The Top Three Things Your Niche Customers Can’t Find on Your Website
Knowing what your customers want is essential to delivering the right content to your niche customers, so if they can’t find the basics on your website check these 3 things today.
With Amazon and Alibaba selling everything under the sun, there’s not a whole lot of room for competition. Many small businesses are finding it difficult to compete against these massive online retailers.
The exception is if you’re catering to a specific niche. Niche customers will come looking for a very specific set of products and services that they can’t find anywhere else. You want to make your business stand out by showing them that you have the expert knowledge that they can’t find from retailers on Amazon, and that you understand their very specific needs. For this reason, having your website carefully designed to illustrate these things is critical.
Here are some things that you may not realize you are missing, that can help set you apart from the competition.
Discussion
Whether it’s a Q and A section, or if you’re hosting a forum, you’ve got to make sure that your niche customers not only have a place to get the products they need, but can also get the information necessary to make informed decisions about the purchases.
If you’re going to market yourself as the expert in your particular niche, people are going to want to be able to get their questions answered as well. Make sure that you have a place to showcase your own credentials.
If you don’t have many, try networking with some other people in the field to see if they would be interested in giving their “expert opinion.”
Making sure that your customers have access to this type of information is a service that you can’t really find with Amazon or Alibaba, and will help to engage your customers and make them feel as though they are part of a selected group.
Social Media Accounts
Those of us that work in small circles tend to sometimes forget that there is a world outside of our niche, and that the best way to reach it is via social media.
Today’s generation of internet users don’t use a favorites bar or bookmarks; they simply follow the social media accounts of any site they’re engaging with on a regular basis. In addition to making sure that your niche customers can follow your accounts, make it your priority to post regularly. Little blurbs of relevant information to your niche will reinforce the perception of your expertise, hone in your focus, and remind your followers that you are available when needed. Make sure that your “follow us” buttons are easily accessible, and that your social media accounts are kept up to date.
Variety
We can take a lesson from the large online retailers; options increase sales.
Finding the perfect balance between staying focused and offering more options can be tricky, but worth it in the end. When you’re looking to provide a product or service that is specific to an industry or a hobby, there is going to be plenty of conflicting information based on numerous user reviews and personal preferences.
If you have decided that one particular manufacturer makes the best product, you may be tempted to only sell that one item. However, increasing your selection of products to include options will allow you to give a thorough review of each product, stating the pros and cons, and then letting your customers choose for themselves. This is a fantastic way to improve on the “discussions” referenced above, and make your site stand out even more as a place that someone can go to to make the most informed choice for their needs.
Making sure that your niche site offers the most information to your potential customers is a fantastic way to engage them as well as set yourself apart from your competition. Keeping a two-way flow of conversation helps to keep your customers involved, and may help to bring in new ones.
