How does business on the web work? Why do random website visitors turn into customers—and why don’t they?

Business is sometimes a mysterious thing, and it’s difficult to predict why consumers choose to do what they do. Yet, we can assure you that you’ll convert more of your traffic into repeat visitors and customers when you focus on the following:

1. Acting as the Most Valuable Resource in Your Niche

Consumers bookmark, share, subscribe to newsletters, and return to websites that solve their problems. If they’re not ready to buy now, they’ll at least remember you for quite some time.

If they have a problem you can solve, they’ll contact you because they know, like, and trust you. As this cycle may take 3, 6, or 9 months—or maybe even a full year or two—you need to build a relationship with them to hold their attention over a sustained period of time. You can accomplish this by offering incredible value they can’t get anywhere else.

While most blogs offer just the basics, if you’re an experienced professional, you know some things many others don’t. Share those insights on your blog so readers have a reason to stick with you instead of the other guys.

Don’t hide your best stuff! Put it out there. Because when people learn something new, their interest is piqued. Yes, your competitors might read your website and blog content. But still…they can’t just grab onto your experience and become you overnight. Nobody can fake that. Trust us—it’s A-OK to share and share away, even your trade secrets!

2. Differentiate, Differentiate, Differentiate

On your Home, About, and Services pages (aka all your “sales” pages), focus most of your time on differentiating your company from the hundreds of others who do exactly the same thing. Take a good look, and if you find yourself essentially blending in with your competitors, spend time and money to differentiate. After all, new, unique businesses always attract a boatload of attention.

Then, focus your time on explaining why your distinction matters. Doing so gives your market a good reason to go with you instead of another company who, for example, offers a limited-time discount. You’ll also enjoy the ability to charge higher prices and retain customers for an extended period of time.

Now, Go Out There and Win the Attention You Deserve!

No matter how successful your business is, sticking to these two principles puts you in a winning position—or solidifies it that much more.

So, think about what your customers want, research examples, and figure out how to apply both to your business.