How Interactive Websites Keep Visitors On Site Longer

There are three factors that a webmaster is concerned with when it comes to increasing traffic to his website.

· Getting new visitors.
· Getting repeat visitors.
· Increasing the amount of time a visitor spends on his site.

Interactive sites encourage all the above desired behaviors in several different ways. When a visitor logs on to the interactive site, he or she is attracted and drawn into the site by the various options available. Instead of sitting back and reading information passively, the visitor is encouraged to interact and be part of the entire information gathering process.

A new visitor is attracted to interactive websites because of the many offerings on display. The visitor feels important and welcome because interactive sites generally customize the website to suit the visitors taste. Using cookies some interactive websites even welcome the user with his or her name. Thus one can significantly increase traffic to interactive sites using online tools.

Once the visitor has been drawn into the interactive site and gives out some basic information like his email, name, address and age perhaps, it is not difficult to lure him back to the site. Interactive tools like Ezines can be sent to the visitors Inbox to encourage him to come back to the website. Some revenue generating sites will even offer discounts on products and services to lure the visitor back.

Interactive tools by their very nature require the visitor to spend more time on the website. Once a visitor starts playing a game, reading an article and responding to it, sharing his views on the discussion boards and gaming online he is hooked. The interactive tools make for a fun surfing experience that visitors are loath to end.

Thus, interactive sites encourage increased traffic because they create an active, involved environment where the user can seek the knowledge he wants. This is a novel change from the offline world where a user is a passive recipient of knowledge.

Patti Santee is Director of Project Development at PhpVille http://www.phpville.comSelling quality PHP scripts for small business, affiliate marketers, site managers,and Webmasters