Conversion Optimization

Chapter 8. Engagement

CAN YOU PIQUE YOUR CUSTOMERS’ INTEREST IN YOUR SITE OVER YOUR COMPETITORS’?

Some stores change their inventory daily, and thereby keep customers engaged because they’re giving them something new to see each time they shop. Other companies run frequent sales to keep their store on customers’ radar. With so many options on the Web, however, it becomes difficult to continue to engage users’ interest in your offering.

Restaurants face this issue every day because customers have so many dining options to choose from. How will you pique potential customers’ interest? You can offer incentives, but incentives are not a long-term strategy, whereas engagement is. For instance, Red Lobster offers seasonal seafood options that customers can enjoy. The restaurant has shrimp, crab, and lobster “fests” throughout the year to engage customers and get them to stop in for a meal.

As you work to engage visitors, it is important to set specific key performance indicators (KPIs) to measure visitors’ engagement. Measuring a return on engagement activities can be difficult, especially because some activities will take place outside of your website and in media over which you have little control.

Measuring the Effectiveness of Engagement

Several metrics can measure visitor engagement. Some of these metrics are internal to your website, so they are straightforward to measure; others will require visitors’ engagement on outside platforms.

Internal Metrics

Internal metrics measure visitors’ ...