Interactivity plays a crucial role in conversion

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A tremendous opportunity to optimize user experience  [1] [2] [3] [4]

A truly interactive user experience makes it much easier for users to forget about external distractions and instead focus on the current website environment they are interacting with. This is due to the fact that, if the site can be as close to real-time as their current surrounding environment, their focus is less likely to shift to real-time events in their surroundings. Those surroundings can include competitive websites, email and instant messaging, as well as music playing, other people in the room and other distracting events. There are so many channels of information vying for the user's attention, that the main task at hand for conversion is keeping the user's attention - through a real-time, as well as engaging, experience.

A response must not only be fast, but also take into account the expectation that accompanied the desire to have a response. If this is properly planned based on the target audience and the user's position architecturally and mentally within the site's framework, then a highly effective response can be provided that meets or even exceeds expectations. Meeting or exceeding expectations, of course, leads to a positive experience, helping the user feel good about his experience and himself.

A user that feels good about his experience and is engaged in the site he is perusing, is a user that is ready to convert. Whether that conversion involves the user becoming a customer, or merely providing their email address to receive a newsletter, ultimately depends on where the user is at with his needs in regards to the product or service he is reading about. Yet should the user find himself in an offline discussion where a friend or colleague asks advice about a product that he or she needs, and the product the user read about fits that general direction, the user will fondly remember the positive experience provided by the site and pass along the URL.

Therefore, the benefits to a well-crafted, interactive website reach far further than just the initial visit to the site and possibly a large or small conversion (purchase or sign up for more information). They also result in repeat visits, recommendations, word-of-mouth, press and awards, as well as higher visibility online and brand recognition.