Measuring how effective any marketing method is requires an eye for detail and the ability to analyze data. However, conversions aren’t the only measure of success in today’s more personalized world. Instead, measure your return on engagement to see how well you are meeting the needs of your target audience.
When you engage potential and current customers, you develop a loyal following. Brands spend 11 times more getting their information in front of new customers than simply keeping current ones. Focusing on engagement automatically improves customer retention.
Although the return on engagement is much harder to measure than the return on investment (ROI), focusing on it helps brands create a long-reaching impact that shapes the personality of their company. Here are some simple ways the marketing team from Charley Grey uses to increase engagement and see lasting effects.
1. Focus on the Experience
If you want people to engage with your brand, you must create an experience that pulls them in. For online stores, you might add a video, plug in a survey, or take them on an adventure. For brick-and-mortar stores, set up a display that takes them into a new world. Let customers touch and experience the product. Experiential marketing creates something out of nothing. You’ll generate a lot of buzz and attract new customers you otherwise wouldn’t.
2. Send Abandoned Cart Emails
No matter how well you engage your audience, many are just browsing. Studies show that around 77% leave a website without making a purchase. Figuring out how to reinterest them after they leave can give you a measurable ROI through engagement. A percentage of those who bounce away may be looking for a discount of some sort. When you send out automated emails offering free shipping or 10% off, they’ll come back and complete the purchase, giving you a measurable return on your efforts. Even those who have no intention of completing a purchase will gain some reinforcement from your brand. They may either return in the future or tell someone else about your company.
3. Create a Relatable Brand for Better Engagement
Before people want to visit your store or website, they need to learn about your brand and decide whether it interests them. Start with authenticity. What do you care about at the core of who you are? Does your company embrace those principles? Adopt the causes that matter to you and your employees. Customers who care about the same social issues will engage with you.
4. Push Notifications to Followers
Your customers can opt-in to push notifications and learn when new products arrive, or you offer special discounts. For brick-and-mortar locations, have people download an app and send them a ping when they get close to your store, or you have news to share. For online stores, people can sign up to receive a push notification while they browse the internet. Move them away from the competition and to your site. Push notifications are an instant way of engaging your audience.
5. Ramp Up Your CTAs
Your calls to action (CTAs) can move people from slightly interested to fully engaged. Give them a clear path through the buyer’s journey on your site so they know where to head next. The goal is to not give them time to think they might like to leave your site but to keep the customer clicking and moving through the information. Many experts argue the CTA is the most essential portion of any marketing campaign. You can evoke a response through the language you use. Make sure action verbs rule the day, keep the language concise and limit the number of CTAs on a page. Although the words on your buttons matter, you should also experiment with different colors, sizes, and placement. Run A/B tests to see which ones your target audience responds best to.
6. Invest in Chatbots for Automated Engagement
More people than ever before shop online. They expect 24/7 access to your store and your customer service. Smaller brands may struggle to staff their live chats and phone lines around the clock. Fortunately, machines grow smarter every year. Chatbots are able to converse with customers in an intelligent way. Program them to answer the most common questions and only refer customers to a real person when the query is too specific for the chatbot to cover. Ideally, the experience is seamless, going through details and gathering customer info before passing them off to a live agent.
7. Utilize Social Media
Today’s public expects brands to have a social media presence. However, you need to do more than just throw a page up on Facebook. Figure out where your customers hang out. They might enjoy Instagram or TikTok more than Facebook, for example. You should also engage users to attract new customers. For example, post frequent content and answer any questions people have. Encourage them to like, share, and comment on your posts by running contests and responding when they do. A quick thank you for the share goes a long way toward encouraging future word-of-mouth marketing.
Focus on Building Recognition
It’s impossible to fully measure return on engagement. There isn’t a survey showing how loyal your customers are, but you can measure how much traffic results from social media posts or how many likes and shares you get.
Measure what you can and assume the rest is building your brand name and will pay off at some point in the future. The ideal marketing mix focuses on both long-term, immeasurable efforts, and short-term, solid ROI stats. Combining both results in success now and in the future.
To find out how Charley Grey can help you with your online ROI, contact us today.
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