Getting traffic to your website is hard work and can be expensive. So it's cost-effective to get repeat visitors not only first time visitors.
Getting repeat visitors is all about giving value to your visitors. You need to give them what they ask for, what they are searching for, and then dazzle them when they get to you. That way, they will come back for more time and again.
So how can you please your visitors so they return to your site?
Here are my top ten suggestions. Some of these overlap with how to encourage visitors to tell others about your site, so increasing your traffic that way too through viral networking.
1. Keep your site fresh.
Update the content on your frequently. Dormant sites are dropped by some search engines as well, which will reduce all your traffic anyhow.
2. Offer extra value to your visitors.
You can identify related complementary sites and put links to these additional products and services. Ask those sites to do the same for you.
It won't necessarily increase your page rank but it does add value to your human visitors. You can also advertise books and videos that relate to your business and are not in competition with your own offers.
3. Add a link 'Recommend this site to a Friend' so that the visitor can email your website link, with a pre-written title, "Thought you might be interested in this", just by clicking on it.
This expands your traffic as others share your site info with their network of contacts.
4. Brand your website with a friendly, attractive scheme, so that visitors always recognize when they are on your site's pages. Use a clear logo and consistent 'look and feel'. Always include a 'Contact Us' link in your navigation bar.
5. Create a 'Terms and Conditions' page that clearly defines your business principles. Have a privacy policy too, so visitors know what happens to their data on your site and that they are secure from spam when they opt-in.
6. Create a Frequently Asked Questions page which answers most of the concerns about your business, product or services that people generally ask.
This helps to allay the main doubts people have when they first visit your website.
7. Use clear titles and keywords and a clear navigation so that your visitors can find their way back to your site if they lose their bookmark.
8. Never spam a visitor, who has opted for newsletters with third party emails. If they decide to unsubscribe, make sure you honor their request and take them off your broadcast list and any auto responder series.
They may still come back if they like your products and opt in again, perhaps if there's a different offer from time to time.
9. Encourage your visitors to subscribe to your site.
Offer a free report or video training or to get discounts and special offers. Place a link on your site to invite visitors to 'opt in' to get a monthly newsletter or valuable coupons.
10. Add a link to your primary page for a RSS feed or other social bookmarking links so they can get updates automatically. Suggest they 'Add this site to your Favorites'.