If they can’t see you, they can’t join you. This is quite self-explanatory when it comes to attracting new members to your loyalty program, yet not always easily attainable. Be present, but don’t be pushy. Provide enough details, but don’t overcomplicate things. Make sure to utilize your physical stores for promotions – okay, but how? Worry not! In today’s article, we’ll show you tried-and-true, practical tips on how to attract new members, dial up engagement, and maximize visibility for your loyalty program.
Ready to make your loyalty program stand out feature-wise, too? Check out our freely downloadable Loyalty Program Concept Worksheet and translate your big ideas into a workable proposition.
Focus On Search Result Domination and Prime Website Visibility
1. Optimize for Search Visibility
Imagine a potential customer searching “Your-Brand-Name loyalty program” on Google. If your program doesn’t appear in the top 3 search results, you’re likely losing valuable sign-ups. This is why SEO will be your new best friend
- Step 1: Make sure to create a dedicated landing page for your loyalty program on your website.
- Step 2: Include the name of the program in a “xyz-loyalty-program” segment in your URL, title, SEO title, metadata, and main body. This will help search engines properly recognize your page for what it is, and help catapult it to the top of Google’s SERP (Search Engine Results Page).
2. Highlight Your Loyalty Program in High-Traffic Areas
Expanding on the landing page concept, your loyalty program should be very clearly featured in multiple places on your website. Place clear links and calls to action in high-traffic areas, like the main navigation menu, the banners, the footer, and your “About Us” or “FAQ” pages. Make it as easy as possible for customers to find information and sign up for your loyalty program.
3. Promote on Product Pages and Checkout
Strategically highlight the main selling point of your program by going a step further. Customers often decide to join loyalty programs when they see immediate value. Capitalize on logical touchpoints like product pages and the checkout process.
- In product pages, you can show the cost of an item and the points/benefits they would receive if they subscribed to the loyalty program.
- On the checkout page, you can demonstrate what they’re missing out on by not joining.
Make Your Landing Page Practical and the Sign-up Process Easy
4. Create a Practical, Scannable Landing Page
We already mentioned why creating a landing page is essential from an SEO perspective. But it’s also a crucial part of providing the necessary information about your program because it highlights the main reasons why customers should sign up in the first place.
What does the right loyalty program landing page look like:
- Easily scannable design: Fonts, colors, and images should seamlessly work together to help customers immediately find the information they seek.
- Segmented info blocks: Different sections highlighted by titles like “How the program works” or “How to earn points”.
- Clearly highlights the value in joining: Emphasizing monetary value and exclusive perks.
- Contains USPs, basic mechanics, and highlights only.
- Features buttons: Links lead to additional detailed info pages (like a different page dedicated only to explaining everything about program tiers).
- Showcases a “Register” or “Join Now” section: Placed at the top and bottom for driving traffic to your sign-up page quickly and smoothly.
5. Streamline the Registration Process
Whether customers arrive here from your landing page, the footer, or a pop-up, they should be greeted with the loyalty program sign-up form, clear directions, and minimal design (so nothing deters them). Your ultimate goal here is to make the entire sign-up process as easy as possible.
Start with just an email address, name, and password. Later, encourage members to complete their profile with additional details by offering a small incentive, such as 100 bonus points or a 10% discount.
Keep Loyalty Program Members Up-To-Date and Well-Informed
6. Highlight the Benefits with Clarity
To captivate potential members (and to keep existing ones continuously dialed in), it’s essential to articulate what’s in it for them. Use compelling, easy-to-read content to showcase your program’s advantages. Break down tier benefits, explain additional ways to advance through the ranks (such as non-transactional point earning opportunities like leaving reviews), namedrop partners, and showcase exclusive collaborations. Make sure to offer and clarify both instant wins and long-term perks for signing up, and staying engaged.
Don’t forget to monitor whether your communication is clear enough. Ask customers and in-store employees: Can people understand how to sign up? How to earn benefits? What benefits are even available to them? If the answer is yes then you’re good, if it’s a no, make sure to clear up any miscommunication as soon as possible.
7. Simplify Access to Points and Rewards Information
Once a customer becomes a member, the experience should be seamless. Clear and easily accessible information about their points balance, potential rewards, tier benefits, the value of leveling up, and general loyalty mechanics encourages continued engagement.
Easy add-ons:
- Create a personalized dashboard that greets members with: “Hi, Sarah! You have 750 points—just 250 more to unlock a $10 voucher!”
- Send monthly emails summarizing their current points, recent activities, and upcoming rewards to keep the program top-of-mind.
Don’t Miss Out on In-person Opportunities to Supercharge Your Loyalty Program Visibility
8. Utilize Frontline Staff & Physical Locations
Did you know that retail space can be just as good (if not the best) place to attract new members? Whether we’re talking about beauty, clothing, supermarkets, or hotels, in-person interactions with frontline staff or clever use of the brick-and-mortar space can help yield plenty of on-the-spot signups.
How to maximize the potential of your physical locations:
- Educate frontline employees about your loyalty program: how it works, what are the main benefits, and how to properly engage customers without coming off as pushy.
- Offer in-person sign-up perks: Free drinks in hotels or an immediate in-store registration discount.
- Utilize your surfaces: Put up info posters in the elevators, place QR-codes and info brochures by the reception and by the phone within the rooms, and provide a quick program rundown on the back of your restaurant menu.
- The same thing goes for essentially any retail space where customers spend time waiting: by the trolleys, gondolas, standing in line by the cashiers, or at the self-checkout.
+1 Magnify Your Efforts, Leverage Social Media and Email Marketing
Your existing marketing communication channels can significantly boost the visibility of your loyalty program. Leverage Social Networks to share benefits and customer testimonials, showing how members redeemed rewards for tangible benefits. Send emails to non-members with subject lines like: “Don’t miss out! Join now for a $5 Welcome Bonus!”
By implementing these strategies and continuously optimizing your approach, your loyalty program can evolve into a powerful tool for customer acquisition and retention. Don’t forget: A visible, easy-to-access, and benefit-driven program doesn’t just attract members—it transforms them into loyal advocates for your brand.
For more information about how to level up your loyalty program in your respective industry, check out our extensive portfolio of industry guides and reviews!
Ready to get to work already? Get in touch with our experts: Book a demo or send us your loyalty program RFP.
Plus don’t forget to check out our free (yes, actually free), easy-to-use Loyalty Program Concept Worksheet, and make the most of your brainstorming sessions!
Sara is a Customer Success leader with a proven track record in driving customer retention and advocacy. With over six years of experience, she blends creativity and strategy to implement scalable programs. Known for her human-first approach, Sara excels at fostering authentic relationships and creating innovative solutions. A passionate advocate for collaboration, she believes in empowering teams and customers alike to achieve mutual growth and success.
