In today’s tech-obsessed world, businesses no longer rely on a storefront and business cards to attract clients. Today, a business’s website is the hub for generating traffic, raising brand awareness, and converting “maybes” into die-hard brand loyalists. You need to employ a very strategic design to your web presence to make those critical things happen.

It isn’t enough for a website to be aesthetically attractive. Business websites must also have great functionality and organic marketing methods built into it to generate leads. It’s for this reason we want to give you the low-down on five lead generation strategies that can make your website a lead generating machine.

1. Optimize Lead Generation Forms

This one sounds obvious, right? However, businesses will often add one and move on. Instead, post a sign-up form on every page or at minimum, the pages that get the bulk of your traffic. Keep the details you request short and sweet; visitors get turned off when you ask them for too much info and will sometimes retreat into other corners of the Internet never to return again. You can also offer something of value (a free eBook for download or an entry into a contest) for their details.

2. Enhance Landing Pages

According to a survey conducted by HubSpot, companies with over 30 landing pages on their website generated seven times more leads than companies with five or under. Try updating the look of your landing pages by using a chat window (so high-touch!) instead of a form to capture information. You can also include a checkbox on your landing page to automatically subscribe to blogs to increase subscribers; however, let them check the box to ensure high-quality leads.

3. Use Testimonials for Social Proof and Personal Feel

There’s a reason why companies like Yelp and Home Advisor thrive; as consumers, we want to know how actual clients felt about working with a business. Using testimonials in your website establishes credibility and trust for potential clients by getting it from the mouths of current and past clients. Choose testimonials that are well-written, specific, and include a picture if your client is willing.

4. Personalize Your Call-to-Action (CTA)

The CTA is one of the most important parts of effective marketing. Tell the visitor what you would like them to do by including CTAs at the end of blog posts and pages. Post “Inquiry” buttons in multiple places on your website so visitors don’t have to navigate back to a “Contact Us” page. Use phrases like “free,” “trial,” and “exclusive,” to spur interest and action.

5. Use Thank You Pages

First of all, it’s just polite to say “thank you” when someone complies with a request, but in a business sense, it’s a great time to deliver something meaningful before your prospect leaves. Once a visitor completes a form on a landing page, give them something. Direct them to a blog they may like or grant them an offer before they leave such as a discount or value-add for an immediate purchase. Tailor your offer to what brought them to the particular page they were last on to increase the likelihood of continued engagement. You can also use a “thank you” email to include invitations to social networks or additional offers.

The best way to optimize your lead generation is by frequently monitoring and testing all of your strategies to see which is working and which isn’t. Measure your success by the number of leads, lead conversion, and lead value to determine which strategies work best for your business. Once you know what works, adjust your website as needed. Soon you will have a lead generating monster on your hands!