Encouraging users to engage with a website, take the time to sign up to a mailing list or set-up an account isn’t an easy task. As web users we have become more discerning as we struggle to manage a daily influx of emails and more cautious about giving out our contact details to anyone who asks.
So how do you convince your site visitors that what you are offering is worth engaging with?
Trust!
Users need to trust that you’ll look after their personal data and that you’ll fulfil any promises you made to them on sign up, such as exclusive content or functionality.
Take a look at our checklist and see what you can add to your site:
Offer Guarantees – Encourage your users to trust you by guaranteeing that their data will be kept safe and contact details won’t be passed on to third parties.
Make Your Call to Action Obvious – Place clear buttons or links in prominent positions throughout your site. Make it really clear what you are asking the user to do and what they’ll get in return.
Allow Users to Sign up in Multiple Places – You could integrate newsletter sign ups into other forms on your website or suggest registration on your contact page. Don’t just have one area where users go to register or sign up to a newsletter, make suggestions in appropriate places throughout the site.
Use Exciting and Dynamic Language – ‘Sign Up for Exclusive Content and Sizzling Hot Discounts!’ is going to attract more attention than the more mundane, ‘Sign Up for our Newsletter.’ Just make sure you keep your promises…
Keep Your Sign Up Form Simple – Only ask users for essential information. If you are asking them to sign up for a newsletter you really only need their email address, although a name might be nice to have too. Again, stick to the bare minimum for registration forms and if you are asking for a contact address, billing or delivery address, make sure they are auto-filled from previously entered information.
Offer an Incentive – An incentive can be anything from discount codes, to exclusive content, to free gifts. It doesn’t have to be an expensive exercise, but it should make your registered users feel like they are getting added value.
Don’t Spam Your Mailing List – Make sure that you only contact your users with useful and timely information, send too many or irrelevant emails and you’ll alienate them. Give them an indication of contact frequency when they sign up and always give them the option to delete their account.
Make it Shareable – Allow users to easily forward your newsletters and share content. Recommendations from friends and word of mouth is some of the most effective marketing available, make it work for you!
