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I’m writing this article for my clients who ask, «Why am I not getting any applications?» Sometimes, I feel like responding with another question: «Why should you be getting them?» In most cases, it’s not enough to simply create a $300 website and run $300 worth of advertising to start receiving leads, calls, inquiries, orders, and purchases on your website. Otherwise, anyone with $600 could become a successful business owner. And if someone managed to turn a profit in the first month with a $600 investment (I do have such clients), that’s the exception, not the rule! Now, let’s go over the main reasons why your website might be lacking in leads.

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Problem with the Product or Service:

The most crucial factor is the product or service you offer. If you are not the creator of a unique service like ChatGPT, without any equivalents in open access, you should conduct market analysis to understand if there is a demand for your product or service in the market you intend to sell to.

The easiest way to assess demand is by collecting keyword data from contextual advertising using services like Google Ads or Yandex Wordstat. If you are unsure whether the search volume is high or low, compare it with other services or products. Study what market leaders offer. Pay attention to factors such as price, quality, quantity, description, and technical specifications. If you have a similar product, but it’s more expensive and offers worse conditions, people are less likely to buy from you. Product Specifics: Different products and services have various factors that might deter potential customers. These factors could include seasonality, location, or products/services with a longer decision-making process (e.g., real estate purchases) or where your expertise is lacking.

Problem with the Website:

The issue might be with your website, which could be an online store, an advertisement on a classifieds board, or a social media page. In any case, you should study how your competitors implement functionality and design. It’s important that your website’s functionality is similar or, ideally, more advanced and user-friendly. For instance, if your competitors have their phone number displayed in the header of their website, you should have one too. If they have customer reviews on their homepage, you should have them as well. If you already have a website, pay attention to the following aspects:

Website Performance:

• Loading speed
• Optimization of images and videos
• Server uptime
• Responsiveness on all devices

Website Usability:

• Structurally clear and intuitive design; don’t try to reinvent the wheel, or users might get confused and leave your site.
• Readable fonts and pleasing colors.
• Attractive design.
• Website Functionality: Filters, shopping cart, product comparisons.

Contact Options:

• Address
• Legal entity information
• Website chat
• Phone number
• Contact forms
• Messengers
• Social media presence
• Delivery terms
• Payment options
• Return policy
• Warranty information
• FAQ section
• Customer reviews

Problem with Traffic:

You should aim to attract targeted traffic; while you might get orders from non-targeted traffic, the likelihood is lower, and the cost per order is higher. Here’s how to determine whether your traffic is targeted or not:

Contextual Advertising:

If you’re using contextual advertising, it’s straightforward to check if the traffic is targeted. Advertising platforms provide data on the search queries that triggered the clicks. If these queries are relevant to your offering, then the traffic is targeted.

SEO and Organic Traffic:

You can also check relevant keywords and statistics for impressions and clicks in Google Search Console and Yandex.Webmaster. Analyze which pages are receiving specific queries and whether they are relevant.

Targeted Advertising:

If you’re running ads on social media, you can verify whether the targeting settings match your product or service.

Traffic from Marketplaces:

If your products are listed on marketplaces like Yandex Market, Wildberries, Ozon, Amazon, and others, make sure that your product names accurately match the item to attract the most relevant traffic.

Ad Content:

Pay attention to your ad content, especially when paying per click. Your ads should accurately represent your service. If you promise something in the ad that doesn’t align with your website’s actual offerings, you may get traffic but not leads.

You are not trusted!

This is the most common problem that not only my clients face. I have the best example of this — my website, AdsMe.pro. It took me 18 months to start receiving orders from AdsMe, and I was ready to give up. However, now I consistently get leads. How can you address this factor?

Time:

You need to use as many targeted traffic channels as possible and be patient. Your company and website need time to establish themselves, and users will start recognizing you. The exact timeframe is uncertain — it may take a month for some and two years for others. During this period without leads, you can assess effectiveness by looking at the depth of page views and time spent on the site.

Payment:

It’s relatively easy to set up online payments on your website, especially through PayPal. However, for a young and unknown website or online store, customers may be hesitant to make payments due to concerns about potential fraud. Payment systems also caution against this. Therefore, I advise choosing payment methods that ensure the customer’s money is secure. For instance, offering payment upon receipt of goods or payment after the service is provided, if possible.

Social Media:

Promoting your business on social media can greatly help in building trust. You can gather a loyal audience, create thematic posts, share your challenges, engage with your audience, and remind them about your presence. In general, this is the fastest way to gain users’ trust.

Reviews:

You need reviews, preferably genuine ones on third-party platforms. It’s good to have some negative reviews too — it shows that your company is transparent and aims to improve. Overall, this helps demonstrate your authenticity and real interactions with customers.

Physical Store or Office:

Having a physical store where customers can view and purchase products, or an office where they can meet you and see your actual work, can significantly increase trust levels.

Inadequate Salesmanship:

I know this point very well because I was a terrible salesperson myself! When I had a furniture store, which I opened to enhance trust in my online store and get more orders, I decided not to hire a salesperson immediately. I wanted to work in the store until there was a steady flow of customers, and only then would I hire someone. However, months passed, and I couldn’t make any sales while online sales were doing well. Then, in a stroke of luck, I decided to go on vacation and asked a salesperson to cover for me.

Miraculously, sales increased fivefold in just two weeks. I naturally convinced the manager to work with me, and he stayed on.

A good salesperson must be willing to engage with people, have a deep understanding of the products, and be genuinely interested in making sales.