Think your website is influential, informative and persuasive enough to convert casual visitors into customers?

What if your website was only half of the conversation? What if the path your visitors took to reach your website already had a massive influence on purchasing intentions, placing your efforts on the back foot? What if that path helped consumers make a decision before reaching your home page?

According to Bob Pearson of Dell, in an interview with Jeremiah Owyang on his blog, Google is now your home page. “The corporate home page at Dell.com – that’s not really the home page. The home page today is Google or MSN or Yahoo. Where people go to search – that’s the new home page. That’s where first impressions are found. The most important thing to do is to put your brand into one of the search engines and see what comes up on that first page. Those are the folks that are actually forming the first impression of your company.” It is a great interview, well worth watching.

Online Presence Vs Retail Websites

Gradually, businesses are beginning to understand that online presence is far, far more than just launching the official website. What is more important is the initial point of contact with the potential customer.

Each website visitor goes through a journey to land on your home page. It used to be that directories or type-in traffic were the primary source of visitors – about ten years ago. Back then, people would learn of your website from print advertisements or business cards and visit directly.

Now, consumers are more proactive in finding retailers and the methods they use to find you can have a great influence on how they perceive your brand. For most users, the first impression of your brand is on a search engine or within the various forums and social networks where people may discuss their experiences with your brand. Modern users are also more likely to research a product or brand before confirming a purchase.

Think about your own behaviour. If you are considering a purchase from an unfamiliar online retailer or investigating a product, you may search the business name in Google or search for online reviews or comments. Would you feel less likely to buy from an online retailer or visit their website if you found negative reviews or feedback in the search results? Of course you would.

“Trust Me, I Have a Reputation”

Online reputation is becoming extremely important as consumers become more adept at independently pooling feedback and creating clear recommendations or warnings for fellow users. Your website could be the best thing on the net, but if users are discouraged from visiting by what they read elsewhere, it means nothing.

Marketers are now thinking about how the conversation with a potential customer begins even before they arrive at the site. Imagine a user of a social network who mentions to the online group that they are looking for a new PC. Other members of that community may offer suggestions and advice of where to go and what to avoid. These online conversations can be extremely powerful in determining how the user may then proceed to find a retailer or choose a product.

Social Network Research

Recently, I was in the market for a new netbook, small enough for travelling, as I will be in Europe over the holiday season and want to continue blogging on the move. When I mentioned this on Twitter (@netregistry and @kimota), I received a flood of recommendations and links to products and reviews. This feedback helped me narrow down my search to a couple of models that I was then able to try out in Officeworks before making a purchase. Without even visiting the Officeworks website, or those of the brands under consideration, I was led to a purchasing decision by my online social network. For the record, I settled on the Dell Inspiron Mini 9 and am extremely happy with my decision, proving my advisors right.

Bob Pearson of Dell is very aware that these online conversations are now just as important as the website in driving sales. This is why he has a very active Twitter profile (@bobpdell), allowing him to engage and befriend potentially influential users. Similarly, other brands are experimenting with blogging, Facebook groups and other methods of entering the spaces where consumers are discussing their products.

But still, the top influencers remain Google, Yahoo and MSN. Search for specific products – as I did for my netbook – and you are rewarded with reviews and consumer feedback articles. A customer is more likely to read those reviews that appear high in the results and demonstrate a lack of bias. When I searched for the netbook models I was considering, I did not visit the brand websites, but stuck to consumer reviews and unsponsored blog posts.

Say Nice Things About Me, Please!

Many marketers and business owners have been frustrated at this trend as it takes the control of the conversation away from them and gives it to the consumer. Word of mouth has always been a potent marketing force and the internet has made this exponentially so. The old maxim of a satisfied customer telling three people and an unsatisfied customer telling seven can be multiplied a thousand-fold because of the internet.

A bad review on a well-known website can appear very prominently in the search results and can directly influence consumer behaviour far more so than you may realise and despite any information you may have on your website.

The only defence you have against such feedback is to be responsive, address issues that customers raise with you and if your product is regularly criticised, be prepared to make alterations and say so. This is not weakness in the face of the mob, but ensuring your brand and product are aligned with consumer needs and desires.

By joining in the conversations on the blogs and in the social networks, while being genuinely open about receiving feedback and criticisms, consumers will be more likely to respond favourably towards you. Fewer negative comments and more positive recommendations means the journey to your website may help to set up the sale instead of defeating it prematurely.

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Tags: Dell, Google, home page, search engines, SEO, social networking, Twitter