Three levels of visitors

Have you ever looked at your website statistics and wondered why you have had so many visitors but few shoppers or new leads?  Do you sometimes struggle knowing what kind of content (text, images, etc.) to type up for your site? Today's discussion about the different "levels" of website visitors will help you shape your website to appeal to a broader audience.

The three levels are:

1. The "Information Seeker"
2. The "Brands Comparer"
3. The "Looking To Purchase" visitor

Research has shown that those shopping online go through these steps in order before making purchases online.  I know I did before I bought my laptop computer last September.  Do you find yourself, in one way or another, falling into one of the three categories when you shop online?

Let's take a scenario.  Pretend you were a search engine and someone typed in "digital cameras". What type of results would you recommend to the person doing the search?  You may be asking yourself these questions:

• Is the person seeking general information about digital cameras (such as how they are made, what makes them superior or inferior to "analog" cameras, etc.)?
• Is the person interested in learning more about the different types of digital cameras available in the market place, and learn more about what type of camera would be right for them?
• Is the person looking to buy a digital camera and needs guidance on where to get a nice camera?

Now, let's say you also happen to run a website that was in the digital camera business.  And let's assume that your website was a store front -- an e-commerce website where you sell a variety of models of digital cameras.  If you don't have general information about cameras to appease the information seekers, or you didn't offer content to help a customer choose a camera that would be best for them, you will only be targeting a small section of those potential visitors.  Those that stumble on your site in the Level 1 and Level 2 categories will leave right away, because they're not ready to make a purchase yet.

However, suppose in addition to your store front, you provide sections of your site dedicated to appeasing the Level 1 "information seeker" visitors, educating them on how digital cameras work and the benefits of digital camera ownership.  Suppose you had another section of your site dedicated to comparing different brands and models of digital cameras, including product reviews, charts and tables that make product comparison easy to follow, and so forth.  When one seeking this information is ready to make a buying decision, it will be natural for them to seriously consider your online store in their buying decision.

By writing content to match the needs of the various levels of your audience, you will also be able to increase your website conversion rate (the ratio of visitors to shoppers).  Those stumbling on your website will not likely leave right away because you have information tailored to helping them on their level of interest in the material you supply.

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