How to Get Your Web Visitor to Visit Again
by David Lim
Okay, you did good in getting the visitor to your site and engaged him enough so that he stayed for a while. In fact, you did so good that the visitor stayed for quite a bit.
But all good things must come to an end and it is now time for your visitor to leave.
So, do you stand at the door with a tear in your eye and wave farewell to him, telling him that it was great having him and that you will always cherish the memories?
No!
You fought tooth and nail to get him to your site. Don't you dare let him leave without telling him how great he is, how much you enjoyed his visit, and that he really must visit again, and soon! If you have to bribe, cajole, grovel, or even threaten to get him to come back, do it.
So, what do you have to do to get your web visitor to come back?
Well, every website, every visitor and every webmaster is unique, so what works for one visitor or one website might not work for the next. But there are some tried and tested techniques that does work a lot of the time.
Fresh Content
Keep your site updated with fresh content. It doesn't have to be a lot, just an article or post per week should be enough to keep your visitors coming back.
Another way that you can keep the fresh content coming is to let your visitors contribute content to your website. A good way to do that is to install a forum, or if you have a blog, to allow comments on the blog.
Domain Name
Try to get a domain name that can be easily remembered. For example, if you have a home business site, names like LegitimateHomeBusiness.com, or OnlineHomeBusiness.com, or HomeBusinessesForYou.com are rather hard to remember. After browsing a few of these sites, their names will not really stand out.
But, a name like QuittingYourJob.com is easier to remember and would stand out among the rest. But do make an attempt to direct the attention of your visitor to the name as they usually will not notice the name of the site they are on.
But do consider that the more "generic" names like GoodHomeBusiness.com are better if you want to rank better in the search engines. A good way would be to register both types of names and point the one to the other.
Bookmark
This is a simple script that you add to your site that allows the visitor to add your site to his favorites in his browser by simply clicking a link. A lot of people assume that they can remember your site's name and don't bother to bookmark the site. Too often, they will forget and never return. If you make it that much easier for them, they might just decide to bookmark your site.
Newsletter
If you don't have one, you really need to start one. Many people never start a newsletter because of the hassle of having to come out with an issue every week, or month. But with proper planning, coming out with a regular newsletter can actually be a breeze.
The following tips can ensure that a weekly newsletter actually comes out on a weekly basis:
Prepare a few issues before launch so that you can get a headstart.
Always research and write a few issues at a time as it will save time.
Use the same template or formatting for every newsletter.
Consider using freely available content, and possibly subcontracting out some work.
Branded Free Gift
Bribing your visitor with a free gift, with the promise of more in the future, is sure to get your visitor to return.
And, unless you are really loaded, don't give a physical product as a free gift. Look around the net for something that can be downloaded like an ebook or software, so that your cost of giving away the gift is the same whether you have a thousand or a million visitors.
And look for a product that can be rebranded with your site's details. That way, if your visitor has long forgotten about your site but is still using your free gift, you may still get a visit from him.
Conclusion
In the longer term, if you consider having your business run more and more on autopilot as time goes by, getting as many repeat visitors as possible should be a major aspect of your business plan. Just make sure you give your visitor what he wants, and implement some or all of the techniques above, and you should be well on your way to a great site that keeps its visitors coming back.
David Lim is the webmaster of http://QuittingYourJob.com, a business resource for the entrepreneur looking to start, or grow an online home-based business.
This article may be reprinted freely, provided no changes are made, and provided the resource box above follows the article.