For every type of business, there is a segment of your customers that will only engage with you one time. They might make up a large portion of your audience, or they might be relatively rare.
For example, if you’re a local taxi service, then people who use your company once are probably pretty likely to use it again (unless, of course, they had a terrible experience).
However, if you’re a divorce attorney, then there is a high likelihood that your services will only be needed once per client per lifetime (statistically speaking, with any luck on their part).
As you can see, the context really determines whether it’s a good thing or a bad thing that you have a lot of one-time customers!
Then again, purchases aren’t everything. Many businesses track their success through a formula that also includes awareness and engagement. That’s especially true in the digital age.
For example, companies might track a person’s ongoing visits to their website or involvement with social media groups. These are also indicators of a continued interest in the brand, and the foundations of a long-term relationship between the company and a prospective customer.
That’s very different from someone who visits the website once and then never returns. Those individuals are known “single-session users.” They’re similar to one-time customers, except it’s all about engagement, rather than sales.
For example, a single-session user might also be someone who only uses your app once before deleting it. They might make a purchase or reach out to you during that single visit…or they might not.
Or they might be someone who successfully engages with a similar product—like subscribing to your newsletter or signing up for a webinar—but loses interest shortly after, without a long-term investment in your brand.
It’s important to learn if single-session users are harming your potential to capitalize on enthusiastic and informed consumers. But it takes a bit of research into the behavioral trends of your audience, on multiple platforms, over time. You’d have to consider if this seems like a worthwhile avenue to pursue. In this case, the goal would be to redirect your marketing efforts toward long-term relationships and only focus on engagements with higher profit margins.
Another approach is to ensure that you’re making the most of every user, no matter what. Learn how you can maximize every interaction—whether your visitor is just stopping by to browse, making a single purchase, or about to become a lifetime fan of your brand.
Keep reading for tips on how to maximize the value of everyone who engages with your brand.