How Website UX Impacts Social Media Campaign ROI

Consumers Swipe Left on Bad Websites

So, you’ve swiped right on the perfect person, and you’ve set up a date. It’s Friday night, you’re lookin’ fly, and you’re ready. The butterflies in your stomach are going crazy as you walk into the bar…and then you see them. You sit down, and within a minute you know they aren’t the one. So, of course, you start thinking about how to politely leave.

That’s how your website visitors feel if they’ve seen your amazing social media campaign but arrive at a ho-hum website. The average visitor to a website stays less than 59 seconds – one minute, that’s all the time we have to get our message across to consumers in our tech-savvy world. (And there’s no polite small talk through the first drink like a potential date; if they don’t see what they want – immediately – they are leaving you high and dry at the digital bar).

Like a slightly risque profile pic, your social media campaign can capture the immediate attention of your audience. But when they take that extra step to click through to your site, the users’ experience (or UX design) has to be able to seal the deal.

Your Website UX and Social Media Campaign

Turning Initial Attraction Into Something More Long-term (aka Converting the Audience)

UX design is important. Once you’ve used social media to establish traffic, your website must encourage visitors to take additional action. And because you’re a #SoMe campaign rockstar, and you worked hard using all the pro tips to get that click, it’d better convert! Just as a great bio on a dating app has to be followed by a good date or there’s no relationship, a great social campaign has to be followed by good UX or there’s no customer.

The website experience should move users through your sales cycle and drive conversions in a simple yet engaging way. Don’t underestimate the impact that overall UX has on your social media ROI. Use these basic practices to align the quality of your website UX and social media campaign for complete digital marketing success (And learn how to avoid some common UX pitfalls from our friends at Katie Lord Inc).

Tips to Improve Your Website UX and Social Media Campaign ROI (Land a Second Date):

• Look Your Best – Your site has to make a good first impression. It should be pleasing on the eyes but not seem desperate (overly flashy or bright/illegible text). Include a healthy balance of text, white space, and images/videos. Using intuitive navigation, updating regularly and providing quality content with good readability are basic first steps, but a lot can be done to improve your visual UX design.  

• Keep it Real – It’s pretty easy to spot a phony. (Yeah, you can tell from across the coffeeshop when your date doesn’t match the profile pic you swiped.) Potential customers will quickly leave your site if they don’t think you’re genuine or match the high expectations set by your social media. If they contribute to your click-through-rate because your social media posts present your brand as professional, exciting, or knowledgeable, the website should match the drapes. Speak directly to your target audience and avoid using too much ‘marketing talk’. If what you’re working with is real, it should be evident. (But if you’ve got it flaunt it).

• Show Them a Good Time – “Fifty-six percent of consumer traffic to the leading US websites is now from mobile devices,” so, your mobile site needs to be as easy to navigate as clicking the carefully targeted link they found while scrolling Facebook.  An easy, fast-loading, mobile-friendly site allows visitors to get to know the real you. Every click to your website is an opportunity to gain a happy review and a trustworthy brand perception.

• Ask for What you Want – Anyone who visits your site should also know exactly what you’re looking for from them. Are you seeking feedback, mailing list subscriptions, downloads, or a purchase from your online shop? What are you looking for, one night of fun, or a friend for the end of the world? The call to action needs to be clear and easy to achieve (but not too easy in the dating metaphor). Go beyond the ‘share this’ and ‘follow us’ buttons and show off other links that deserve attention, too. After landing on your page, visitors should know right where you want them to click next.

Bad UX Can Ruin Your Digital Marketing Game

Don’t make the mistake of thinking that a social media campaign comes before website (re)design. Data can easily show when social media is driving traffic but traffic is bouncing quickly from a website. Good UX design can be expensive, (100x more expensive if it’s a REdesign), but it is important for your overall digital marketing success.

Before you woo your consumer with a good-looking social strategy, make sure your website is ready for action. There are plenty of ways to match your website UX and social media campaign quality. Look your best, keep it real, show them a good time, and ask for what you want. You’ll find this is good advice for both dating and UX designed to improve ROI.