Are smart websites next?
In this blog i will explain what a smart website is and why I feel its the next wave of websites.
So what do I mean by a smart website? What I mean by a smart website is a website that knows who visits the site, how often and from where, a site that displays content dependant on who that visitor is and what we already know about them.
I feel that now the technology  is available and cost effective for small business owners this should be the next wave of websites.
It can be applied to your existing site quite easily and will give you the insights your sales people will love.
To determine if a smart website is right for you ask yourself the following questions:
1) Do you know who is visiting your site and what content there are reading?
2) Can you track the same visitors and what emails they read of yours?
3) Can you see where people are clicking and not clicking?
4) Do you know how far people read a page on your site are they scrolling down?
5) Can you display content based on who the visitor is, what they have read before or where they from?
These are just a few things but maybe you do not really need or want to know this information? If not then a smart website maybe not for you.
For those in a Business to Business environment I imagine this stuff would be great for the sales team right?
Smart websites can move prospect into different email lists based on behaviour. They can automatically lead score and notify you when a prospect has completed a certain amount of activity.
This score is known as the tipping point, when a prospect has displayed enough intent for you to be confident that they would welcome a call of email or whatever.
This all comes under the banner of marketing automation but to be tied into smart content and and tracking makes it so much more.
Is this Google Analytics you might be thinking? No I am not talking about that but it is always advised to have this set up correctly and use the data it brings. That is what most of this is, its data and what you do with it.
Having systems set up to monitor all of the usage on your website and deliver timely and relevant information when your visitor wants it all makes for a better experience.
For many B2B companies I see this as the next step in websites, smart websites that deliver fantastic experiences and working round the clock for you delivering the information you need when you want it.
We have had the wave of CMS and mobile sites and they are still as important as ever, but now its time to make your site smart and start working for you.
Do you think you could benifit from a a smart website? You can event use your existing site in most cases.
Drop me a line at david@davidmarkshaw.com if you want to learn more.
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