Lead Generation
Websites That Sell: The Gold Mine Lies in the Customer Journey
You walk into a store and are immediately hassled by a salesperson who wants to sell you something you don't even need. You'll probably turn around and go somewhere else. The same goes for your website. If visitors feel like they're being bombarded, they'll quickly bounce.
The real goldmine lies in a perfect customer journey. This means you should design your website to take your visitors on a journey that ultimately turns them into customers. A customer journey is, therefore, the path a customer takes on your website, starting with their first interaction and leading to a desired action or goal, such as a purchase or sign-up.
Before mapping out your customer journey, ask yourself the following questions:
- The target audience: Who is your ideal customer? What are their needs and desires? Once you know your target audience, you can design your website to appeal to them.
- Conversion Rate Optimization (CRO): What do you want your website visitors to do? Should they sign up for your newsletter, buy a product, or get in touch? Once you know what you want, you can optimize your website so that more visitors take these actions.
Creating a customer journey means constantly asking yourself: What do people want?
The answer to that question is the simple guiding principle that websites should be built upon. Specifically, this means: What is the search intent? After all , people visit websites because they want to solve a problem—that is, with a specific intention. We distinguish between:
- Do-Intent: I want to do something (buy, sell, invest) or
- Know-Intent: I want to know something (I’ve gotten divorced and don’t know what to do with the shared house).
Depending on the intention with which a visitor (presumably!) chooses the website, the structure of the landing page may differ. Here are some ways this can be implemented using the examples above for a real estate agent’s website:
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For “Do-Intent” visitors: The landing page should provide quick and easy access to the relevant actions. Clearly structured menus and prominent call-to-action buttons such as “Get Your Property Valued Now,” “Start a Sales Consultation,” or “Discover Investment Opportunities” help guide users immediately to the desired features. Visual elements like images and videos of properties, testimonials, and success stories can also be helpful.
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For “Know-Intent” visitors: These pages should be informative and comprehensive. Articles, blog posts, FAQs, and detailed guides that answer the most common questions and provide valuable information are crucial. A well-organized structure with easy-to-navigate sections and internal links to related topics can help users find their way around. Here, too, contact options are important in case the visitor has further questions.
As a general rule, the website should be structured so that visitors can quickly find a solution to their problem (real estate-related problems might include: I’m looking for a property; I want to sell, rent, or lease a property; I’m divorced and don’t know what will happen to our shared property, etc.).
Here’s what a customer journey might look like in broad strokes:
What exactly is (still) part of the customer journey?
The customer journey begins right from the website’s menu. A clearly structured menu is essential for guiding and supporting visitors on their journey. For real estate websites, it has proven effective to organize the main menu items into categories such as “Buy,” “Sell,” and “Invest.” All relevant subcategories and information should be easily accessible under these main menu items.
A quick start guide can solve many problems right away by allowing visitors to quickly get where they want to go. This can be achieved through well-placed and clearly labeled buttons or links that take users directly to the most important pages or features.
The structural layout of the landing page is also very important. A well-designed landing page should present all necessary information at a glance and be clearly structured. This includes a logical arrangement of content, clear headings, appealing visual elements, and intuitive navigation.
It is important to always provide ways to get in touch. Every page of the website should include easily accessible contact information or forms so that visitors can quickly and easily request help or additional information.
Visitors never want to have to go to the trouble of searching for content. Therefore, all landing pages must be self-contained and complete. Each page should contain all the essential information on the respective topic so that users aren't forced to click through multiple pages to find what they're looking for.
A powerful search function allows users to find specific information quickly. In the case of a real estate website, for example, this would include attractive and detailed listings of properties with filter and search options (e.g., by price, location, and size).
Immediate assistance with questions or concerns through comprehensive FAQs or a live chat/chatbot.
- Customer Journey: The Example of a Real Estate Agent’s Advisory Landing Page:
First, we ask ourselves: What is the visitor’s intention when they arrive on the page?The visitor wants to see their options for solving their specific problem and learn how the agent can help them with it. They want to know who they’re dealing with, since emotional issues often come down to trust. Ideally, they’ll find a specific point of contact or a quick way to get in touch so they can describe their individual challenge.
1- Introduction with an emotional connection: Start with a topic that draws on your personal experiences and appeals to your emotions.
2 – Solutions in list form: Here you’ll find clear and structured solutions to your concern.
3 – Videos on the topic: Multimedia content like videos brings the website to life and appeals to you if you prefer visual content over long texts.
4. Services: Learn more about the specific services that set our company apart.
5 - Our Team: Get to know your personal points of contact, who ideally specialize in solving your problems.
6 - Call to Action: Tailor your action-oriented calls to action to the specific situation. Instead of “Get in touch,” it could say, for example: “Would you like to sell your inherited property but are unsure of its value? Contact us now with no obligation.”
7 - Testimonials and Customer Reviews: These build trust and credibility.
8 - News/Blog Teasers on the Topic: Here you’ll find additional information and insights that might interest you if you’re still undecided.
Also helpful
- Use storytelling
Storytelling is a great way to build a connection with your visitors and spark their interest in your products or services. - Offer valuable content
Offeryour visitors valuable content, such as blog posts, e-books, or white papers. This will ensure they keep coming back. - Optimize your website for search engines (SEO)
Make sure your website is optimized for search engines so that potential customers can find it. - Track your results
Track your results to see what’s working and what isn’t. This will help you continuously improve your website.
Interested in boosting your online presence and creating a professional website for your business?
A good website is a must for any business that wants to succeed online. By creating a website that takes the points mentioned above into account, you can craft a seamless customer journey that leads to more leads and customers. Building a successful website is an ongoing process. You should constantly monitor and optimize your website to achieve the best results. At YPSOLUTION, we’re experts in developing engaging and effective websites that highlight your brand and attract customers. Contact us today to learn more!
Want to try out a next-generation real estate agent website? Get in touch now with no obligation!
