June 7, 2008
10 Ways to Increase Website Stickiness
Not only are users browsing your website looking for a reason to engage, but they are speaking to a coworker, watching TV, holding a conference call...you get the point. Internet users are notorious for multi-tasking and, in addition, there are many options out there for users to find the same information on your Web pages.
Increasingly, people are looking for past company or brand as a lone source of information. They are looking to competing websites, message boards, forums and each other.
So how do we compete and keep the users on our sites?
1. Make Initial Site Interaction Seamless
The initial interactions with your site is critical. By limiting bottlenecks your users will see the content quickly and not bounce directly off your site
2. Make Initial Site Interaction Relevant
The main door to your site no longer needs to be the home page. This all-encompassing uberpage gives a great overview of site offerings but does a poor job of presenting user-specific content. Look at your site's top referrers, search terms and campaigns and make sure you have relevant landing pages.
3. Make it Easy for Them to Find Their Way
A little known fact is that internal site search converts three times better than traditional global navigation. A prominent search box providing relevant results is essential.
4. Serve Dependable, Fresh Content
Get your users addicted to what you offer and serve it to them in a consistent place on your site.
5. Produce Exclusive Content
Driving consumers to exclusive Web content is a great way to keep users coming back.
6. Reduce Ad Clutter
There are creative ways to reduce visual ad clutter on your site without hurting your bottom line.
7. Start a Conversation with your Users
Users need a place to voice their opinions about your content, services or products. If you don't give them the option, they will most certainly go someplace else to do the same.
8. Leverage User Feedback
Listening to users' likes and dislikes helps you keep your site optimized for your users.
9. Create and Optimize your Website's Support Section
The support section is typically one of the most ignored areas of a website and typically consists of an antiquated anchor-linked FAQ. By leveraging technology, you can bubble up relevant support topics, have users answer each others questions and foster discussion about complex topics.
10. Leverage Innovative Technology
With the abundance of new technology available, creating sticky sites is easier than ever. Creative video content, mashups and site-based media players will keep your site sticky and fresh.
