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Getting people to visit your website is only half the battle. The big challenge is how do you increase the time visitors spend on your website once you have their attention.
The amount of time a user spends on your site is a crucial metric that reflects the quality of your content, the usability of your site, and the value you provide in the mind of the visitor. So, how can you increase the time visitors spend on your website? There are several effective strategies to help you achieve just that.
If your content isn’t useful, interesting, or relevant, visitors won’t stick around. Focus on creating content that answers your audience’s questions, solves their problems, or offers insights they can’t easily find elsewhere. Use storytelling, personal anecdotes, data, or humour to make your content more engaging.
Google also looks at your content in the same way. The Google ‘Helpful Content Algorithm’ wants you to “Focus on people-first content” which is defined as “ content that's created primarily for people, and not to manipulate search engine rankings” ( Source: Google).
Helpful guides, information sheets,blog posts, videos, infographics, podcasts and case studies are all powerful formats. Consider using a mix to cater to different preferences and keep things fresh. Also, ensure that your content is well-structured, easy to read, and includes headings, bullet points, and visual breaks to avoid overwhelming your readers.
Humans are visual creatures, and walls of text can be off-putting. Break up your content with relevant images, infographics, videos, or interactive elements. Videos, in particular, are powerful tools for increasing dwell time. Whether it’s a product demo, tutorial, or testimonial, well-placed video content can keep users engaged far longer than text alone.
You should also know as much as possible about your target audience in the choice of formats. A younger audience will have a different preference to an older audience. So spend a time at the early stages and establish as much background as possible.
Good user experience is essential for keeping people on your site. Make sure your website is easy to navigate, with a clean layout and intuitive menus. Broken links, confusing calls-to-action, or hard-to-read fonts will frustrate users and drive them away.
A responsive design is also crucial. With more people browsing on mobile devices, your website should look and function just as well on a smartphone or tablet as it does on a desktop.
A slow-loading website is one of the fastest ways to lose visitors. According to Forbes “Worryingly, the average time spent on a website is roughly 54 seconds—not long at all! ( Source: Forbes) So if your loading is slow the user may never even get to the home page.
Don’t leave your visitors wondering what to do next. Use clear, compelling calls to action to guide them through your site ,whether it’s reading another article, signing up for a newsletter, or exploring your services. Thoughtfully placed CTAs help create a journey rather than a dead end.
A stale website will quickly lose its appeal. Regularly update your content to ensure it’s accurate, fresh and relevant. Outdated information can damage your credibility and push visitors away. Fresh content also gives returning visitors a reason to come back and spend more time exploring.
Increasing the time visitors spend on your website isn’t about using tricks or gimmicks. It’s about providing genuine value through high-quality content, intuitive design, and a smooth, engaging experience. By focusing on the needs and behaviours of your audience, and continuously refining your approach, you can turn casual visitors into loyal followers and ultimately, into customers.
Remember: a great website doesn’t just attract clicks, it earns attention.
The answer to the question how do you increase the time visitors spend on your website involves a lot of different aspect of your website. You may need a good web design partners to help you.
If you are looking for a web design partner, then Say Web Design are always willing to help with affordable designs that deliver. We can deliver good Web design ideas that don’t cost the earth.
We are based in Newquay, but our coverage includes all part of the UK. Why not get in touch and discuss your requirements.
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