Here’s a hard truth: It is very, very difficult to get a large number of people to read your blog. Sure, some people are going to produce some great content, but even that doesn’t guarantee a lot of eyeballs on the page. Employing SEO tactics, for example, is a good way of getting someone to land on your page, although it has its criticisms. Yet, SEO doesn’t always deal with getting people back there again.
How do you get people to return to your content and reduce the so-called bounce rate (the number of people who leave after one page)? Well, we have come up with several areas to think about below. We have tried to look beyond the obvious, i.e. advising you to create amazing content, because we think that’s a given. But these tactics will certainly help:
Get serious about user experience
Before you consider design, content or anything else, you should make sure you have done everything in your power to make the site functional. Nothing increases bounce rate quite like slow-loading pages, bugginess or too many pop up videos. It’s been reported that 40% of users will leave a website after three seconds if the page has not loaded, and it will obviously discourage them from coming back. In addition, simple things like having a search function can often be overlooked by some websites, and it encourages people to “bounce” because they can’t easily find what they are looking for with ease.
Put in a shift on social media
One thing that’s really apparent on sites like YouTube is that the algorithm for suggested content tends to be very repetitive. So, if someone has recently watched one of your videos, they’ll be prompted to do so again the next time they visit. The videos you post can be a gateway for visitors to your blog, but they, too, will need to be full of engaging content before viewers are tempted to click any links to your blog. Getting subscribers on sites like YouTube is just as difficult as getting people on to your blog page, but it’s worth remembering that one can feed the other. Indeed, giving people the option to share your blog on social media is always a good idea.
Run some promotions or competitions
Promotions are a sure way to keep people coming back, and tying them in with loyalty is even better. Look, for example, at how this online slots site in New Zealand offers several promotions that cater to all types of player and how players are rewarded over time. It ticks all the boxes, enticing new players and rewarding loyal ones. Of course, your promotions do not need to be costly. If you are on a budget, then you can get creative – offer a signed copy of your work, a recorded video message, or a discount on your product. The key thing with promotions is to be consistent and regular – people love a deal, and they will return when one is offered.
Do some outreach and signing up
Creating a mailing list for your blog is incredibly easy, although you’ll probably need to be very patient as people are reluctant to give over their email addresses even for well-known content providers. But if you can find some way to notify potential readers that you have new content, perhaps through your social media channels, then that’s always a big plus. Having ‘members only’ content on your site can encourage repeat users. However, be careful that you do not put off users by blocking them from the content. If you do sign people up, only ask for basic personal details; modern users are very wary of data misuse these days, and their default setting will be one of mistrust.
Promote related content
Someone lands on your blog, and they are happily reading an article on, let’s say, how Marvel’s Black Widow character is a 21st-century feminist icon. Now, there is a good chance that the reader has a passion for Marvel comics, or is interested in feminist issues. What do they see when they finish reading? Adding related content prompts is an easy function to use on any website builder, but often blogs promote irrelevant content or provide no links at all. If you do provide strongly related content, it acts with a dual purpose: First, you keep the reader on your site longer. Secondly, you create an impression that your website is a destination for their content preferences; more so than it would with just one article.
Think about the repeat visitors
To finish, we will look at perhaps the most difficult area to master – dividing your content for new arrivals and repeat users. A repeat user will not want to go on the same ‘journey’ again, and they will need fresh content in order to stay interested. But the delivery of that fresh content is not always easy, as you will also want your entry point to be accessible to new users too. As we mentioned, it’s not easy to split your content in that way, so you should really take some time to consider how different types of users would navigate through your site. Simple functions, like “Get Started” sections will help point people in the right direction.
