Articles

Search engine optimization, links, directories — all of these are well-known means to drive visitors to your site. But, what can you do to keep them there? The number of visitors who land on your site and quickly move on is called your bounce rate ( the rate at which visitors bounce to another site).

So, here are 25 tips to keep visitors on site longer and maybe even bookmark your site for future visits.

1. Teach them something. Teach visitors and they'll look favorably upon your site.

2. Keep it fresh. Related to #1, if they've read it once they won't wont to read it again so keep adding new articles of interest to your primary demographic.

3. Add a blog. Blogs can be added to a site with a click if you go with a web host with a big tool kit. Blogs are an easy means of adding new content. It's a great way to add user-generated content (free stuff) and it's a terrific way to build a site community with a dedicated group of visitors who visit your blog everyday.

4. Keep the navigation really, really simple. First, navigation links should be large and clearly labeled. Also, keep navigation consistent throughout the site. If you use a navigation bar at the top of the home page, keep it there on all landing pages so visitors don't have to look for it.

5. Provide a site map. It's easy to get lost on a site that has a couple of hundred pages. A link to a site map helps visitors (and search engine spiders).

6. Provide product pictures. Indeed, product pictures sell products - pictures are worth a 1,000 words.

7. Provide complete product descriptions. Skip the sales talk. Keep your product descriptions 100% informational. Be sure to list all product features.

8. Describe product benefits. Most site owners (and copywriters) describe a product's features, but be also sure to describe how the product will make the reader's life easier, simpler, more productive or more fun.

9. Provide numerous marketing channels. Some visitors will be comfortable ordering online; others want to order by telephone. Give visitors a choice and post that telephone number on every page of the site.

10. Keep it fun. Write in a chatty tone. Even serious subjects become more readable when written in normal-speak not web-speak.

11. Ask for site feedback. Provide the visitor with a means of leaving feedback for you and other readers.

12. Encourage product reviews. Amazon does it and look what it's done for them. Good product reviews from visitors (1) shows you care about their needs and (2) provides solid gold marketing input. If the item is routinely slammed, dump it. If it gets good buyer reviews move it to the home page.

13. Separate informational content from sales content. The easiest way to do this is to create an archive of informational content separate and distinct from product pages.

14. Don't assume all visitors will land on the home page. Search engines index every page of a site so a category landing page may have more relevance to the user's query than the home page. So, consider every page a landing page and every product page a landing page - tell the visitor where he or she is.

15. Keep site pages light. Even 30 seconds is an eternity when waiting for a page download. In fact, you'll lose 90% of potential visitors who have to wait for a 30-second download. That's a short attention span!

16. Create visitor trust. From home page to landing page to checkout sequence, create trust in the minds of visitors. Not only does it keep visitors on-site longer, it generates more sales.

17. Add RSS feeds. This simplifies the visitor's day by providing in one place all pertinent information relevant to the topicality of your site. So, instead of having to visit 10 sites for the latest in news, visitors can access your site for the latest via RSS feed.

18. Please the eye. It's a subliminal thing. Pastels are appropriate for sites selling makeup or clothing. Fluorescent green works well for that high-protein energy boosting shake. Two completely different buyers, two different products, two different looks.

19. Give them something to watch. A how-to video will keep visitors watching, especially if it provides useful information. There's just something hypnotic about moving pictures!

20. Allow visitors to bookmark pages. This is so simple to do yet few site owners do it. It's the best way for visitors to compare product A to product B.

21. Don't be afraid of syndicated content. Some webmasters shy away from syndicated content because it's duplicate content and, therefore, doesn't help in SERPs placement. Okay, but it does provide informational content relevant to the interests of your visitor. And it's free. Remember, the objective is to keep them on site for as long as possible to make that sale.

22. Personalize the homepage. Welcome repeat visitors by name. Make recommendations based on previous purchases. Create a "Your Shopping Cart" feature. In other words, make the visitor feel welcomed and valued. They are.

23. Make sure your informational content is accurate. There is so much mis-and dis-information on the web. However, your visitors will stick around to read what you say - especially when you back it up with references.

24. Yes, grammar counts!. Spelling and punctuation, too. Sure, most people won't care if you use except instead of accept. But some will. And they'll draw the rightful conclusion that if your site text isn't dead-on, maybe other aspects of your business are off target.

25. Slap security all over your site. Still more than one-half of all buyers won't buy online because they're afraid of getting ripped off. Make sure your visitors and buyers know your site is secure or they're gone.