We all know they exist ? those users who silently wonder onto our pages, stay around for a while and then disappear. And we would also like to know what's going on in their heads ? if we can make them stay, then perhaps we can make thousands of other like them stay, too. So what does it take to turn those web phantoms into returning, and possibly paying, visitors?
Luckily we live in a world where there's something like Web 2.0 ? a collection of technologies and trends that enable us to get the most out of our websites and our visitors. But let's take a closer look at how we can utilize these applications as well as other aspects of the website to ensure that those who happen onto our pages by chance keep coming back. Content They say ?Content is King?, and indeed it is. The information age is far from over ? in fact it is just entering adolescence. And when you keep in mind that all your website visitors are there for a reason, information, then it makes sense to ensure that you give them what they want. However there are some tips when it comes to the distribution of information that could help you increase your hit rate:
Keep it Free ? just like in the real world, web users simply love things that are free, even if they don't really need it. And the same applies to information, especially if they would have to pay for it elsewhere.
Abundance is the Key ? having abundant resources, both on-site and off-site will quickly establish you as a leading authority within the industry. This promotes your credibility and will ensure that you gain your visitors? trust ? perhaps the most valuable commodity on the internet today. Usability The rule here is simple: you can have a map on your website revealing the location of the Elixir of Eternal Life, but if people can't find it you might as well do away with it. The average web user is an impatient creature and will appreciate it when all the information is available at the touch of a button. Provide links to all the user-important pages and make your site intuitively navigable. User Participation This forms part of the core of the Web 2.0 definition: allowing your visitors to interact with your website. Done right, it will enable them to guide you with regards to the kind of content they wish to see, thereby ensuring that your website becomes or remains an authoritative entity on the internet. Think in terms of:
To summarize, it becomes evident that a website should be created with the interest of the end-user in mind. Ensuring that content is always relevant and up-to-date and allowing your users to provide valuable input will ensure that even those phantom-visitors come back for more when the need arises.
While in the beginning blogs were created more for personal use, as the internet and businesses develop more and more companies are using blogs to help promote their business, but the foundations remain the same:
First and foremost keep your readers in mind; even if you have a blog that is full of nothing more than your personal rants, if you want people to keep coming back you need to make it easy to read and understand. Remember that in this day and age people using the internet will often spend a lot of time just skimming over pages so you need to capture and then keep their interest, the best way to do this is to keep your writing clear and concise, while it doesn’t need to be grammatically perfect (at least for a personal blog) it should at least make sense.
Try to provide useful and relevant information for your readers, no matter what subject your blog is about if you can give the viewers the information they want or find helpful they will keep coming back for more.
You don’t need to use every technical gadget you come across on your blog; while they all have their individual places a business blog for example may lose some of its professionalism if the readers are subjected to heavy metal music the minute they open the page.
Make your blog as interactive as possible; give your readers the chance to leave comments or feedback, the more reason you can give them to interact with you the more often they will come back; on that note you can also give your viewers the chance to subscribe to your blog so they receive emails when your blog has been updated etc.
Finally, where possible, keep your individual posts in related categories etc. that makes it a lot easier for first time and casual readers to find what it is they may be looking for.
Remember though, whether it’s business or personal, blogs can be great fun and a great way to express your thoughts, get your creative juices flowing or promote your online or offline work.
Both Justin Jones & Vanessa Brown are contributors for EditorialToday. The above articles have been edited for relevancy and timeliness. All write-ups, reviews, tips and guides published by EditorialToday.com and its partners or affiliates are for informational purposes only. They should not be used for any legal or any other type of advice. We do not endorse any author, contributor, writer or article posted by our team.
Justin Jones has sinced written about articles on various topics from Writing, Web Development and Alternative Medicine. Justin Jones is a famous author known for articles about Website Designing for small business. Some of the popular topics from him are ,. Justin Jones's top article generates over 590 views. to your Favourites.
Vanessa Brown has sinced written about articles on various topics from Home Businesses, Pets and Web Development. If you'd like more information on blogging please visit Vanessa at or her work from home blog to learn how to build your own. Vanessa Brown's top article generates over 14800 views. to your Favourites.