- 1). Remember your target audience. Every website should have a target audience in mind and this should be what drives the website. Whether your target audience is retired businessmen or preteen girls, it is important to keep their interests in mind.
- 2). Think from your target audience's perspective. Take a look at your website and brainstorm questions you may have if you were them. Try to find out what they want to see on your website.
- 3). Try a beta version of your website. Allow a group of your target audience to go to your website and critique it. Have them fill out a form or survey to help improve the content in their eyes. Offer incentives to get the best feedback and responses.
- 4). Offer useful information. Regularly update and add new and helpful things to your website. This can attract returning viewers. Remember to stick to your website's goals. It is important to stay on topic and to provide useful, relevant information.
- 5). Consider adding relevant news to your website. Because you have a target audience in mind already, it should be easy to find relevant news stories to provide (see Resources below).
- 6). Add message boards or forums. This will allow the users to interact with each other. It is quite simple to add these message boards, not to mention inexpensive. You can even find free message boards like Vanilla (see Resources below). If you do get message boards, you should regularly monitor them. Don't allow offensive material as that drives people away.
- 7). Have regular contests. Offer incentives that will keep viewers coming back. It doesn't have to be a very big prize. Again, keep the contest and prize relevant to your website's content. For the winner, you can announce it on your website and do other fun things to keep them interested. To get more competitors to participate, you can go to The Free Site to register your contest (see Resources below).
- 8). Create a blog. Include any informational tidbits that a viewer will want to know. Not only is this a great way to bring back visitors, but it's a great way to bring in newcomers.