Make it a good one by setting expectations. You’ve also got an opportunity here to create an even stronger connection.

This page should be more than a dead end with two lonely little words: “thank you.”

21. A genuine thank you

Be sincere and use a personal tone. You should also explain what happens next. How soon will you be in touch? Who will make contact?

22. Email signup form

If they were ready to reach out, they may already really like you and your brand. Give them the option to subscribe for more of the content that impressed them the first time.

23. Links to recommended articles and additional content

If you don’t offer other options on this page, you might as well tell people to leave the site. Why not invite them back into your site for a bit more helpful advice?

24. Social media networks

Even if they don’t follow you, there’s still a chance to show them your latest thinking, to show them a bit of your personality. Include the social networks where you are legitimately active in sharing and in conversation. Don’t link to a dead social profile.

Yes, lead generation is complex...

Visitors don’t necessarily follow a specific flow and there are a ton of little factors in marketing and one websites. Together, they combine to directly and indirectly impact your results. But these in place for your website, and you notice the difference in your pipeline.

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This post first appeared on the Orbit blog at https://www.orbitmedia.com/blog/lead-generation-website-practices/