When visitors arrive at your Web site, does your Web site speak to them?

Yes, you read that question correctly. Does your Web site speak? Did you know that by appropriately adding audio to your Web site you can increase the number of leads and sales your site generates?

Today I'm going to share a powerful strategy that few Web sites use effectively. This strategy will increase your e-mail list opt-in rate while decreasing your order page abandonment rate and visitor confusion.

Have you ever been to a Web site and wondered what you need to do next to buy the product? Or maybe you were at an order page and didn't finish because you weren't confident that your credit card information would be safe.

In the examples above, a simple audio message can be put on those pages to give visitors a verbal confirmation or directions on what to do next. Below are a few ways to use audio on your Web site to dramatically increase conversions. (If you would like to see examples of some of the audio methods below and the recommended provider I use, visit www.eNautics.com.)

Method one - order page. If you read my last column you understand that order page abandonment is a big challenge for any company doing business online. Have you thought of using audio to address the concerns of potential customers?

For example, when your visitor reaches the order page you can have an audio message. "Hi this is John Doe, CEO of XYZ Corp. I want to thank you for deciding to purchase from us, and to let you know that our Web page uses the latest security technology to make sure your information is 100 percent secure. So go ahead and submit your order and you will receive an e-mail receipt within a few minutes."

I use an audio service provider that allows me to create messages like this in less than 5 minutes. You can program these messages so that they can either automatically play when the Web page loads or only play when the visitor clicks the play button.

Method two - audio postcards. Like a physical postcard, an audio postcard is designed to be easily read by being short and straight to the point. However, because a postcard can't tell the whole story, you will want to use audio to tell your visitor about your special offer, new product or announcement.

Method three - support. Do you find yourself giving customers the same response to support questions over and over? Why not add audio to your support page addressing the frequently asked support questions? Since most people hate reading long blocks of text, having a "Click to Listen" option will be a welcomed alternative.

Method four - product/service explanation. Do you have a product or service that has a lot of features, or a product that requires verbal explanation? If so, using audio will help increase your visitors' understanding of how your product or service will help them. I've used this method to help decrease confusion and increase desire for a product I sell.

Method five - thank-you pages. A thank-you page is the page that your visitor sees after signing up for your newsletter, ordering your product or submitting a support inquiry. This method helps add a personal touch so your prospect or customer knows exactly what to expect next. It also makes your site memorable.

Adding audio to your Web site will definitely increase visitor interaction and reduce confusion, giving you the benefits of higher visitor satisfaction and increased lead and sales conversions.

If there is a Web marketing topic you would like me to cover, submit your idea at www.AskDionJones.com. I will focus future columns on the topics you suggest.