INSIGHT

6 Ways to Increase Your Page Views Per Visitor

Written by Stephen Moyers
6 Ways to Increase Your Page Views Per Visitor

In the big world of digital media, digital marketing agencies and online brands, it is truly a challenge to be visible.

Today, bringing customers to your page is no easy feat. You need to undergo a number of steps, one of which is hiring the best SEO Companies to grab some eyeballs on the internet. So you’ve got people coming to your site, which is an excellent first step. However, now you need to keep them there for a while. Here are some quick tips on how to make certain a visitor isn’t just going to turn around and leave.

1. Make Sure the Message Is Primary

Creative Agencies swear by one rule. No matter what the content is, the message should be the most obvious element. There are several factors that frequently distract a viewer from the message.

The first is sidebars. Many sites have distracting content on the sidebars, some of which, when clicked on, will send the reader onto another site – possibly never to return. Whatever is on the sidebar should be important to the reader and not change with distracting frequency. Links to other relevant sites and content are a productive way to use the sidebar space, so long as they’re used appropriately both from a design and content perspective.

You should also reduce user interface elements that require scrolling. There’s a delicate balance between getting the related information into a single spot and making a user interface nearly impossible to use because you have to scroll down in the interface itself, which is even more difficult because of the small size of most interface elements.

Message

Image Source: QuickSprout

Finally, pop-up advertisements should be delayed or eliminated. While they can generate useful leads, they also tend to annoy readers if used frequently. People want to be able to trust that a giant advertisement won’t interrupt their reading more than once. Looking after all these aspects of website redesign will ensure that your end user is not distracted from the main message that you are trying to communicate.

2. Provide Links to Related Content

Appropriate links to related content are a must. Whether you provide links embedded within the text or as a separate “Related Content” section, users prefer content with links rather than content without.

One reason to use links is to provide answers to frequently asked questions quickly and without over-explaining. People who already know what a concept is can ignore the link, while those who do not can quickly discover the answer. Another reason is to provide a logical next step. If a reader wants to know more about a topic, you’ve provided them with a number of different perspectives on the subject. They don’t have to go out and find more themselves.

Third, it’s a key way to build trust. Rather than simply relying on your own authority and saying “Trust me,” you give them reasons to trust you, such as other people’s opinions and facts that support your position.

3. Have a Sitemap

Branding Companies will tell you that Just as print books often have an index, a website should have a sitemap. The sitemap will help your readership find precisely what it’s looking for, as opposed to being forced to go through a large number of pages and user interfaces to try and find content. Most readers will simply leave the page if asked to do that.

Sitemaps should, above all, be functional. Ease of navigation trumps all other factors when using one. Again, take a book’s index. A successful index has no distracting content elements, and neither should your sitemap.

Even with a sitemap, you should also have a navigation bar that takes readers to frequently viewed content. That way, if a person is trying to find a popular page or topic, he or she can go there immediately, even without using the sitemap.

4. Be Consistent

This should be your motto in all things regarding your website. Design elements should be consistent from one page to the next. Types of content should always have the same layout and color scheme. This makes your page readable and lets your readers know what to expect.

For example, people will immediately recognize these two pages as being related:

Overview

Image Source: QuickSprout

However, be consistent in your message, as well. People come to expect certain messages from a brand. Changing those messages not only confuses people; it can damage trust, as consistency is the most important trust builder in any relationship. Website design companies will help you ensure that your brand message is uniform across platforms.

5. Be Responsive 

Like any other element, there are multiple types of responsiveness. First is ensuring problems that come up with your pages are taken care of. Bugs need to be eliminated quickly, sitemaps updated to take into account new content, and broken links and files removed. The reader should never have to be concerned about whether the site will work as it should.

Another dimension of responsiveness is with respect to readers. Activate the comments section on blogs, and respond to the comments. Have a contact page with the best way to reach you. Make certain suggestions are addressed. Do all of this consistently, and people will trust you to take them seriously. After all, websites are about building relationships, and responsiveness and trust are required for any relationship to succeed. You need to keep availing of the best website redesign services so you are always responsive to your end customers.

6. Constantly Test and Improve 

A lot goes into making a successful website. If you’re trying to increase page views per visitor, that means every part of a site must be useful and functional. At any point of confusion in usability or design, you stand to lose readers or customers. Ensure your website is a well-oiled machine by constantly checking for issues and updating as needed. One way you can do this is by updating the web development languages that are being used on your site so that you do not have a website that is not engaging for your end user.

There are several ways to do this, but one of the most helpful is simply listening to your readers. Make sure your site error messages include a link to report problems (and incentivize our audience for this as necessary), and use analytics to track and respond to where your patrons may be getting thrown off track.

Stephen Moyers

Stephen Moyers

Stephen Moyers has over a decade of experience as a technology consultant and web marketing manager. Since 2010, he has specialized in various technologies, bringing a...

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