We recently discussed different methods you can use to make your website more engaging to its audience.
Turning it into an interactive website is another big way to accomplish this, while also being a whole other matter warranting its own entry.
So exactly what does it mean to be “interactive”?
To be interactive entails integrating software into your website that encourages users to take an action, respond to the site or command the site, basically give and take with it.
This can take the form of playing a video, responding to a call-to-action, skipping an ad, asking a question, searching for something in particular, or a myriad of other options.
So what are the benefits of having interactive aspects of your site? Here we’ll lay out just that.
#1: It connects you to your customers
These days, the vast majority of interactions you have with your customers (over 70%) are digital. That means that if you don’t have digital platforms that serve your customers on every level, you’re missing the majority of engagement you should be having with them.
So with that in mind, consider another statistic: 90% of customers also say that when they visit a website, they expect it to have interactive self-service components.
So you’d best make sure you’re providing these customers with the level of service they’ve come to expect… otherwise, they just might go and get it from your competitors.
#2: It builds trust
A big way that interactive media gives you a boost is by building customer trust in your brand with consistent positive interactions, which can grow from the minor to the more significant.
Each time you give your user a prompt and by following it they have a positive experience, you are increasing their desire to come back and build a relationship with your brand.
#3: It increases conversions
This will naturally lead to a great deal of conversions, and it will also raise your profile through social proof and word-of-mouth.
The trust you’ve established with your users will naturally translate into them making an investment in your brand by becoming paying customers.
This will also reduce your bounce rate by giving your users a good first impression through quality design and engaging content.
#4: You can personalize UX
It’s also possible to enhance the interactive edge you’ve given your site by studying data that tracks user behaviors.
You can use tools like Google Analytics and cookies to learn about your customers, and build a user experience that caters to them.
This too will keep those customers coming back to your doors, and further drive sales.
#5: It makes you memorable
When people want the service you provide, you want your brand to be at the top of their mind. You want your brand to be synonymous with that service, so that you’re the first person they go to when they’re in need.
You do this by making yourself memorable. Stimulating, positively reinforcing web design and content is how you become a fixture in your users’ lives.
Then, when they want what you’re selling, they’ll come straight to you, and become repeat customers and bring their social circle with them.
#6: It lets your customers learn about you
While you’re learning about your customers so that you can better serve them, they are also learning about your business and what it can offer them.
The same methods which are best for helping us learn in the classroom – including hands-on, interactive pedagogies – can also be put into play when gathering information about a provider you want to solicit a service from.
This follows the same logic as making yourself memorable – when your customers are well-informed about you, they can make an informed decision to patronize your business. And the better quality content you supply them with in combination with your high-quality services will certainly turn them into regulars.
We hope this simple primer has given you a good basis to start thinking about implementing these strategies in your web design. And if you’re ready to move forward, why not enlist a team of experts to put them into practice? Visit our homepage to schedule a consultation today.
