Insurance agencies have a growing need to build their presence both on and offline. Today’s consumer is likely to meet you or your team in the community and then hop online to check out who you are and what you have to offer. However, for many insurance agencies, their website is not much more than an online brochure. In this blog we will break down the differences between an opportunity generating website and just having an online brochure.
How to Know If Your Website Is Generating Opportunities
Some insurance agencies really don’t have a handle on what is being generated from their website. You may get a handful of contact us page forms, but other than that the site is really just showing who you are and how to connect if you are a current client. Some easy ways to start tracking your website results include:
- Start to ask: How did you hear about us? And keep track of this data either in a spreadsheet or in your management system or CRM.
- Run a report: Most websites will store any contact forms completed on the site. Take a moment to run a report to see how many contact forms have been completed.
- Review your Google Analytics: How much traffic are you getting and to what pages? This may fill you in on where people are going on your site.
- Phone number: Some agencies have opted to have a separate phone number on their site, so you can track how many people are calling from the website number.
It’s increasingly important for insurance agencies to understand where their new business opportunities are coming from. This will help guide you in what to invest in and what to change with your marketing strategy.
Common Attributes Lead Generating Websites All Have
There are several best practices your website should have to make sure you are gathering every and all opportunity. Stop and take a quick moment to review your site to see if you are converting traffic into opportunities:
- Phone number in the top right-hand corner of the site: People do not like to burn too many calories trying to figure out how to call you. Your phone number needs to be present, clear and easy to find on every page of your site.
- Mobile friendly: More and more people are using mobile devices to search. Have you ever tried to look up a company on your phone only to be disappointed that the website was basically unreadable, and even worse, when you try to call them the phone number is not clickable? Being mobile friendly encourages a better experience for your customers and prospects.
- Contact forms: This is an often missed opportunity. Almost every page on your site should have a contact form. Many of your interior pages may rank in search results. This means your home insurance page will be the first thing they see. If someone is interested in a quote, we want to give them that opportunity right now—even if it’s 9:00 at night. Most people want to take items off their to-do list, and if there is only a phone number, the lead may get busy and forget to call your insurance agency.
- Calls to action: Calls to action clearly explain to the visitor the next steps. They should be at the bottom of every blog and pop up on the site if it looks like someone is going to leave. The call to action tells people, “if you like what you see, let’s connect.” Many people online are just skimming, and being connected with a big, bold call to action easily tells them what’s next without much fuss.
The One Thing Your Website Must Answer to Convert Opportunities
Brochure insurance agency websites tend to be all about you, the agency, and they lack the warm embrace a prospect is looking for. When your website talks all about you . . . How many years YOU have been in business, how many carriers YOU represent, etc., you miss the most important part—the user! Your website has to explain to them why THEY should do business with you. What do you do that’s important to them, different, or will provide them greater peace of mind? Remember that brochures talk about us, but websites that convert traffic into opportunities talk about THEM.
Finally, the best websites tell a story. They tell the story of the agency that helps connect the user to the agency. Many insurance agencies haven’t taken the time to refine their story: where they came from, why they love what they do, and how this can benefit the opportunity. All too often we stick to “we give good service.” But do we? Do we text clients, do we have a claims process, do we call you every year for a renewal review? Good service is dead. We instead need a customer experience.
Conclusion
If your agency is reviewing your current web presence and needs some help building your brand and website, we would be honored to assist. Our main objective is to get you a site you love that perfectly reflects who you are to your community.
Kelly Donahue-Piro is the Co-Founder of Agency Appeal and President of Agency Performance Partners.