Create An Ezine To Get People Back To Your Site

 by: Richard Lowe, Jr.

I know you've worked hard on your website. I know it looks pretty good - in fact, it's fantastic. However, you are facing one huge problem - getting people to come back.

Look at it this way: if you are serious, you should be updating your web site on a regular basis. While not everyone can update their site several times a day like I do, you should at least add something relatively significant on a weekly basis. If you have any doubts about that time frame, remember, the web is huge and people who surf the web need (require) constant changes. Nothing will die faster than a stale site!

Okay, so you are updating your site every single day (or weekly or whatever). So how do people know this? You can (and should) do a number of things, including specifying a "what's new" section on your index page, referencing the changes in editorial columns and so on.

However, the most important task you can do is create a regular newsletter which let's people know what's changed.

Do NOT send this newsletter out to everyone on the planet - that's called SPAM. What you want to do is sprinkle sign-up buttons and links throughout your site. Put at least one link on every single page of your site. Use buttons, blink it if you have to, but get your visitor's attention to your sign-up links. Some sites even offer a free give away (an ebook, report, shareware program or something) if you simply sign up for the newsletter.

Why is this important? Because no matter what your site is about, commercial or home page, if you can get someone to sign up for your newsletter you've found someone who is interested in what you've got to say. They gave you a way to contact them, willingly and without being forced, and they gave you permission (by virtue of signing up) to send them information.

These people are the most valuable people you can get as visitors. They liked what you had to say. They actually want you to tell them when something new happens so they can come back. Take advantage of that - send them a content filled newsletter. Include something special in each issue, something more than just some links or a few useless words. I like to include an article, a list of new or changed information on my site and a few useful links. ALWAYS include a way to opt-out - at the bottom of the newsletter is the traditional place (do not make your readers search for this).

An ad or two in the newsletter is fine, but be careful - do not include more unless you specify that in the signup page. You do not even want to have any appearance of spam.

Remember your goal - get them to your web site. If you've got something to sell, do it on your web site. People do not generally like to receive ads (even willingly) in their emails, but they love articles and useful tips and even jokes. But more than a couple of ads are tacky. And please, avoid advertising your affiliate or pay-to- surf programs in your ezine. Many spam filters will delete any messages containing that junk right away (mine deletes them sight- unseen).

So get your visitors to sign up for a regular newsletter, and send it out as often as you can. You will be rewarded with a steady stream of return visits.