The world of website traffic can be very confusing, and the formula for capturing conversions online is an ever-fluctuating cocktail of design, content, and strategy. It constantly changes depending on the latest social media platforms, technological advances, and the style of the day.

However, there are a few timeless strategies which have consistently proven effective when it comes to keeping and increasing engagement on your site:

1) Content should be legible

This sounds like a ‘no duh’ rule. However, sites can get so wrapped up in ‘maintaining an aesthetic’, that they forget that the fancy font they’ve chosen is making it difficult for their visitors to read content.

Body Text:

Remember to stick to easily legible fonts like Calibri or Times New Roman for your body text, and keep your distance from tacky fonts like Comic Sans. Also, stick to a slightly larger font than you think you need. If you’re opting for Times New Roman in 12 pt, consider bumping it up to 14pt.

Headlines:

For headlines, crazy fonts are a bit more permissible, as long as the text does not exceed a few words. However, so remember to use a font size of 22pt or greater for maximum effect

2) Navigation should be clear-cut

Have you ever arrived on a site to realize you can’t figure out how to find basic information? More than half the time you won’t even bother trying to search around, and you’ll likely visit a competitor’s website instead.

Once you set up your website, invite a few people who are totally new to your site to click around. Did it take them a bit? Or were they able to find what they needed right away?

Remember that although it’s your website, you’ll need to consider your visitors’ needs in order to be successful.

3) Keep registration as unobtrusive as possible

Not only do people not like filling out field after field, but they also don’t appreciate giving all of their information away. When you create a registration page, keep the fields to a bare minimum, and only ask for information you really need, like their name and email address.

According to ZDNet, when online travel firm Expedia removed one data field, they saw a $12 million dollar increase in profit.

So yes, people do notice.

4) Make it clear to visitors why your site benefits them

If your site sells products, make sure to use your website to its full potential and show off your products’ features. If your site is a lifestyle blog, make sure to really delve into how your advice will affect your readers’ lives for the better. Use images, videos, and infographics to increase the impact. The greatest mistake you can make is to under-utilize your site by assuming that people will come to you. Instead, give them a clear reason to visit your site again and again.

5) Keep your ads minimal and tasteful

There is nothing worse than going on a site and being barraged by a series of pop-ups or having your page constantly refresh to bring you another video advertisement. Ads should not be the first thing your visitors see when they come to your site, and once they do appear, keep them stashed to the side or in a neat bar at the bottom. Your actual content must always take center stage.

Although these aren’t the only factors affecting your website’s traffic and engagement, it’s definitely a good start. For those of you who have already applied these changes to your site, what’s another tip or trick you suggest? Let us know in the comments!