There are many ways to get people to your website, but what are the best ways to keep them coming back? In this article, we’re going to look at 10 things that you can do to keep people coming back to your site. Bounce rates are the percentage of visitors that land on your site and then quickly move on. Most websites with high bounce rates aren’t using these techniques, or they don’t know what their audience wants or needs. Here are 10 tried and true ways to keep people on your site.
- It’s all about educating your visitors. Visitors don’t want to be bombarded with high-fructose cornuchets. They’re looking to learn and grow their understanding of your product/industry so that they can make informed decisions. So, what can you teach your visitors that will help them form a positive impression of your site?
- Keep the navigation straightforward. Navigation links need to be large and well-labeled. Did you ever go to a cultural restaurant and not be able to tell the men’s restroom from the women’s? You may think themed names are cute, but your visitors might get confused and leave your site. If you’re unsure, always use the more common title.
- Keep your content up to date. As much as possible, try to keep your times, dates and news articles up-to-date. You don’t want your site to sound as if it’s been published in the 1800s, do you? If you’re running an information-driven site, it’s essential to regularly add fresh and original content.
- Adding a blog is a simple process. You can add a blog to your website with just a few clicks. If your web host offers the option in your hosting package, you can easily add a free blog to your site. You can also create a free blog on Blogger or WordPress.com and add it to your site. A blog is a great way of adding new content to your site. A blog is a user-generated piece of content. It is also a great way of building a dedicated audience that visits your blog on a daily basis. A blog creates interaction with your audience, which builds trust and makes you feel like there is someone actually on the other end of the page. Good quality blogs always have a loyal following and often generate a substantial income.
- List and describe the benefits of your product. Most website owners list the features of their product. For example, a rubber coated speaker, a 2-ohm total impedance, etc. Your visitors don’t buy features, they buy the benefits your product or service provides for them. Does your product save time? Is it more user-friendly than most competitors? Make sure to describe how your product will make your visitor’s life more efficient, more enjoyable, simpler, or better.
- Provide product images and images related to products. People like to imagine things. Have you ever thought about the origin of day dreaming? Websites with appropriate images help to trigger the visitor’s emotions and emotions drive the sales. Remember that a picture is worth a thousand words.
- It’s important for your visitors to know that their purchase is safe. More than half of all buyers avoid buying online because they’re worried about fraud. Show your visitors that your site is safe by displaying the BBB Online logo and the Verisign logo. Otherwise, most visitors won’t feel confident enough to make the purchase.
- Make sure your information is up-to-date. Your readers will stick around and read your content, especially if you provide references and third-party awards.
- Ask for feedback on your site. Give your visitor a way to leave feedback on your product for you and others to read. Reviews are a great way to build trust because they provide a third-party source of validation for your product. Reviews can be a great way to increase trust, especially when you include a reference (e.g. phone number, e-mail address, etc.) so your visitors can contact the person who gave the review. In most cases, your visitors won’t contact the person who wrote the review, but it helps to build trust and gives your product a more genuine feel.
- Test and tweak. Not every website is going to be a success the first time you try it out. Use tools such as Google Analytics to find out what keeps your visitors coming back and what causes them to “bounce.” You can then build on the positives and discard the negatives. By tweaking your site, you’ll improve your sales funnel performance and link popularity in the long run. The difference between a 100% return on investment (ROI) site and a 500% return on investment site is often a matter of testing and tuning. Keep your visitors engaged with easy to find information that meets their needs and wants. That’s what makes the difference between a good site and a bad one.