Lead generation is probably the biggest challenge for anyone in business. Depending on the nature of your business, there are many ways to generate leads, both online and offline.

Offline methods include traditional mail, business cards, flyers and leaflets, as well as TV and radio commercial adverts and billboards, and so on. Online lead generation requires a website, fully optimised for Search engines. If your website cannot be found by the top search engines, including Google, Yahoo, and MSN, then you are passing up some valuable lead generation.

Undoubtedly, you need these high score results in search engines to increase targeted visibility. The most effective method to increase visibility, generate leads, provide them a snapshot of your business and finally transform them to new customers is SEO. Search Engine Optimisation (SEO) is considered to be one of the most cost effective promotional tools in the marketing repository of a business for generating a higher volume of targeted visibility. Effective Website Optimisation ensures that your website presents exceptional value to the user experience, thereby appreciating in value to the Search Engines. However, the real truth about SEO is that effectiveness heavily relies on website content, competition, and many factors connected with website structure and design.

SEO is not the “magic one pill solution”. Especially, when you have some visibility and no leads. The most sophisticated answer might be  ….. “Think out of the box”. It is wise to think in this way, but before doing that; you need to make sure you follow the basics. Just do the Maths.

LEAD GENERATION = SEO + BASICS

Firstly you need a fast webpage. It is essential  that your site now supports mobile web-design and the capability to load each page in less than 2 sec time. If not, you shoot in the dark. You urgently need to repair it.

Secondly, make sure that your web page supports the following:

Blog or News Articles: One of the popular techniques used is article marketing. It involves drafting interesting and informative articles, which provide information or knowledge pertaining to a particular topic or subject. The SEO optimised articles are used to generate leads by making use of a properly drafted “Call to action” which enables the visitors to provide their contact information.

Contact forms: Although many people think that a website contact form just sits there and doesn’t serve any major purpose, in fact, it is exactly the opposite. It is one of the few ways in which your target audience members have to be able to connect with you and to begin to interact. It is a search tool, customer assistance and a nice place to inform everybody for your working hours.

 Emails: It is essential to have one or more business emails from the webpage. Almost all servers provide that capability however have you ever think of continuity between email and website. You always need to make the proper signature with the webpage link and mostly provide links from your webpage.

Call back requests: It is a nice to have capability, so you are able to select the time of communication and it is a strong indication that this is a call of potential customer. It is a well hidden secret that your website’s level of ranking is all a matter of trust – search engines want to see that you are following the rules of online engagement and that you are a real business that will be around for a long time to show Commitment, Honesty, Investment and Consistency.

Appointment booking: Online self-scheduling works in much the same manner as other online transactions. Individuals will access it, view availability, choose the date and times they desire, supply required contact information, and then finalize the appointment. It may seems a “nice to have” capability but it is essential as it gives the picture of a robust – time saving business, who respects its clients as the whole process can take as little as a few minutes from home, office and “on the go.

Newsletter sign ups: Newsletters and email marketing are today’s booming Internet marketing strategies. Make sure you have an email newsletter management service set up for your website allowing users to easily sign up for your emails. If you have it already, continue writing quality content and providing value to your visitors. Offer free goodies for subscribing. It’s not so difficult to write an eBook and offer it to your visitors who subscribe for your newsletters from your website. People love free and quality stuff. Write guest posts for other top blogs to make sure you promote your blog and articles to other famous blogs as well. This will introduce you and your website to more potential subscribers. All these tricks will certainly improve your subscription rates and leads of course.

Live chat: Live chat in a website play an important part in targeting potential customers and boost up your sales as well as revenue. According to new researches, having live customer support is one of the best practices for customer development. The reason however, is the cost-effective of the solution for website owners based on which they can fulfill the demands of their customers and add value to their business. Once a visitor has a chat session with your operator, you have a permanent record of contact information and you can stay connected by informing about your services or upcoming marketing .

Social interaction: Social media is where your contacts are; therefore you need to have more than a static web presence in your company wants to stay competitive online. Besides acquiring new customers, social media can drive traffic to the existing company website and can convert prospects and customers into ‘brand advocates’.

These are the main gates for leads online communication with your company. These are so-called ” The Basics”. If you have them inherited already, let SEO experts to do their job. Just ask them to find out the correct user intent keywords and  leads will come.

” SEO is a Win to Win Game” – Just play it with the rules. –

Written by George Nikolakos