Creating a Better Online Customer Experience

In today’s heavily-digital world, in-person and over the phone are no longer the only two ways that customers interact with your business–they also interact with you online (and, in many cases, solely online). Through your website, your ads, your social media presence, and other digital avenues, your customers get their impression of you online. So, how can you create the best customer experience across all these channels? 

Here are some tips to help ensure that you’re presenting a positive experience for customers and prospective customers online. 

Make sure your website is user-friendly 

There’s no easier way to force website visitors to turn around and leave than neglecting to make your site user-friendly. Your customers and prospects want to easily navigate your website to find out information such as what you do, how they can contact you, and where you’re located. Just as important today, they want to be able to use your website on their mobile devices. 

Most visitors to your website will leave immediately and seek an alternative if your website is difficult to use. Make sure that your website is responsive and that essential business information is easy to find. 

Stay active on social media 

Maintaining an active presence on social media can help you deliver a positive customer experience. People enjoy interacting with local businesses online and use social media as a resource for business information, updates, specials, and more. If you haven’t already, create Facebook and Twitter pages for your business and engage with your followers. Be sure to add complete business information, including your website, phone number, and location. Your social media pages are also a great place to provide exclusive coupons and special deals for your online audience. 

Be sure your search ads go to the right landing page 

You aren’t creating a strong customer experience if your text ads take users to unrelated landing pages. People who click ads on Google and other search engines do so because they’re interested in what’s being advertised. Misleading them with sneaky text isn’t likely to give them a very good impression of your business. 

Make sure that the keywords and content from your text ad are present on your landing page. For example, if you’re promoting a free assessment or consultation, then your landing page should include a form for a free assessment or consultation. Doing this will also help maximize your quality score, which can improve your ad placement and reduce your cost per click. 

Manage your online reputation 

Your reviews are a big part of your customer experience. Everyone knows that online reviews can’t paint a complete picture, but they do give your customers a way to share their good experiences or express their frustrations. Keep an eye on online review sites so that you know what your customers are saying and respond appropriately. See complaints as opportunities to resolve issues and make your customers happy, and use feedback to make improvements to your business.