The different types of website visitors based on user intent

One of the ongoing factors that come up in marketing-related articles and in business growth is the ability to understand audiences. We’ve said it before – the more you know about your customers, the better off you are. And we’re going to continue repeating it until it sticks with you. Companies need to be aware of the fact that their revenue and growth depend on the people they sell to. Digital Dot is a digital marketing New York agency that understands variety and uniqueness. But the fact is that there are always shared characteristics among consumers. In this article, we focus on the different types of website visitors based on user intent.

What is User Intent?

Let’s start with the basics of audience analysis – defining user intent. Simply put, user intent describes what a person is looking for through their search queries. It is what you might consider that next step that surpasses keyword research. With Google’s algorithm and advancements in semantic search and predictive analytics, user intent has become a popular topic to explore. There are three main types of user intent that you need to pay attention to:

• Navigational – users that are looking for a way to find a specific website.
• Informational – users looking for particular information.
• Transactional – users are ready to buy or to perform some other specific online activity.

The idea behind this is simple enough. Every online user has a specific intent for which they are spending their time online. They need something. And the sooner you find out what that is, the easier it will be to create content that will meet that need.

6 different types of website visitors to target

The Explorer

This would be your widest audience group, making up the majority of website visitors. Explorers are site visitors that have come to your website but are not yet interested in your products or services. They are all those people that are browsing and looking around to see what’s out there. You know the kind – those people in malls that seamlessly stroll from shop to shop, without a particular product in mind.

With a short attention span, explorers are a great way to test just how impactful your brand can be at first encounter. By establishing a good first impression with them, you start preparing the field for generating leads. The goal here is for your website to stay memorable in their minds. And this is where the work of a web design New York company can make a difference.

The Thinker

Thinkers are people that know what they want to purchase, but they are still not sure of whether they want to make the purchase at this time. The reasons for this are endless – some might need more time to explore other options while others might need additional information.

It’s a fact that these people are showing interest but they need an incentive. They are comparing your business with competitors, looking for differences and the best option for their needs. And this is where brand awareness comes into play. There are several ways to grab the attention of thinkers:

• Through the creation of informative and engaging content;
• By showcasing reviews and testimonials to confirm the credibility of your business;
• With the simple visual portrayal of how your product or services work;
• By offering additional discounts or benefits of becoming a customer.

The Doubter

Doubters are those website visitors that keep returning to your website without taking action. They browse through the product pages and the blog articles but for some reason, they are still reserved on the topic of whether they want to make a purchase or not. In most cases, these are those indecisive people that are looking for something more concrete before making an actual decision to convert. These are audiences that businesses need to retarget through the use of various tactics:

• Exit popup software;
• Instant callbacks;
• Email retargeting campaigns;
• Personalized advertising based on search history and heatmaps;
• Social media advertising campaigns;
• Reviews & testimonials
• etc.

The Buyer

Making up a small part of audiences, buyers are people that make up your ideal customers. They know what they are looking for and all they need now is that final push into converting. These are what marketers would define as high-quality leads waiting to be converted. However, this is your smallest group, and to make it larger, you need to focus on your brand development. And as for the buyers as a group, you need to focus on increasing your conversion rate.

The Competitor

Digitalization has brought about a lot of advancements in modern business. However, it has also raised the bar, making all industries more competitive than ever before. Everybody is looking for that edge over the competition. And so, there is no telling how many of your website visitors land on your website have the sole intent of spying and gathering data that they can apply to their own businesses. Making it more difficult for competitors to access your website is a waste of time and resources. Also, it makes your website potentially less accessible to potential customers in the process.

Therefore, the smart play would be to ignore the competitor and focus those efforts on staying a step ahead of them. While copying can get you a passing grade, it can rarely put you among the top choices. Instead, learn from your competitors just as much as they are learning from you and take what value you can from their approach. Opportunities for improvement can be found everywhere so long as you are willing to see them.

Start customizing your approach to each category of website visitors

Going back to the start of this article, knowing your customer is the cornerstone of maintaining control over their actions. Of course, nobody has the power to manipulate every site visitor, no matter how strong their brand might be. But with time and experience, you can learn how best to trigger each of the types of website visitors we mentioned here. And based on your approach, you will be in a better position to strengthen your online presence and grow your brand. Digital Dot is a company that can help you get there.

• Give our team a call and schedule a consultation to learn more about appealing to user intent.