These customers are at the start of their session. Well, the lack of interaction beyond basic page views suggests that your objective should be to engage these users. They neither delve into the depths of product specifics nor show signs of imminent purchase intent. Engaging this segment requires a nuanced understanding of their hesitancy and the deployment of tactics designed to pique their interest and encourage a deeper exploration of your site. Where is this disengagement happening? What could be the reasons for this level of disengagement? And, ultimately, how might you spark some intrigue to engage further?
Lay the groundwork for a lasting relationship that grows over time. That requires appreciating the user context, then introducing yourselves or welcoming the users to encourage engagement of some sort. Your aim is to generate curiosity to elicit engagement.
Engage: Tell the story of the brand to engage people
Engage: Tell the story of the brand to engage people
The key to engaging this segment is not to push for immediate conversion. We’ll have to be patient here, but to foster a deeper connection with your brand. Storytelling and brand building become your best friend, here. Sharing your brand story, values, and the unique aspects of your product creation process can create a compelling narrative that resonates. Why does your brand exist? What are you proud of with your brand? Asking loyalists why they shop with your brand. How did your brand start? We often find that a good question to ask is “why would you purchase here instead of Amazon?” (something that has all the logistic, perceived value and convenience powers) - there has to be more than this.
Highlighting sustainability efforts, product quality, and the brand's heritage can help build trust and intrigue for example. Then it’s about promoting that content to this audience.
Execution examples:
In-grid content on the PLP, breaking up the product listing page with modules of content that inform the user about the the product quality or virtues
Using user generated content on how the products have impacted the lives of others (testimonials, reviews, social media)
Reprioritising existing content. This brand-based content might already exist somewhere on the site. Re-order the content for this customer, or really bring attention to it. For example, utilising space in the header to encourage users to read more about the brand story and how products are made by re-organising the navigation, or utilising space on a product detail page to talk about the quality of the product and how the products are made, encouraging the user to read more about product and brand, designed to peak curiosity for these users
Re-engage off-site using brand-based re-marketing
Re-engage off-site using brand-based re-marketing
These users haven’t reached a stage where they are aware of what product they are interested in - yet. They have barely explored your proposition and as someone who is likely to immediately bounce, haven’t had the time to delve into the details.
It is your job to create hype around your brand, or showcasing your product set, not necessarily showing the user a single product.
Execution examples:
For low intent users, exclusion from remarketing might be beneficial. Considering using “low intent” as a threshold, perhaps with other data such as “low momentum” and “browsing” to test excluding from re-marketing campaigns
Emailing these users with brand based messaging to get your brand known; create hype around the brand to elicit emotional attached and / or reminding them that you exist
Using hype-based techniques in remarketing campaigns; customer testimonials, product outcomes, brand story, USPs and narrative
Promote recommendations to encourage product discovery
Promote recommendations to encourage product discovery
Recommendations are a fantastic way to promote the breathe of your product offering. You’re using cues that your audience has given you and turning that into a contextualised series of products that, in theory, should meet their needs. It’s relevancy 101. According to a report by Barilliance, product recommendations can increase conversion rates by up to 5.5 times, or from Salesforce, it can contribute to as much as 31% of site revenue.
So, when the objective is promoting product discovery, making your recommendations more prominent is only a good thing. At this level, this is about demonstrating the breadth of product that you have available to better engage with a response of “we can most likely cater for your needs”. This is about supporting product discovery. Your job at later stages is to then convince them that that is the right product for them.
Execution examples:
Recommendations location. Think of placing recommendations further above the fold, in a sticky position on the site as the user scrolls, or, just in general, more prominent positions. Perhaps consider adding more products in eg. instead of showing 4 in a scrollable format, add 16 in a block taking up more real-estate as the user is still in a “browsing” mentality
Recommendations context. Consider adding elements within your recommendations module to capture the users interest. Incorporating user-generated content, such as customer reviews and ratings, alongside these recommendations can reinforce the perceived value and credibility of your products, encouraging further exploration.
Recommendations context. Consider the naming convention of recommendations to add context and persuade users to really engage with your recommendations set (eg. “we recommend” as a title doesn’t really cut it, why do you recommend them?)
Collect user email address with a low-level value exchange
Collect user email address with a low-level value exchange
Recognising that this segment may not be ready to make a purchase in their current session, off-site engagement strategies become crucial.
Think about how you’re going to get this data from this segment first and foremost. What reason are you giving them to sign up to your newsletter? (don’t say “an offer” - that’s short termist and lazy).
Encouraging newsletter sign-ups or some form of email exchange with the promise of new product announcements, exclusive offers, or insightful content can keep the dialogue open. Or tailor these communications to reflect the brand's values and product strengths so, when the time comes, your audience are ready to narrow down their choices, your brand remains top of mind.
Execution examples:
What? You’re asking for a personal piece of information; an email address. What value exchange can you give them that helps them give up that information? This could be a functionality like saving items for later or back in stock announcements. As part of a competition or giveaway. It could be a valuable piece of content, or something exclusive that they need in their lives. Perhaps the hope of getting something in the future oppose to right now?
What? Using this as part of a loyalty program. In some instances it might be a bit too soon to promote loyalty programs, so what might be the benefit of asking for an email address now, to sign up for a loyalty program, for the hope of future benefits?
Where? The method of asking this information can be sticky on the site somewhere. It could be in a popup either centrally or off to the side somewhere. Or it could be as a component on the site (eg. below the product call to action, as part of the product grid). This email address collection could occur anywhere on site, thinking about your highest engagement areas and utilise it there. If the majority of users land and bounce on your product page, it might be worthwhile collecting the email address in a component on that page.
When? Use exit intent popups for email address collection, opposed to just landed popups for lower intent users
Welcome and Guide visitors
Welcome and Guide visitors
For newcomers, a generic welcome is rarely enough. The key is to offer an introduction that resonates with the context of their visit. Why do you exist? How can you help them? What is the outcome of using your product? You can assume implicit context from where the user has come from (traffic source) and where they land (page type). Alternatively, you can seek explicit context from the user to truly respond to their needs (”what are you here for today?”).
Execution examples:
If they've landed on the homepage, showcasing a broad spectrum of product categories rather than focusing on specific items can pique their curiosity without overwhelming them.
For those on product or category pages, streamlined and clear navigation, enticing product highlights can guide them further into your offerings.
Explaining why you exist as a brand taking the assumption that they don’t or might not know anything about you
Even more so, explaining the value propositions of your brand. Nothing logistical (yet) like free shipping, but the breadth of your offering, the quality of your products, the founders story