Google is able to accurately predict how engaged a typical visitor to your site might be. Higher engagement translates to a higher ranking in their search results, leading to more visitors. With more to keep them interested, your visitors will stick around longer and come back again for more. Here are six easy things you can do to get more engagement.
1. Make It Easy To Get Around
When it comes to getting around your site, don't try to reinvent the wheel. This whole internet thing has been around for a while by now, and everyone on the planet has been conditioned to look for certain things in certain places. Put the main navigation either across the top or down one side. Use normal words that are easily understood by your typical visitor. Use colors that contrast enough that your text can be read without effort. Put your content near the top of the page, above the fold. Let your visitors know immediately that they have come to the right place.
2. Speed It Up
The fastest way to lose someone is to do nothing for a few seconds. About 50% of all people on the web will hit the BACK button if your site hasn't loaded in two seconds. By four seconds, that number jumps to 80%. Getting a quick load time may be as simple as removing images from your background and using only color or eliminating rich media ads that are loaded from other websites. If you're using a CMS like Wordpress, you can install a plugin such as WP Super Cache to serve cached content, eliminating the time it takes to query the database.
3. Format Your Articles For Ease
Long blocks of text simply do not work well on the web. Use images and break your text into short paragraphs to keep the reader interested and occupied. Break medium and longer articles into smaller pieces separated by sub-headings. Do not place ads in the main body of the text. You will be tempted. Don't. Remove all obstacles that interfere with the ability to consume your content.
4. Use Video
Now that your visitors can easily find their ways around your lightning-fast and informative website, what can we give them to keep them happy and coming back for more? Sometimes a great idea is to create a custom video on a relevant topic. If you have a product to sell, make your own 30-second commercial for it. You'll be tempted to make a feature film, but you have to control that impulse. Keep it short. You can upload it to YouTube if you want, and host it on your site from there.
5. Add a time waster
It doesn't have to be all business, all the time. Consider adding a section with nothing but photos, or a section with some simple games. Make it obvious that this is here just for the enjoyment of it--a little added value you just wanted to give away.
