The marketplace is highly competitive. If you want to stand out from your competition, you must provide a higher level of service to your customers than anyone else. Adding tools to your website is one way to draw in traffic and build brand recognition.
There are 31.7 million small businesses in the United States and outlying territories. Before COVID-19 shutdowns, the annual growth rate was 2.1%. However, unemployment rose 3.6% between April 2019 and April 2020. The businesses thriving during difficult economic times are the ones that figure out what tools their customers need and provide them.
While there are dozens of tools you can add to your website to engage visitors, there are four main types that win over potential clients. Sure, you can add games and fun elements, but if it doesn’t address your customers’ specific pain points, it’s a waste of your resources.
Here are the four tools we’ve studied and feel are a good fit for most business types. We also provide some examples of websites utilizing each option well.
1. Augmented Reality (AR) and Personal Images
Advances in AR allow more online stores to utilize technology to create a personalized experience. This makes it more likely a consumer buys from you.
One example of using AR tools might be a home improvement site allowing users to upload a photo of their kitchen and swap out cabinets, countertops and flooring to see what products they might wish to order.
For a less techy option, allow users to plug in the picture of their choice and try out different styles.
Madison Reed uses a makeover tool. The user can either upload a photo or use a live camera and try different hair color shades to see what they like best. This allows the user to try before they buy.
By using a personal photo, the experience is very customized to each site visitor. The person is engaged as they try different looks. They’re much more likely to buy once they find a look they like.
2. Calculators
Online calculators have been around for years. They are a tool that works particularly well for any type of financial industry, weight loss websites and construction.
There are different types of calculators, but you want one that is highly useful to your target audience. Think about the pain points that drive people to visit your site in the first place. Now, come up with a calculator helping solve that problem for them.
RefiJet offers an auto refinance calculator for its customers. You’ll find out how much you could save on your auto loan. This company likely knows its average site visitor is looking for ideas on saving money and living within a budget.
Offering a calculator shows cold, hard numbers. You punch in how much you owe and how many months are left on your loan. Add the current interest rate and your desired one. The calculator shows you how much you’ll save per month and what your new monthly payment might be.
3. Live Chat
Statista reports an 83.04% global customer satisfaction rate with live chat. Many customers prefer the method of communication over any other form, particularly younger generations.
Out of all the tools you can add to your website, allowing users to ask questions in real time is one of the most powerful. If the customer is on the fence about whether or not to buy, but can get more details, they may decide on the spot.
Bluehost features a live chat bubble in the bottom right corner of its website. As you move down the page, it follows you. Click on it, and you’re invited to start a conversation.
As you move through the dialogue, it narrows down what you need help with. The system wants to know if you’re an existing or new customer. It offers options such as hosting or technical questions. Bluehost directs you to the appropriate live agent to answer your questions in a timely and knowledgeable way.
4. Reviews
Many people turn to reviews before deciding to buy from a new company or try the latest product. You should encourage your customers to leave their thoughts for other potential clients by featuring reviews on your landing pages.
Some of the bigger online retailers use reviews to help people on the fence decide to purchase a product. Amazon, Walmart and many other big names let people peruse comments and star ratings on various products.
Buy Buy Baby offers reviews on all its products. On each page, you’ll find an overall star rating, links to all reviews and an option to write one of your own. You will be asked to verify your purchase with your email address or order number. This ensures only authentic reviews make it into the site.
Seek to Be Useful
The best tools are the ones your particular audience needs. They may not even realize they require a refinance calculator or want to browse reviews. However, once they discover these helpful features on your site, they’ll bookmark it and return. Quality tools mean repeat traffic for your site and higher conversion rates for your bottom line.
Eleanor Hecks is editor-in-chief at Designerly Magazine. Eleanor was the creative director and occasional blog writer at a prominent digital marketing agency before becoming her own boss in 2018. She lives in Philadelphia with her husband and dog, Bear.
