For most bloggers getting returning visitors is the biggest thing. Returning visitors mean that people have actually liked the stuff you have written and want to read more. The concepts of getting returning readers is easy, but the implementation may take some time.  All my ideas on the subject follow

Make a Good First Impression

First impressions count on blogs more than you think. When people come to your site, they spend a few seconds in assesing your site. They look at the navigation, the ads and the overall cleanness of your site. Then they make the decision, if they like it or not. If they do, then you have 5% chance of getting a returning visitor.

How to make a good first impression?
Keep the layout clean. Do not add more widgets than you need and don’t make your site look fuzzy. Having a professional looking site is the best way. If you have advertisements on your site, then think of how you can make them blend in. Don’t let your ads jump out too much and punch your reader on the face.

Have Good Content

Readers come to your site looking for something. Maybe it is a specific subject or just general information. You need to fill the needs of readers and provide the content that they have been searching for. They way to do it is always think what your readers might be looking for. Good content gets you returning readers with about 10% chance.

Never mislead your readers. The biggest mistake is to provide false hopes in your headlines and then let your readers down. By misleading, people get offended and they are not likely to come back.

Good Content and a Good First Impression

If you have tackled both of these cases, then the chance of getting a returning visitor is not 5% plus 10%. It is fortunately much more, because combining both of these, you make the reader have a positive attitude towards your site. The chance of a returning visitor may be as high as 30%

Conclusion

  • Make a good first impression
  • Have good content
  • If you have both, then you are heading for success.