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8 tips how to build a website that encourages engagement

Everyone agrees that an online presence is a must. However one must also agree and resign to the fact that due to myriad of content present in the online world, it has become an almost impossible feat to both engage and retain your audience.

In the past web developers would tell you to be sure that your website is not only good-looking, but that it also loads fast. In this way your audience would be encouraged to spend more time on your portal. Unfortunately even though these tips are still relevant, more factors need to be taken into account.

Below you have 8 tips to help you build such a website:

1. Be sure that a user can easily navigate through the site
   Imagine that you have the best-looking website in the world. However as time passes by you get to notice that the expected engagement is not being recorded. Even though innovation is good, be sure that certain standards are being adhered to. In this way visitors will not get lost in the design.
    
2. Visuals
   Even though content is a very important tool, an image as they say is worth a thousand words. Be sure to use tasteful and appropriate images to get your point across. However be sure that you always keep a balance and not to over-do it.
    
3. Emphasise important links
   Always keep in mind that the attention span of a user is very short, and you need to make the visit of your target audience as worthwhile as possible. Highlight the most important links on your website. If you know that certain pages contain the most important information of your business, be sure that these are easily accessible from the home page.
    
4. Build trust with your audience
   Nowadays if you search for a particular service, most probably you are going to find a number of businesses offering the same thing in your area. Be sure that you differentiate yourself from the other organisations by instilling trust in your audience. How? Share testimonials from past satisfied customers. Give out information from past projects. Remember the more you are trusted, the higher the probability of gaining new leads.
    
5. Add value to your portal
   With the same above argument, you cannot expect users to visit your portal if you are not offering anything new. From time to time be sure to publish meaningful content, which gives some type of advice to your audience. Or else add a service which compliments your main business. 
    
6. KISS
   Keep-It-Simple-Stupid! Be sure that each page present on your website can be easily accessed from everywhere. Do not try and use complicated structures within your sitemap as this will definetly and surely backfire.
    
7. Hassle-free payment
   If your portal is going to have an ecommerce facility, be sure that the payment process is not only easy, but also safe and hassle-free. Nobody likes to have a payment facility on their website which is not trusted by their target audience.
    
8. Use Call-To-Actions
   Even though you might have great content which explains what you can offer, keep in mind that your audience are not always going to read everything you have prepared. Be sure that your website offers clear Call-To-Actions buttons clearly explaining what you have on offer.

Source

'How to build a website that won’t bounce visitors away' by Akanksha Chauhan. Accessed from https://yourstory.com/2016/08/build-website-attract-visitors/ on the 2nd of September, 2016.