5 Content Fixes to Boost Website Engagement

First Impressions are Everything

When someone lands on your website, you have under 15 seconds to capture their attention before they click away.

That's not much time to make an impression, especially considering the average person spends over 4 hours online each day–browsing websites, shopping, scrolling social media, and managing an endless stream of emails.

So how do you make your website stand out?

In this article, you’ll learn 5 tips to make your website more engaging and “sticky” so visitors stay longer.

The best part? These aren’t complex redesigns or technical changes–they’re simple but powerful adjustments to your messaging that can transform how visitors interact with your website.

Why bother improving your website?

As noted in this Forbes article, research shows that every dollar invested in user experience returns up to $100 in benefits.

That’s a 9,900% return on investment. 

the problem

Why Visitors Leave Your Website in 15 Seconds

Let’s look at three key challenges that are impacting your website.

1. Your visitors are distracted.

Research shows people only read about 30% of the words on any web page. Instead of reading, visitors scan your pages looking for specific trigger words that catch their attention.

If they don’t find what they’re looking for quickly, they’re gone.

2. Your visitors are self-centered.

Your visitors aren’t interested in how long you’ve been in business or your company certifications–unless it’s helping them solve their problems.

What they care about is themselves.

3. Your visitors need to be guided.

Think of your website content like highway signs. It needs to clearly tell visitors if they’re on the right path. And it needs to provide compelling calls to action so they know exactly what to do.

Being clever might win awards, but being clear wins customers.

“On average, we spend fewer than 15 seconds on most of the web pages we click.”

–Smart Brevity: The Power of Saying More with Less

How to fix it

5 Tips to Transform Your Website Content

We’ve put together 5 simple but powerful tips to make your website more engaging and “sticky.” These are the same strategies I’ve used to help clients increase their average time on site by 150%.

1. Write Customer-Focused Content

The first step is to understand who your website visitors are and what they are looking for. All the other changes build on this customer-centric approach.

  • Shift the perspective.
    Instead of talking about yourself ("we, our"), speak directly to your audience ("you, your").
  • Provide value first.
    Focus on outcomes your customers will experience or the value you offer.
  • Take the Lead.
    Provide clear calls to action so visitors know what to do next.
Example of Customer-Focused Content

Imagine you need help hiring a marketing director, so you visit the websites of two different recruiting firms.

  • Recruiting Firm A
    “We help our clients fulfill key staffing positions through our extensive network of experienced and qualified candidates.”
  • Recruiting Firm B
    “Staff your key positions quickly with qualified employees, guaranteed.”

Firm B wins every time because they focus on your problem, not their own capabilities. Did you even finish reading Firm A’s tagline?

2. Use Clear Headlines and Titles

Think of your headlines like highway signs. When someone’s driving by at 60 miles per hour, they need to understand quickly if they are on the right path to what they are looking for.

  • Summarize key topics.
    Write headlines that can stand alone and summarize sections of content.
  • Get to the point.
    Front-load the benefit or main point in the first few words.
  • Be crystal clear.
    Use simple, direct language. Never sacrifice clarity by being clever or cute.

3. Make Your Content Scannable

As mentioned earlier, visitors don't read–they scan. Ensure your content is formatted to make it easy for your visitors to quickly scroll through your web page and understand what it's all about.

  • Keep it short and sweet.
    Break long paragraphs into 2-3 line chunks, and favor simple words that are easily understood.
  • Format text to make it interesting.
    Use bullet points to list information and bold text to highlight key ideas.
  • Give your content (and visitors) room to breathe. 
    Leave plenty of white space so the content doesn't feel cramped or overwhelming.

4. Edit Your Content to be Laser-Focused

Considering that people only read 30% of words on a website, it’s critical that every word counts. Here are some ways to make your messaging as effective as possible.

  • Make it make sense.
    Avoid industry jargon and acronyms like “We have a 30% ARPCA.” What? If your visitor has to guess what something means, it will only confuse them.
  • Remove the “ROT.”
    Eliminate any content that is Redundant, Outdated, or Trivial. If the content doesn’t directly serve your message or add value to your visitors, take it out.
  • Write how you speak.
    Practice reading your content out loud, or have a colleague read it to you. Does it sound natural or forced? Does it have a conversational flow?

5. Test, Rewrite, Repeat

Once you've completed Steps 1-4, test your website content with someone you trust. It is better to get honest feedback and fix it rather than just hope it makes sense to your visitors.

  • Run a 15-second test.
    Have a friend or colleague scan your website for 15 seconds. Then, close the browser window.
  • Get their first impressions.
    Ask them what they remember from your website and what caught their attention.
  • Compare the results to your goals.
    Did what they recall match what you wanted to communicate? Did they “get it?”
  • Repeat and revise.
    Repeat this test with 2-3 more people to find problems that multiple testers encounter. Those common issues are likely more important than one-off feedback or outliers.

Get Started

Next Steps to Improve Your Website Content

Want more engaged visitors who stay longer and take action? Start with this simple three-phase plan. 

These steps will put you on the path to better engagement right away. But keep in mind that improving your website is an ongoing process. Don’t expect to just check the box and move on.

Phase 1

Quick-Scan Your Website

Take 15 minutes today to review your website's content. Open it up and pretend you're a first-time visitor. Can you immediately tell:

  • What you offer?
  • Who it's for?
  • Why they should care?
  • What to do next?

Phase 2

Upgrade Your Content

Next, schedule time to work through this 5-step guide. You can do this yourself, but collaborating with colleagues, your marketing team, or a professional copywriter will deliver the best results. Once you’ve updated the content, publish the changes on your website.

Phase 3

Monitor and Optimize

Review your website's performance with your marketing or web team every 1-3 months. Look at the analytics to understand what’s working and what needs to be fixed.

Keep a prioritized list of website updates, improvements, or new features you'd like to add. Focus first on the items that add the most value to your visitors.

Learn More

Additional Resources

Want to take a deeper dive? Here are several resources that we use and love for mastering website engagement, from copywriting to usability testing.

Books

Websites & Software

  • Copyblogger
    A wealth of content marketing tips and articles
  • Nielsen Norman Group
    An industry leader in user experience articles, reports, and more.
  • HubSpot Academy
    Free courses on a range of topics like content marketing and SEO.
  • Kolenda
    Action-packed guides, tips, and courses about persuasive design.
  • Masterful
    Conversion-focused copywriting articles, books, courses, workshops.
  • Useberry
    User experience platform for testing website design and content.

Have questions?

We are here to help. Contact us, and we’ll get back to you within two business days (or sooner).

About Dative

Based on Cape Cod, we help builders and architects increase qualified leads through custom websites and strategic SEO.

“Dative consistently impresses us with their exceptional service and strategic insight.”

Dative has been our trusted web partner for years. Their responsiveness is unmatched, and their advice has been invaluable to our organization. Dative is committed to excellence, and we’re grateful for this ongoing partnership. Highly recommend!

David Kuehn

Cotuit Center for the Arts

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