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Published by: Judy Cobb 03-05-2013  |  POSTED IN: Traffic Tuesdays

Words Blog 15: Answering Your Customers' Questions

 
This week's New York Times included a short article about Marcus Sheridan, a man whose business (installing in-ground fiberglass pools) took a dive in the face of canceled contracts and declining business in the recent economic crisis. Faced with a failing business, Sheridan decided to take a novel approach to his website content: He began to answer his customers' questions, even the tough ones like cost and the names of his competitors.
 
The result? His website almost immediately went to the top of Google searches related to fiberglass pools and other related topics. And remains there. This marketing approach has allowed Sheridan to rebuild his pool business and start a new business as--you guessed it-- a marketing consultant.
 
By answering his customers' questions, Sheridan effectively anticipated the terms that optimize searches in his industry. Every business owner talks to his or her customers and hears the same questions again and again. It makes sense to leverage that knowledge when building a website for that business so that new customers find what they are looking for when they visit your website.
 
In fact, when I work with clients, one of the first questions I always ask is about what customers talk to my clients about. That gives me a very good idea about how to write website copy and other materials for their internal use and for their customers.
 
One of the biggest issues in writing for a website is that business owners want to write about their business from their own point of view. They often want the website to say what is important to them about their company and industry, without considering how the customer looks at that business.
 
These business owners overlook or minimize the fact that people visiting their website are looking for a product or service and want two major things:
 
1. The answers to their questions
2. Evidence that the business represented by that website is reliable and credible
 
What does this have to do with Search Engine Optimization (SEO)? The key terms identified and used in SEO offer a clue about the questions people are asking or the information they are looking for in their Internet searches. SEO gives you a way of anticipating what many potential customers are interested in and driving traffic to websites by using those terms.
 
Answering typical customer questions can supplement the results of SEO and provide an anchor when people reach the website. SEO gets people into the door. They must quickly find what they are looking for when they reach your website, or they will move on to the next website found in an Internet search. Having immediate answers to their questions offers a powerful incentive for them to stay on the website once they get there.
 
Take a fresh look at your website today. Is it easy for customers to find answers to the most common questions you and your staff are asked every day? Even if the information is there, look at it carefully to see if you can find ways to expand, improve or make it more visible. Have customers give you feedback about your website and suggest ways to make the website more responsive to their needs.
 
Then look at ways to add that information to your website or to make that information more accessible than it is now.
 
Thinking of your website from the customer's point of view is one the most valuable ways to build traffic to your website and to develop business from your website, once someone visits there. Identifying and answering customers' questions is an important strategy in developing the customer focus your website should have.
 
To read the NY Times article, click here.
 
You may also find the article: "It's Time To Turn On Your Website" of interest on this topic.
 
 
You can help us assure that every blog post in this series provides you with tangible suggestions and ideas for building or improving your website. Please share your ideas, comments, questions and suggestions with us. Feel free to leave comments below or to email Judy at [email protected].
 
Judy Cobb is an independent writer and business writing coach whose clients have included Parsons Engineering, Mattel Toys, The Los Angeles Times and the Jet Propulsion Laboratory. She has specialized in developing training materials for instructor-led courses as well as interactive online courses and websites. She holds advanced degrees from Columbia University and Stanford as well as an MBA from UCLA's Anderson Graduate School of Management.
Thanks for reading. Jason.
P.S. Don't forget to subscribe below to this blog.
 
About Jason Ciment
Formerly an attorney and CPA, Jason has been working online since 1997. His columns on affiliate marketing can still be found on www.Clickz.com and his book on search engine optimization can be found at www.seotimetable.com.

This blog is published 4x per week and covers website design and SEO tips as well as a wide range of tips and advice for working and living online more efficiently and enjoyably.
 

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