Are Your Website Visitors Guests or Tenants?

If your website is performing like most, then you are probably seeing something like 75% new traffic and 25% returning traffic. Here's why that should disturb you.

Let's say your website is an investment home.

You are considering either renting out your home (website) as a holiday home or getting a long-term tenant in. A flurry of holiday home guests may be exciting, however they will require a strong motivation to continue coming back. You also need to have a decent number of guests to maintain a steady income. Not as exciting, right?

Now think about your website visitors as long-term tenants. These tenants love your home - at least enough to stay long-term. They need less motivation to stay as they are already committed. You don't need the same amount of guest traffic to get a steady income.

Here are four home improvements you can make to your website to attract more long-term tenants.

1. Make a Promise - and Keep it

Picture this, you move into your new rental, bursting with excitement. The house is exactly what you were looking for and the landlord promises the world. However, when it comes to even the simplest of jobs, like ensuring a regular water supply or replacing a broken mailbox, the landlord is nowhere to be found. Sounds awful right?

Regular website visitors have an expectation of newness. They expect regular content, on-time and on-brand. Returning visitors may be more likely to return if they know when to expect new content. Whether you promise daily, weekly or monthly content, stick to it. On that note, only make promises you are confident you can keep.

2. Set a Reminder

Between remembering grocery lists, work projects, sports games and upcoming birthdays, it can be tricky for your audience to find space to remember the small things - like your upcoming content. This is why people love to have simple and consistent ways to stay on top of things.

Despite how much someone loves your content, after a week they may be asking themself what your website's URL was. However, most people don't have the patience (or bravery) to troll through their browser history to find your website.

One way to stop your website from being forgotten is to set up reminders that align with tools that your audience already commonly use.

• End blogs with a CTA to sign up to a newsletter. This works because people are already frequently using their emails.
• Encourage loyal followers to bookmark your link, so that when they visit their favourite search engine your website will appear as a reminder of your brand
• Link to your brand social media. It is estimated more than half of the world are on social media - would your brand like to join the social population?

3. Build More Entryways

Although not advisable on an actual house, your website home should have multiple entry doors. If your website is only relying on the powers at be behind the search engines to push your listing upward, you may be sorely disappointed. Building more entryways, especially in corners of the internet that are popular to your market, can help attract visitors that are more likely to return.

Here's an example: you run a popular affiliate website for eye care with information on eye diseases, sunglasses and supplements. Amber discovers your website after Googling 2020 sunglass ideas. She finds your blog informative, but eventually leaves and never returns, adding to the statistic. Sigh.

Compare this to Blake, who discovers a link to your website in his Facebook group on cataracts, an eye condition he is afflicted with. He spends about 30 minutes scrolling your website before opening it again tomorrow and eventually subscribing to your newsletter to stay up to date. You probably have a fairly good idea out of Amber and Blake who will become a loyal and profitable guest - and it all stemmed from what channel they came from.

Do you see what we're trying to say here? Creating meaningful backlinks to your website can deliver visitors who stay longer and return. Some entryways to your website worth considering include posting on forums, social bookmarking, and related blogs.

4. Create a Motive

Think about the last hotel you booked. What was it that drove you to book that one as opposed to the other tabs in your browser? Was there an offer of a free cooked breakfast? Perhaps the pool looked extra tempting? Or maybe the price was just right?

Just like choosing a place to stay, your website should offer something special that convinces your audience to keep visiting. Your website is one in several hundred million active websites - how will you stand out? What motive will you use to encourage visitors to return? We've listed the ideas below, however the best approach really depends on what motivates your specific target market:

• Exclusive price discounts on products
• The most fact-checked content
• A new approach (humorous, honest, storytelling) to an old subject
• Brand loyalty perks (better rates, exclusive deals, exclusive content)

A motive is only as meaningful as the meaning your audience assigns to it. If your target is thrifty dads who love health, offering exclusive price discounts will keep him returning. However if your content is apprehensive seniors with a medical background, fact-checked and reliable content is likely much more meaningful to them. Know your target audience and show them the TLC that they deserve.