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Tracking the prints
How to find out where your customers have been
By Samantha Stainburn
ChicagoBusiness, August 14, 2006

Are small companies getting the most out of their Web sites?

No. Most businesses view their Web sites as static repositories for product information. They leave it sitting there and hope people will visit. Many will jump ahead and build out large Web sites, saying, "We know what you want to hear from us." That's the opposite of how the Internet works.

What's a better way to build a Web site?

Using the technology tools that are out there, find out which terms related to your business are frequently used on search engines like Google and Business.com. Then build pages that are responsive to those searches so you'll come up high in the list of results.

What information should businesses track on their Web sites?

That depends on what you're trying to accomplish. If you want to use your site to bring it new customers, you can measure the number of people who are coming to your site, how many pages they look at, and if they leave their contact information. If visitors look at one page and leave, you probably need to make some changes.

How can you use your Web site to build customer loyalty?

Give visitors an opportunity to talk to other visitors through forums or blogs so they can discuss how they use your product or service and learn from each other. People come back to sites that facilitate this kind of communication, and they spend more time there, which deepens their relationship with the company.

Isn't it dangerous to relinquish control of your Web content?

The conversation rarely gravitates towards bashing the company. In most of the community forums I see, it's customers with good intentions helping the company get it right. But if a visitor says, "I don't like this business because of this reason," the company can fix the problem. Travel sites like Expedia and Travelocity don't take down the visitor-generated hotel reviews that are negative. The minute they do that, their credibility is lost.

What are common mistakes businesses make on their Web sites?

They don't give visitors multiple ways to talk to them. Often the only way a visitor can communicate with the company is by filling out a "contact us" form. That turns people off because they think a sales person will call them if they fill it out. Inviting a customer to "ask a question" is non-threatening, and it's the start of a relationship on the customer's terms. Also, many businesses get customers to leave their contact information on the site, and then they never follow up. You should send a mini survey to a customer the minute they opt in to find out what they're looking for.

©2006 by Crain Communications Inc.