Content
Lead generation is an essential tool for online stores. Consumer attitudes are changing over time, and some skepticism towards boring types of advertising is growing. To survive in a competitive market, you need to study your customers, build effective communication strategies, keep up with the times, and even better, be one step ahead.
Promodo experts highlight the five lead generation trends in 2020 that will help your online store attract new customers, and provide advice on introducing them.
Any lead generation trend can succeed in your business but only if you have an effective strategy.
With the vast information flow, it can be difficult for a user to find an answer to their query. Even the most unique and original content can be sidelined if it’s not interesting to your target audience. Try saving visitors time on finding available information as much as possible. Don’t forget about website convenience: clear filtering and category systems, quick ordering process, and so on.
Collect information! As much data as possible about your visitors: how they got to your website, how much time they spent on it and at what stage they left your online store. You will then understand how to keep the attention of your target audience, which sections are most popular and which ones need additional information.
Create an effective customer journey map — the path that a customer has taken to make a purchase from you follows from exploring your website content to that first purchase. Such a map will help you have a better understanding of the behavioural characteristics of your customers.
In addition to optimizing your website for Google requirements, it is important to give your customers high-quality content instead of a set of keywords. Don’t forget about storytelling, it will not lose its relevance in 2020. This is particularly true if you work within a unique niche. Stories help you explain complex technical information in a simple way.
Influencer marketing is a stable and reliable trend that will continue to promote effective lead generation in 2020. Don’t despair if Kristen Stewart stole Chanel and Rami Malek signed a campaign with Saint Laurent. In addition to the high-profile names of opinion leaders, the level of audience trust in them is also important.
Influencers are worth looking for not only on the stage but also in movies. In the case of a young target audience, focus on social networks. A sharp drop in advertising indicators among millionaire bloggers was noted in 2019. The audience understands that major bloggers have an advertising price list, therefore their advice is not at all a sign of quality. Lead generation for online stores may not yield high results with such collaboration.
Instead of looking at the number of subscribers, focus on the profile of the blogger. Collaboration with the so-called micro-influencers (leaders in a certain field, with a narrower audience) can provide better results. First, such bloggers are more credible, and their advertising is perceived as a personal recommendation and is often converted into purchases. Second, you will attract an audience interested in your product beforehand. Third, promotional codes, contests and sweepstakes that are easy to organise in cooperation with micro-influencers will launch a new round of lead generation for your website and attract hundreds of new customers.
Focus on your message format. A regular ad post will not become viral. However, an interesting story about the use of your product, personal experience and tips for use have a positive effect on the leads.
For example, the “Fit Me Foundation” global campaign from Maybelline with the participation of Maya Jama: they did more than just advertise, they also shot a series of videos with makeup tips and life stories. The content was interesting, compelling and attracted many potential buyers.
According to a Cisco study, video content will corner 82% of the total web traffic by 2022. This is not surprising since it is the favorite information form of millennials and generation Z.
Video marketing allows you to create interactive, visually appealing and engaging content. This type of content will be especially useful in increasing the lead generation of online stores: 50% of users search their product interest through videos before actually buying it.
There are many ways to incorporate a video into your communication strategy. Some of these are:
Apple has been using online broadcasting for many years to introduce new products. Viewers from all over the world watch such events in real-time and feel like participants. This is the best way to get closer to the buyer and create the impression of “direct contact”. Why not use this strategy to improve lead generation? Especially since it has one important advantage: you do not have to pay for installation and post-production.
Broadcasts can be made through a huge number of platforms. The most prominent ones are Facebook Live, YouTube Live, Instagram Live, and recently this became possible on LinkedIn. Live broadcasts are great for presenting new products, webinars, interviews, field trips, events, etc.
Video podcasts are traditional podcasts shot on video. Their advantage is that the audience not only receives expert information but also establishes closer contact with a speaker. If a user can see the inside of the process, their level of trust increases.
In addition to a high-quality product, the most valuable thing a brand can provide is access to knowledge. The demand for free education is very high, and if you can utilise it for your brand, this is guaranteed to have a positive impact on lead generation.
This communication method allows you to introduce your customers to product designers. Consistent headings and notes from the life of the brand also increase user loyalty.
Despite the growing popularity of virtual reality tools, this approach continues to be novel and exciting. First, this is an interactive and innovative content. Second, this tool can be introduced naturally into an online store. For example, you can offer customers a virtual fitting of a product.
Encourage your customers to create content with your products on social networks. Video recording of product testing or unpacking is like a personal recommendation, which results in the most significant number of leads.
When it seems that everything that could be said to your users has already been said, and no one is opening your emails, it is still possible to improve lead generation. Think about how to represent existing information in a new way.
Quizzes, mini-games, and even face filters on Instagram are great ways to raise the click-to-open rate.
The ATB-Wonderland campaign is a good example. The ATB grocery chain provided customers with discounts on the book “Alice in Wonderland”, which could ‘alive’ with a special app.
Interactive content can be used at all stages of your communication strategy. For example, Comfy managed to gain + 800% new subscribers and increase the number of transactions from trigger emails thanks to the launch of an interactive drawing.
The number of voice queries exceeded several billion a month a long time ago, and by 2020 it promises to make up half of all search queries. In 60% of cases, users already receive a relevant response to their queries, and this is not the limit.
A modern, sceptical audience will neither be easily fooled nor seduced by bling. Instead, the target audience can fall in love with your brand by reading high-quality content. Look for creative approaches to advertising and try to respond to consumer queries.
Turn the “seller-buyer” relationship into a “friend-adviser” one, and your customer will consequently not leave after the first purchase but will remain faithful to the brand for a long time. However, you should not abandon proven methods, such as building brand awareness, segmenting the customer base and setting up a trigger chain.
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