We’ve long been able to track the amount of time readers spend on a blog or website with Google Analytics. Increasing time on site, in addition to reducing bounce rate, is an important way to determine whether or not your content is successfully meeting the needs of your readers.
But did you know that blogs and websites with a proven track record of lengthy time-on-site averages?also get an SEO boost? And if you are selling ad space, the length of time readers spend on your site could also translate into more revenue (the longer someone is on your site, the more likely they will take the time to click on an ad.)
So, how do you capture your audiences attention and keep them on your site longer? Well, good content is always a good place to start, of course. According to a study by MarketingProfs, 53% of time spent online is directly attributed to content consumption. But consider this, according to the same research:?96% of content that is shared is interactive content, not static content.
Your readers want and prefer engaging, digital content. Content that they are not only compelled to interact with, but share with others across their social networks.
This includes everything from flash games, to funny videos of cats, to interactive quizzes and sweepstakes. Providing content that is inherently engaging not only entertains your readers, but gives them a reason to visit with you longer.
One example of this can be seen on the?PCworld.com?site. They created a trivia quiz?custom-tailored to their audience.?From data we’ve collected from our customers, we’ve found that interactive trivia quizzes can?increase time on site by an average?of 1:46 minutes. Trivia quizzes are so effective because readers a) are asked difficult questions that take time to answer and b) are likely to take the quiz over and over to improve their scores!
We’ve seen this on our own site. Specifically, the SnapApp blog. At the end of certain posts, we’ll often include a relevant quiz that follows up on the content we discussed earlier. For example, when I wrote a blog post about what kind of content is appropriate to post across specific social networking sites (Facebook, Twitter, Google+, or LinkedIn) , I included a brief SnapApp “diagnostic” test that helped readers figure out where to post a piece of content.
The quiz was not only well-received, but it was responsible for one of our highest instances of time on site. In fact, posts featuring a quiz?increased time on site by a minimum of 30%
?As you can see, creating interactive content?can not only increase time customers spend on your site, and add real value to your site’s content.
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