How sticky is your website? Measure and improve site engagement

Have you ever noticed how some websites keep you hanging around, clicking deeper into the site, while others have you closing your tab in seconds? A website that keeps you returning, interested and engaged is what we call a “sticky website”. Over a billion websites are vying for attention today. Depending on the purpose of your websites, your ability to make your website sticky (capable of drawing and keeping visitors) can drastically increase your chances for success. 

For business owners looking to improve their online presence, understanding and enhancing the website’s stickiness will help increase user engagement and conversions.

What is a sticky website?

A sticky website keeps visitors engaged longer and makes them more likely to return. This is opposed to only attracting your visitors for a short, once-off visit. Your website’s stickiness helps build a lasting online business presence, by sustaining your customer’s interest.

Measuring the stickiness of your website

Key metrics to assess website stickiness

To understand the stickiness of your site, you need to get into the analytics. The most common method of measuring analytics is to configure Google Analytics on your site. For guidance, you can check out this helpful video (or contact us for help).

Once installed and configured, you’ll want Google Analytics to collect enough data for reliable results – say 1000+ visitors. Key metrics to consider include:

• Average Engagement Rate: This metric is crucial. Engagement Rate measures the percentage of sessions that were engaged, based on time spent on your site and interactions with your content.
• Average Engagement Time per Session: This metric shows the average time users are actively engaged with your site during a session, which can help gauge the depth of their interest and engagement.
• User Retention: Google Analytics provides detailed reports on how well your site retains users after their first visit. This is crucial for understanding stickiness over time.
• User stickiness: This metric, which is part of the User Retention page, compares the active user engagement over varying time periods:
  • DAU – Daily Active Users – the count of active users over the last day
  • WAU – Weekly Active Users – the count of active users over the last week
  • MAU – Monthly Active Users – the count of active users over the last month

Industry standards for user stickiness

The definition of good stickiness will vary by industry and website type. This is due to differing user expectations, and the purposes and goals of each and every website. 

• News and social media websites might expect high stickiness rates with users returning multiple times per day. Here, successful stickiness could mean having over 50-60% repeat visitors.
• eCommerce sites might expect less frequent, though still regular, visits.
• The tradesman might expect much lower stickiness, with visitors only returning every few months, or less. Here, less than 10% may be completely normal.

Knowing the standards for your industry and website type can help set realistic goals for your website.

Strategies to increase your website’s stickiness

Design elements that make websites sticky

The visual and functional design (both visual and functional) of your website plays a central role in its stickiness. Here are some tips to enhance layout, navigation, and overall visual appeal:

• Intuitive Navigation: Your site’s navigation should be straightforward and intuitive. A well-structured menu, categorising content, helps keep users engaged and on your site for longer. It also helps your audience find what they need without frustration.
• Attractive Layouts: A clean and appealing layout with well-placed content makes all the difference. Build a layout that guides your visitor’s eye naturally across the page, using design elements to highlight key focus areas.
• Responsive Design: With more users accessing sites from various devices (desktop, laptop, tablet, and mobile), responsive design is crucial. A layout that adjusts seamlessly across devices enhances user experience and encourages longer, repeat visits.

Creating sticky website content: what makes content engaging?

To keep your audience coming back, your content should be engaging. Here’s what makes content sticky:

• Relevant and Timely: Content that addresses current trends or ongoing user needs can keep visitors engaged and prompt them to return.
• Diverse Media: Incorporate a mix of content types such as blogs, infographics, interactive tools, and videos that cater to different preferences.
• Value-Driven: Ensure each piece of content provides value, whether it’s informational, educational, or entertaining.

Example of Sticky Content: An interactive calculator on a financial services website that helps users estimate their savings or expenses based on their inputs. This tool not only engages users but also encourages them to return whenever they need to re-calculate, thus enhancing stickiness.

Technical aspects to enhance stickiness

Technical performance is important to a sticky website. Key technical aspects include:

• Mobile Responsiveness: Ensure your site is optimised for mobile devices. A mobile-friendly website is crucial as a significant portion of web traffic (50%+) comes from smartphones and tablets.
• Fast Loading Times: Speed is key. Websites that load quickly reduce bounce rates and improve the overall user experience, encouraging visitors to explore more of your content.

Real-world examples of sticky websites

• eCommerce: Amazon uses personalised recommendations to keep users coming back. By displaying products similar to past searches and purchases, it increases the time spent on site and encourages repeat visits.
• News: The New York Times offers an engaging mix of timely articles, opinion pieces, multimedia content, and gaming making it a go-to resource for daily news readers. Their intuitive layout and quality content keep users engaged and returning.
• Educational Platforms: Khan Academy provides interactive educational content, including videos and quizzes. Its personalised learning dashboard encourages continuous learning and regular visits from students.

Each of these sites has tailored its strategies to meet the specific needs of its audience, using design, content, and technical excellence to create a compelling, “sticky” web presence.

Maintaining and improving stickiness over time

Audits, updates & design

To ensure your website remains appealing and effective, periodic audits and updates are essential. Here’s how to keep your content and design fresh:

• Content Refresh: Regularly update your content to reflect the latest trends, data, and user interests. This can include updating statistics in old posts, adding new insights, or revising outdated information.
• Design Re-evaluation: Periodically review your website’s design to ensure it still meets user needs and adheres to modern aesthetics. Small tweaks can often reinvigorate the overall user experience.
• SEO Updates: SEO is an ever-evolving field. Updating your SEO strategy and revising your pages to include new keywords can keep your site visible and attractive to new and returning visitors.

Conclusion

Creating and maintaining a sticky website will help hold the attention of potential customers longer, increasing the probability of conversions. By focusing on engaging design elements, creating value-driven content, ensuring technical robustness, and continuously updating, businesses can improve their site’s stickiness.

A sticky website not only captivates but also retains visitors, transforming them into loyal customers. Evaluating and enhancing your website’s stickiness will be an ongoing effort, that takes into consideration changes in user behavior and technological advancements.

We’re here to help!

Is your website sticky enough to hold your visitor’s attention and keep them coming back? At Banjo Digital, we craft engaging websites specifically tailored to your business needs. 

Contact us today to discover how we can increase your site’s stickiness and turn casual browsers into high-value, happy customers.

Frequently asked questions – how sticky is your website?