Keeping Readers After the First Click

Writing relevant content, having an updated website, and marketing strategically are all ways to promote your business effectively. However, these all depend on if the reader keeps reading after the first click to your site. How, then, do you keep your readers on your page? By focusing on your organization, relevance, and visuals, you will be more effective in keeping readers after the first click.

Organize Your Content Logically

How will organization keep readers on my page?

Potential consumers are impatient. With the vast amount of information available at our fingertips, people want to find what they need after the first click. With this, organization is key to keeping your readers on your website. 

Your home page should include relevant information but should avoid cramming too much content on it. While this is a difficult line to walk, you can do this through including sub-pages. Your home page should not have every little detail about the products or services you offer. Rather, you should have sub-pages that offer the necessary information. Be careful, however, that you do not create an overwhelming amount of sub-pages. This will become just as confusing as having all of your information on the home page. Instead, create sub-pages with information that logically goes together. You can always link to another page with specific information about that product or service from there. 

The main takeaway here is to organize with a purpose. Put yourself in your target public’s shoes and walk through your site. Ask yourself, “Can I access the information I need?” and “What can I do to make the information easier to access?”. Once you figure out where those places to improve your site are, you can reorganize and thus better entice readers to stay after the first click.

Showcase Your Company’s Relevance

How can showing my company’s relevance keep readers after the first click?

Relevant content is vital to bring potential consumers to your website, and keep them there. No one wants to go to a site and see old content. They may question your products’ and services’ quality as the information appears out-of-date. The goodwill between your company and consumers may also suffer because they may think you do not care enough to update your content. In order to avoid all this, showcase your company’s relevance to keep readers on your page.

How, then, can you show your company’s relevance? First, your content should do this itself. Any content you put on your website should have a purpose. If it does not, either get rid of that content or edit it so that it has purpose. Second, go through your website regularly to avoid any out-dated information. Website audits can be tiring, but they are worth it. Look for any inconsistencies with what you offer or how the content is organized. Third, if you have a blog or social media, make sure you post regularly. This does not mean posting five times every single day. Figure out the volume of content you post that works best for your company and then stick to it. If you get off track every now and then, that’s okay! Just make sure you pick it back up to showcase your company’s relevance.

Create Effective Visuals

How can the visuals I create keep readers after the first click?

They say a picture is greater than a thousand words. While this is not saying to dump all of your written content and replace it with a picture, you should utilize visual communication on your site.

Visuals have a way of sparking emotions and feelings that words are unable to convey in the same way. Graphics, charts, and images all showcase content in an easy-to-digest manner that will catch your readers’ attention. Be careful, though, to make sure your images align with your brand image. Just because a picture will garner attention does not mean it is the right fit.

Like your written content, your images need to have a purpose. If visuals make the content more confusing, don’t use them. Every image or graphic you use needs to tie back to your brand. Being cohesive in this way will strengthen your overall brand image while also drawing your reader into your company. People like cohesion, especially in design. If your visuals are all over the place and do not have the same aesthetic, your reader will likely leave your site. Check out Dana Kachan’s article, “The Power of Visual Communication in Digital Marketing,”on business2community.com to learn more about visual communication in digital marketing.

Keeping readers after the first click can seem daunting in this age of information overload. With how impatient today’s consumers are, your task of promoting your company becomes more difficult. However, by organizing your content logically, showcasing your company’s relevance, and creating effective visuals, you will be able to maintain your readers’ attention after the first click.