10 Ways to Keep Visitors Longer on Your Website
[guest post by Monique Craig]
Getting traffic to your website is one thing, but getting those visitors to stay with your website long enough to convert into subscribers or purchasers is quite another.
That said, there are several things you can do to help keep people away from the back button. Here are ten tips for keeping your website visitors happy for longer.
1. Keep ads to a minimum
One of the first things that visitors will notice when landing on your website is the advertisements. Usually because those are the items that load first. Too many ads for outside services and products will make your website look too busy and take the focus away from you, your business, and the products or services that you sell. The worst thing about using too many ads, though is that they end up making your website slower to load. Many people would rather hit the back button than wait.
2. Make it user-friendly
Your visitors will appreciate it if you make it easy for them to navigate around your website and find the information they are looking for without having to do too much guessing. Clear, simple navigation with intuitive user-friendly categories are the way to go. Be cautious about using too many categories or drop down menus, they cause people to have to make too many decisions right away which can lead to confusion and a lost visitor.
3. Frequently updated content
When visitors see that the last time you updated your blog was in 2011, they’ll wonder if you’re even still in business. Old content makes a website look sleepy and outdated. Decide on a content publishing schedule that works for you and then stick to it.
4. Check your spelling and grammar
A website that is rife with poor grammar and sloppy spelling mistakes will at best send the message to your visitors that you can’t really be bothered to care. At worst, the message it sends is that you may not be intelligent enough to know the difference. This can then call into question your ability to provide quality products or services.
5. Keep it professional looking
If you lack the budget for a high-end web designer, that really isn’t a problem these days. There are numerous vendors that sell affordable WordPress themes that can be placed on your domain and customized easily. In short, there really is no excuse to have a shabby or thrown together looking website that can harm your credibility. The good news is that many website themes come with tools that make SEO simple, which can help you get more love from the search engines.
6. Make it fast
You have less than 5 to 8 seconds before most visitors will hit the back button. Make sure your website loads as quickly as possible. Learn how to optimize your photos and images for the internet so they load fast.
7. Simple beats clever
If your website features clever animations or other types of interactivity, you should be aware that many visitors will find that sort of thing either annoying or distracting. Use them at your own risk.
8. Make sure visitors can tell what you do immediately
Don’t make your visitors have to guess what your website is about. If people can’t tell if they are in the right place within a few seconds, they will cut their losses and leave. Help them out by giving them the information they need right away.
9. Know who your ideal customer is
Everything about your website — from the color and the font to the particular tone of voice you use in your content — must speak to that one customer you would most like to do business with. Trying to appeal to everyone will ironically assure that you appeal to no one.
10. Have a clear call to action
When it comes to the internet, readers love to be told what to do next. Don’t leave them wondering. If you want them to leave a comment, or subscribe to your newsletter, tell them.
** Monique Craig works at Oneflare and has a huge interest in digital marketing and branding. Oneflare provides the easiest way to find reliable and experienced tradesmen in Australia.
