The main objectives in online marketing are to increase traffic and increase your conversion rate from traffic to qualified leads. After researching over one-thousand independent insurance agency websites, we can confidently say 99% are having trouble with both.
In this article, we’re going to focus on the Top 5 Reasons Insurance Shoppers Don’t Convert On Your Agencies Website. But first, let me tell you why this is critical for independent insurance agencies to figure out ASAP!
In the last 5-10 years, a new type of insurance business has formed. Insurance technology (insurTech) startups focused on taking business from the independent insurance agency are being funded to increase their share in the insurance market and carriers have taken it upon themselves to write directly to consumers. These companies spent over $7B in advertising in 2015, learning the best methods to converting the new generation of insurance buyers.
Independent insurance agencies have to leverage the right platforms in order to convert the new generation of insurance buyers. They can spend all the money they want generating the traffic but if their online systems are not satisfying the insurance buyers need, lead generation will be extremely hard.
A call-to-action is a button or link that directs the website visitor to the next step in the funnel. For most independent insurance agencies, that’s supposed to be a lead generation form. Without a clear call-to-action, your website visitor is left confused about the next step and exits the page to visit the next agency they see on google (hopefully not a digital agency). According to Unbounce - More than 90% of visitors who read your headline will also read your CTA.
A clear call-to-action should:
Other than the call-to-action itself, adding too many buttons or links on your web pages can make the most clear call-to-action confusing. Your visitors should be directed to 1-2 strong call-to-actions with 1-2 secondary call-to-actions (if necessary). I’m a huge advocate of keeping the 1-2 strong call-to-actions and making every other link hard to reach on the site!
Contact forms are converting at 1%. So if your agency is collecting name, phone, and email and your call-to-action reads “Request a Quote” or “Contact Us”, you are converting at the lowest possible percentage given the form you are using. Lead generation forms that collect driver and vehicle information have a higher conversion rate, typically in the 5%-8% range according to a few insurance marketing organizations we have spoken to. Some reasons why these forms do not convert are:
The new insurance buyer’s need to have their expectations filled before they will give you more information. The key is to use an interactive lead generation form that differentiates your business from common bad lead generation forms. This can get your conversion rates above 40%.
What’s the form length matter for the conversion rate of your agency’s page? It depends on the experience your visitors are getting when filling out their forms. If your form is too short and the visitor doesn’t perceive they’ll get something a value by completing it, you just made it easier for them to leave. If your form is too long and the experience doesn’t appear quick and painless, your visitor will leave out of sheer boredom. You have to provide the right amount of fields with the perception that the form is quick., painless and that it will provide value after the visitor has submitted their information.
All of the form issues I discussed can be fixed by providing the visitor with the ultimate insurance shopping experience. Sure, you still have to worry about variables like shortening the length, increasing white-space and using the right type of form. But if the experience is quick, pleasant, and provides value; you’ll be trying to increase your conversion rates from 40% to 50% and not 5% to 10%. Here are a few ways you can increase the visitor’s experiences on your form
And finally, to provide value, you need to give your visitors exactly what they were looking for when they googled your agency in the first place. If you’re an insurance shopper looking for car or homes insurance online, what will make you happy? An estimated quote.
99% of independent insurance agencies are not providing their visitors with an estimated quote. Visitors will come to an agencies website, fill out their information, and then they’re left waiting for an agent to contact them (or in the visitor’s eyes, for the guy behind the computer to go and sell their contact information). If you provide your visitors with an ultimate shopping experience and with an estimated quote, you are at the forefront of independent insurance agencies in the US; you now are competing with digital agencies and direct writers. What does providing this estimated quote do for your business?
If you are an independent insurance agency and you have a personal lines business, you need to start giving your clients and estimated quote.
In summary, here are Top 5 Reasons Insurance Shoppers Don’t Convert On Your Agencies Website:
The way I see it is, if your agency suffers from all 5 problems, you have three options. One, you can spend thousands of dollars hiring a developer, designer and marketers to build the right forms yourself. Two, you could carry on passing the huge opportunity you have to convert the new generation of insurance buyers, forcing your visitors to go to a digital agency or direct writer to get the experience and quote they’re looking for. Three, you could use XILO, the #1 insurance quoting software that helps independent insurance agencies converts the new generation of insurance buyers by providing at top-notch visitor experience and estimated quoted on auto and home applications. If it were me, I’d go with option three so I could focus on the sale. Click the button below to learn more about XILO.
