Are you one of those thousands (millions?) who build a social profile, only to find that you have very few friends? Maybe you are one of those millions (or billions?) of businesses that have built a website, but have found that no one is calling? Or no one is buying?

If this sounds familiar, there are two critical factors that are often missed: Getting more people –Attraction – and calling them to action – Conversion.  Improving your performance on these two factors will have a direct impact on your return on effort.

Top techniques to attract:

• Advertise online (and offline), targeting the right people with a relevant-to-them message.
• Build SEO (Search engine Optimization) directly into the site, so each page attracts an interested audience.
• Use social tools to build a community of interest around your expertise or solution.  Engagement and community are powerful attractors – and not easily duplicated.
• Provide an incentive to visit: a relevant report, an interactive activity, or perhaps a high-value video. If you can’t answer the question about why they should visit, chances are they can’t either.
• Put your social profile (or web address) on all of your off-web collateral and communications. QR codes maybe?

Quick Conversion Concepts:

• Make it easy for someone to contact you: your phone number and email address should be front-and-center.  Your contact details should be on every page – not hidden on an internal Contact Us page.
• Use landing pages: instead of linking to a generic home page, land them on a purpose-built page with a clear call-to-action.
• Offer to help…in real time.  Click-to-Talk technology proactively asks the user if they have a question that they would like answered. Retailers have known for a long time that helping customers in the real world results in sales. Research shows that it works online as well.
• Give them a reason to like you: Yes, some people will click “Like” to show support, but a little extra incentive doesn’t hurt. Find an extra value-add exclusively for those in your community.  (Personal example:  Get 20% off the price of the just-released Online PR and Social Media for Experts 5th edition when you “Like” my Facebook page.  Try it out, even if you don’t buy the book.)
• Limit their options. If the goal of the site is to encourage transactions, having dozens of links off-site (or deep within your site) will distract them and lead them astray. Limit their options to choices that move them closer to commitment, not the opposite.

This week’s action plan: Attraction and Conversion are important for any marketing or sales function, but critical for the web. This week, look at your website and profile pages critically: Are you doing all that you can to attract and convert? Some blunt words: If you’re not prepared to do all you can, then stop wasting your time on the social web.

Randall Craig, president of 108 ideaspace, is a leading Social Media & Web Strategist.  We share Randall Craig’s blogs here on 108 ideaspace. However, the Make It Happen Tipsheet is also available by email. Go to www.RandallCraig.com to register.

This post has been written by 108’s Senior advisor and former CEO Randall Craig.