These days, purchasing a domain name, installing a content management system (CMS), and setting up a website is simple enough for even those who are far from tech-savvy. The tools to create a professional and fully-functioning site are all there at your disposal. However, developing a website that keeps visitors engaged is a whole different beast.
Plus, retention is the main thing that you need for a website to succeed. Your website might well be super sleek, responsive and aesthetically pleasing. Yet, if it doesn’t have dedicated visitors and is a virtual ghost town, the site is worth little in the grand scheme of things.
If you are looking for ways to avoid this, read on for tips to help with growing and retaining an audience for your website.
Contemporary design
If your website looks like something that was left behind in the 20th century, chances are new visitors are going to leave immediately. Users want a modern, attractive site that is easy to use and browse. So, along with having everything set out in a functional way, the website should also have appealing graphics – that means using professional photos, an eye-catching banner, infographics when possible, etc.
If you don’t know how to make a banner or other graphic-related items, there are plenty of software options on the market – including those that are free to use like Adobe Spark – that will do the job.
Fast response
Attractive web design is one thing, but you will also want to make sure that your website is fast at loading. Think about it: how many times have you clicked on a web link, only to turn back around because the site didn’t load within two seconds? Well, that’s what potential customers will be doing if your website is slow to act.
To make sure your site is responsive, choose a web host that both has servers based in your country and has rave reviews about overall performance. In addition, make sure the theme/CMS you use is as responsive as possible.
Engaging content
If there’s nothing of substance under the pretty exterior, users will soon be clicking off your website and visiting the competition.
As a result, it is imperative that you produce content that will keep people engaged. This means producing work that is free from fluff, grammatically correct and full of useful information. For that added touch of quality, make sure to enhance your content with pictures and links to relevant references.
Mobile-friendly
With the growing trend of people browsing websites on their mobile as opposed to desktops, it is highly recommended that your site is made mobile-friendly. Thankfully, most modern themes on the likes of WordPress will be mobile optimized already, but make sure to check that your website performs smoothly on such devices.
Get in touch
If you already have a healthy base of clients on the books, don’t let this go to waste: keep in touch with them on a regular basis. If you have their email addresses, for example, send out mass emails every few days letting them know about new content/products. After all, they are your target market, and they will be inclined to revisit the site when anything new is posted that captures their interest.
