Getting people’s attention long enough to come to your website is a huge feat – with nearly 2 billion websites in the world, if you are getting good traffic, you are to be congratulated!
Keeping them there is a completely different game!
Google rates “Bounce time” – that is how long it takes for someone to bounce off your site – and uses this bounce time in deciding whether your content is worth sending people to in future. Good content, longer bounce times means better Google rankings.
Writing copy and blog articles which resonate with your target audience is considered by some as a dark art. What heading should you use? How long should the content be? How do you keep someone reading and interested in your content?
A bit like writing a good novel, you want to keep them reading to the end. It will help build your credibility both with the reader and with Google. A good read will help them better understand your brand and help them get to know you a little better. It moves them along the Know-Like-Trust continuum.
Here’s my top 5 tips for keeping people reading your website (make sure you read the last one – it’s the most important):
1. Use a Catchy Headline
Without a headline that catches your audience’s attention they are unlikely to even consider reading any further. Information is coming at us constantly. If it doesn’t resonate in the first 3 seconds – they are more likely to leave. So make it catchy.
Use Google searches and keyword finders to help find the words that will resonate with your target audience. What questions are people putting into search engines to solve their problems? These are the words you want in your headings.
I wrote here about how to create content for your target audience. These tools can also help you create catchy headlines.
2. Open the Article or Blog with something Enticing
A statistic, a quirky story or an interesting fact can entice readers to keep going.
Giving them something that helps them to identify with their known problem or unearthing an unspoken problem they have can keep them reading.
It comes back to knowing your audience, what is important to them and what they are looking for.
3. Make it Clear and Precise
We live in such a busy world, and we receive and are bombarded by so much information, most people are very time poor. So, make it punchy. Show them how reading your article or page is going to help them.
Use dot points or numbers with headings so that people can scan down the page and find the points that are relevant or meaningful to them.
Like I’m doing here – see those headings? You’re welcome.
4. Ask an Open Question or Two
Asking open ended questions to your readers, that is questions that need more than a yes or no answer will get them thinking. This means they are engaging with your content. Almost having a conversation with you in their heads as they read.
As funny as it sounds, they are building a relationship with you as they do this. Perhaps they are considering what your response to their answer might be, and will continue reading to see how it turns out and if you really do know what they want or need.
How often do you find yourself thinking about something you have read earlier? Perhaps there was something that struck a chord with you, uncovered a truth or resonated strongly? Whatever it is, when you think about it again, you are likely to think positively of the source of that truth.
5. Keep Something to the End
Putting a teaser up front for something the reader will only get at the end can keep them on the page too.
With them searching for the elusive answer to their problem, they are more likely to read through to the end of your article or blog. If the answer wasn’t elusive, they wouldn’t be searching for it, so you need to help them find the solution through your writing.
If you put all the good stuff right up at the beginning, they will find their answer and leave – they’re busy, remember and time is limited. So if you really want to keep them on your page, keep them reading, to the end, then save something for last.
If you’d like to know more about how I can help you with writing better blogs, using blogging to improve your Google rankings or develop your brand voice in your blog, then get in touch. Use the big orange button below and Let’s Do This!
I am offering you a free 30 minute phone hook up to chat about how I can help build your business credibility and your audience.
See what I did there? I left the free offer to the end – I look forward to talking to you soon…