6 Ways To Keep Readers On Your Site

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While every website should be primed to make a strong first impression, it’s no longer enough to simply have a pretty front page. At least 30 percent of web traffic comes from social media alone, meaning people are sharing individual articles, not entire websites. If users like what they see, they stick around for more. If not, they bounce. Try these tips to increase your readers’ time on site.

Treat it like your front porch.

You want to attract people to come in and see the rest of the house. Every page should be clean, clutter-free, and enticing. Your logo and navigation alone should explain your company or organization’s mission and purpose.

Identify yourself.

Who are you? What’s your purpose? Why is your website here? What action do you want your visitor to take? These are questions that each page should make clear as soon as a user lands on your website.

Provide a call to action.

Make it clear what you want the user to do, whether it is making a donation, purchasing an item, registering for an event, or signing a petition.

Brand it.

Your homepage should maintain your company or organization’s culture, voice and, style. The user should be able to gather a sense of who you are with one glance. The page should also be targeted to the intended audience.

Keep the information simple.

Don’t try to post all your information up front so that there’s nothing left for users to browse. If you must promote multiple elements, then prioritize them, use short headlines, simple images, and links to read more.

Choose images wisely.

People are automatically drawn to large, vivid images. However, one or two strong images do a far better job than several. Capture your audience’s attention with powerful images that sum up what your organization is about.

Keep it updated.

Be sure to put together an editorial calendar to keep your content up-to-date. Are you still promoting an event that happened weeks ago? Refreshing your website from time to time with new material demonstrates your attention to detail and care for your brand.

When your website can welcome users from all directions, you’ll not only see more traffic filter through the site but even more conversions and actions taken. It’s a tremendous opportunity to present a positive first impression—every time.