Top Ten Ways to Bring Repeat Visitors Back to your Web Site

Bring those visitors back for more, applauding you and saying
BRAVO! They will create a buzz about your great site,
bookmark it, and send you many new visitors. These visitors are
your personal marketing force. Give them reasons to return!

Like myself, you other non-techies may not have heard of what a
"sticky" Web site is (it is the stuff that lures visitors back
again and again). We know we want that!

Forget getting to the top of the search engines. Let your
Webmaster do that. Instead, try out some of these low-
maintenance ways to bring 'em back to your Web site for more.

1.Upload new, original, and useful content often. Your Web site
is not a brochure. Blatant ads such as banners turn visitors off.
Give them information they can't find anywhere else-and give it
free. People want and need how to's. Always think benefits
when you post some new article. Helping your visitors get what
they want will bring you respect and trust as an expert, and
eventually, profit, from your book and other products.

2. Update your Web site content regularly and often, perhaps
daily or weekly. If someone visits your site and finds nothing
new, they will disappear into cyberspace and spend their time on
other sites. If you don't want to write articles, place other
people's articles up from ezines or Web sites, a list, or a short
tip. Keep the pieces under 800 words. Common lengths are
anywhere from 75-400 words, which could be excerpts from
your book.

3. Publish your own ezine. Target it to your specific audience.
Make it short and sweet. Start with a monthly, then see if you
can do it bi-weekly. If you don't stay in regular touch with your
possible buyers, they will forget you and your book's message.
People want to know you better, so they can trust you and think
of you as a savvy friend in their corner.

Your free information, tips and resources will keep them as
subscribers. If they like your eMag, they will recommend it to
others. The opt-in eNewsletter tops all other ways to drive traffic
to your site, and it can be mass mailed free, too. Check out
http://www.bookcoaching.com/products.shtml.

4. Include a recommending service on your site. Your repeat
visitors create new traffic. Check out www.Recommend-It.com.
It's free, fast, and versatile. Each time someone recommends
your site, they are entered in a contest to win a Palm V reading
device.

5. Host a forum on your site where people can interact fully
and you can share your knowledge and offer suggestions. It's a
great way to help others and get these people visiting your site
often because they want to know you as a real person.

Without a chance to interact with you people lose interest. Allow
your visitors to post a message or reply to other messages. They
will check back every few days for new messages or replies. To
find these services, do a search on "free webmaster resources."
Two specific ones: http://www.delphi.com and
http://www.everyone.net. Check out this discussion group
http://www.ablake.net/forum/

6. Remind your visitors to bookmark your site. Tell them you
update information daily or weekly. Put reminders on all of your
pages. If you omit this, you pass up a great opportunity to lure
repeat, loyal visitors. You want more visitors, and you want them
to spend more time on your site. The more time they spend on
your site, the more likely they will check out your products or
services pages

7. Serialize some of your content. If visitors get it all in one
visit, what's to keep them coming back? Put one part of an
article, home study course, special report, or excerpt from your
book on your site each week or so. Let people know this
through your eMagazine.

8. Post a monthly special only for your Web visitors. Call it
"Discount of the month," or "Special Offers." Without
incentives your audience will go elsewhere. Feature this
opportunity in your ezine and provide a live link straight to it.

9. Enjoy the journey. Each day, you can learn something that
will make your Web site more real, more YOU. Avoid being
stiff-let your passion show! Add some personal information such
as the personal column. 'The Coach's Corner' in the ezine, "The
Book Coach Says," mentions personal writing and marketing set
backs, boo boos, along with a tip or so. Put a personal message
on your site too.

10. Put "useful links" as a navigational bar on your home page.
People like the convenience of shopping for services and
products all on one Web site-yours!

Maintenance is not as sexy as creating a new site, but it is your
responsibility to make your site jazzy enough to keep people
coming back. If you are not inspired or don't want to spend the
time on your site, but still want to maintain it, delegate it to a
professional or techie intern.

About the Author

Judy Cullins: author, publisher, book coach
Helps professionals manifest their book dreams
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Judy@bookcoaching.com