bringing visitors back more often

bringing visitors back more often

Although most site owners focus on the number of users they attract , it's important also to consider how often they return. Visit frequency is a great indicator of customer loyalty. And it helps you understand how people are using your site.

To bring users back to your site, you have to first give them a reason to return. Site quality is of course the most important factor here. But updated content and seasonal promotions sure help.

Then, you have to remind them. And this is where email comes in. Have no doubt, email is the single most important tool we have for building traffic. There are other solutions. But you shouldn't waste a minute thinking about them until you've exhausted every possible email opportunity.

1. emphasize email

Email is by far the best way to draw repeat traffic to your web site. You can use email to tell customers about new products, promotions, or content. You can use it to announce upcoming events, promote a seasonal sale, offer helpful tips, or just remind customers that you exist.

It takes some experimentation to hit on the right email strategy, but its worth the trial-and-error. Email is the most important tool you have for promoting your site, and you should use it for all its worth.

6 successful email strategies:

1. Newsletters update visitors on what's new on your site or in your organization.

2. Targeted newsletters address topics of specific interest to the user .

3. Headlines of news articles can be delivered to users via email, offering them a link that leads to the full story.

4. Customized reports give users updated information on specific topics of their choosing. Financial services, for instance, may send end-of-day reports on specific stocks; news services may alert users when articles on a specific topic appear.

5. Announcements are perfectly suited to email. Whether you're announcing a rock concert, an end-of- season shoe sale, or an activist campaign against drilling in Redrock canyon, email gets the word out quickly and cheaply.

6. Bite-size content— like tips or jokes or horoscopes—can be delivered daily.

It's important to remember, however, that not all sites are destined to become regular destinations. Many sites are visited strictly on an as-needed basis. Your challenge, then, is to help people remember you exist so they think of your site next time they need its services.

See email strategies, p. 282.

2. fill a need

The sure-fire way to bring visitors back to your site is to create something they need. It's simple, but true. Most users are task-oriented online; they're trying to get things done. So the best way to fit into their day is to get on their to-do list. So long as you're filling a recurring need in your users'—whether you offer free email, a reference library, or a party-planning service—you'll keep them coming back.

3. update more often

One way to bring people in more often is by keeping your site fresh. Content or informational sites can keep people coming back by offering new articles or features. The updated content need not be extensive —something as simple as a daily morsel or tip can do the trick. Commerce sites can also make this work for them by highlighting new products or running promotions (below). But remember: Updates are effective only if your users know about them. Use email to keep them informed, and promote new items on the front door.

4. run promotions

People are more likely to return to your site when you give them a reason—preferably a time-dependent, financially attractive reason. Every direct marketer knows that a sale will bring customers back into a store, even if the items they buy weren't part of the sale. This rule holds in the online world.

5. involve the user

People are more likely to return to places in which they feel personally involved. This involvement can take many forms—writing product reviews (a la Amazon), participating in discussions (a la SlashDot), or taking part in a marketplace (a la EBay). Even an indirect involvement—responding to a survey or submitting a recommendation and getting a personalized response—helps build a sense of belonging .

6. be the home page

Perhaps the best way to ensure visitors return often to your site is to encourage them to make your site their "home page": the site that first appears in every new browser window. This guarantees they'll visit—or at least see—your site every time they go online. It's hard to get users to make this switch, but a great coup if you can. So why not encourage them?