How to improve content engagement on your website: practical tips for publishers

Are you ready to stop losing readers and unlock more revenue from your content?

If you're tired of publishing great articles that seem to disappear into the void, you're not alone. Many publishers struggle with low content engagement, a problem that can lead to high bounce rates, low pageviews, and ultimately, lost revenue.

The good news is, there are effective strategies you can use to keep your readers engaged and coming back for more.

Join our waitlist for early access and learn how our platform can help you improve your website’s user engagement metrics.

The problem of low engagement

It's a frustrating cycle. You write a blog post, share it on social media, and then... crickets. Users land on your page, skim through the content, and then bounce. They don't click on your call-to-action, they don't explore other articles, and they certainly don't convert into loyal readers or subscribers.

I believe there are three reasons for that:

1. A user looks for one specific piece of information and after finding it loses any interest in continuing.
2. A user actually reads the article and in the crucial moment of deciding whether to pick another article, she is overloaded with too many non-relevant offers for content and just getting through it feels like a waste of time.
3. The content is not good enough. Learn how to write engaging content.

Even if you are creating great content users might not stick to the website. They read it once and leave. This lack of content engagement is a major challenge for publishers of all sizes. Traditional "related articles" sections often go unnoticed, and users leave your website quickly without exploring all the amazing content you have.

The burden of information overload has brought us ADHD-like readers. You're basically losing readers, and losing out on potential ad revenue and opportunities to build a loyal audience.

Understanding the user

So what's the secret? It's about understanding your audience and making it easy for them to find more content they'll love.

Your readers are looking for information that is relevant to them, easy to consume, and engaging. If you can make it easy for them to discover more of the content they are interested in, they will stay on your site longer.

This means focusing on providing personalized experiences, rather than just showing generic recommendations.

Practical tips for improving content engagement

Here are some practical tips to boost content engagement on your website:

Data collection

First of all, you need to collect data about user behavior. You need to know what they like to read, how often, and when.

You may get some insight from analytical tools like Google Analytics or other solutions, but that is mostly aggregate data. You need to target specific users with specific offers, and for that, you need to track specific data.

Personalized recommendations

Don't just show random related articles or products. Use user behavior (that is why you need to start collecting data) to deliver smart content recommendations.

Has the user visited your website 3 times in the last week to read about his favourite football club? That’s great, let’s give him other content about the club on his next visit.

By showing users content they are genuinely interested in, you will keep them engaged longer, you will generate more pageviews, hence you will maximize your ad revenue.

Wondering what are the tools that can help you with relevant data collection, targeting the right user segments and serving great looking, personalized smart banners?

Bad news is, there are not many of them. Worse news is, the existing tools are rather large, expensive data platforms (really expensive) which are great, but their main purpose and target customer is different. That is no way for small to mid-sized publishers like yourself.

That is why we are building the PopEngage app. It is going to be an affordable smart tool that will help you with implementing user engagement strategy the right way.

Join our waitlist for early access and learn how our platform can help you transform your website.

Smart banners & pop-ups

Implement pop-up banners that guide users to relevant content at the right time. The right timing is crucial for user engagement.

Take the user from the previous paragraph reading articles about his favourite football club - after finishing the read of the 3rd article, send his way personalized smart pop-up, leading him to yet another article about his favourite team. Chances are he is going to read it, and you know that because of the data you have tracked.

Don't bombard users with intrusive generic pop-ups, but instead use well-placed banners that are shown when a user is more likely to be interested in them (after they have scrolled down the page, or after they have spent a certain time on your page).

Use smart notification-like styled banners, which are not as intrusive as huge banners covering ¾ of the screen, but pops out well enough of their surroundings, so the user actually notices them.

Internal linking

Make sure to properly link your content, so users can easily discover other relevant articles. Be careful though - it’s a thin line between good UX with relevant offers and information overload, which the user overlooks. A good internal linking strategy is good for SEO and also for user engagement.

Content optimization

Make sure that your content is well written, easy to read, and easy to understand. Depending on the purpose of your article, 500 to 700 words is the ideal size. Use clear headings, subheadings, and bullet points.

It simply comes down to having content which users stick to and want to read. It seems obvious but you’d be surprised how often authors just roll out words without actually having anything to say. Don’t do that.

Focus on user experience

Always focus on the user experience. Make sure that your website is easy to navigate, and that your content is easy to discover.

Leveraging technology to boost engagement

To implement these strategies, you need to leverage technology that can help you better understand your users and their needs. A good content service platform can help you provide personalized recommendations, while also giving you insights into user behavior.

👉 Not sure how to choose the right platform? We’ve created a guide to help you pick one that actually boosts traffic.

If you are running a platform that uses pop up banners, make sure that you are using smart banners that are triggered by user behavior, to avoid annoying readers. If the platform cannot do that for you, change it!

Conclusion

Improving content engagement is not a one-time effort. It's a continuous process of learning, testing, and optimizing. By using smart recommendations, clear navigation, and focusing on user needs, you can create a website that keeps readers engaged and coming back for more.

Are you ready to unlock the power of smart content recommendations and boost your engagement? Join our waitlist for early access and discover how our platform can help you transform your website.