Building a new website takes a lot of planning, between setting goals, finding a web developer, and outlining your needs. The last thing you want is to spend weeks making it only for your website lead generation to deliver diminishing returns.

If one of your main goals is to generate a sales funnel, then you'll need to make use of various tools such as call-to-action buttons or a lead capture form. Split-test your website to see what improves your online presence and what doesn't work.

Here are five conversion optimization strategies to try out on your website.

1. Create Digital Marketing Buyer Personas

One of the first things you should do when crafting your website is create digital marketing buyer personas. Without these personas, you have no guideposts for how to build your website. Knowing your audience allows you to cater to them and focus your intentions.

For example, a website selling lingerie will have a different vibe and aesthetic than one selling men's razors. It may use lighter colors and fonts than the latter website. The site catering primarily to men might be more minimalistic and use darker colors.

A website that does not cater to your intended audience may alienate or confuse them. It also won't provide the information necessary to generate new leads.

When you create a buyer persona, include all the important details about them that influence their spending habits. This may include information such as their age, location, interests, hobbies, and past buying behaviors. Data on existing customers can help you narrow down which audience to focus on.

2. Use Exit-Intent Technology

Many site visitors spend roughly one to two minutes on a website before they click off. They spend even less time on an individual page, which you may rely on to make a sale.

Your business has to consider how to generate leads even when a visitor loses interest. One way to do so is through exit-intend technology. This tech allows you to track a user's movement and determine when they're going to exit your website without taking any further actions.

A popup notification appears, informing them of any big deals you're having and how to subscribe or contact you. It's like your website's final plea to garner their attention before you lose a potential lead. At the very least, they may sign up to get notified about any deals you have in the future.

You may also want to analyze your site data to see which pages hold the most attention. Split-test your website to see which pages are more effective.

3. Live Chat Features

As much as you may try to include all the information a potential lead may require, they're always going to have more questions. Even if they send you an email, there's no guarantee that your customer service will respond quickly. Response time could take even longer on the weekends.

Instead of relying on emails, you could utilize a live chat service to answer any questions on the spot.

There are a couple of ways to use a live chat service. One is with an AI representative who uses information provided to it. The other is for a live service provider to have a real person available to answer questions.

At best, you can expect an AI to redirect visitors to relevant pages. However, it will be available to help at all times of the day and night.

One of the benefits of using live chat software is that you can access chat transcripts for better context. You can refer to previous conversations and avoid repetition, which will also help avoid any escalation from unsatisfied customers.

4. Connect it to Social Media

A great way to build up your online presence is by connecting your website to your social media pages. Your social media can rely on your website to make sales, while your website relies on your social media to help build an audience.

The key is to create high-quality content that works on both your website and social media. Implement SEO best practices so that your content shows up on relevant Google searches.

One way to maximize your use of social media is to post product offers on it for your followers. These product offers can also be advertised to social media users who follow similar brands.

Optimize your landing pages for visitors coming from social media. Any incoming links should be directly related to whatever page they land on.

You can put call-to-action buttons on every page of your website to generate more leads. It also helps to use testimonials where visitors can see a human element.

5. Implement Lead Magnets

Lead magnets work to entice people who haven't left any contact information behind. They offer something up to potential clients with the hope of encouraging them to follow up with your brand.

Your custom website can implement these through options such as e-books, email courses, and whitepapers. All three of these establish your business as an expert in your field and someone worth paying attention to.

An e-book offers to solve a problem or answer a question a specific audience may have. It shows that you care about their challenges and have the experience and skills to solve them.

An email course builds up the habit of opening your emails. The potential lead becomes acquainted with your brand even before they hire your services.

Whitepapers accomplish the same thing but in a more accessible format. They function similarly to blog posts, only with more information and details.

Improve Your Website Lead Generation

Your website lead generation rates depend heavily on the quality of your site's appearance as well as the quality of the content you post to it. When engaging a web design agency, they should do more than just build you an attractive site. They should also advise you on how to make the best use of it when it comes to lead generation.