Entertaining and Engaging: Increasing Online Visitor Duration

( via sixrevisions.com )

When it comes to studying different web metrics, I find one of the most intriguing areas to be visitor duration. The amount of time a user spends on a specific site can say several things about the company, their message, and how that message is being portrayed through their website. Though companies fear short visitor durations because they insinuate that the customer was not interested in exploring all the areas their site may offer, long durations can be just as damaging. When a user is on a website for an exceptionally long period of time this may mean that they are lost and cannot find the information they originally sought out to find. Long visitor durations may prove that a site needs to adjust areas in its design layout and content. After experiencing a long visit with no ending results, a consumer may avoid going to the website again for whatever the reason (lack of organization, lack of content, poor design, slow loading, etc.) and the brand image will be tarnished. In the end, a lot can be learned from looking into visitor duration -the most important factor being a company or brand’s reputation.

Besides fixing the basic problem errors surrounding short and lengthy visitor durations, there are other ways to keep visitors and customers interacting on a website. According to Jim Disco of Direct Marketing News, placing videos on product detail pages maximizes visitor engagement, especially when the click-to-play is conveniently displayed in visually appearing sectors of the site. Disco also notes that when creating interactive web videos, different versions should be made and tested on audiences. Based off what the views of the audience, the videos with the best reviews and results could be used on the website, in emails, or as advertisements via Youtube.  

While adding interactive videos to a web site may assist in visitor duration, the information behind the video plays and audience feedback says even more about the visitor’s themselves. A increasing target audience that businesses are hoping to reach with more engagement are the Millennials.  Erin Dostal defines Millennials as adults between the ages of 18 to 30 years and are categorized as a tech-savvy  group that is well-versed in social media.  Out of a surveyed 2,211 adults, 51% of online video viewers between the ages of 18-44 would look up a new product or brand if they saw it mentioned in an online video. 39% of viewers at least 55 years old also answered affirmatively. Additionally, 58% of consumers aged 18-34 that follow brands on social media would watch a video if a brand they follow posted a video.

Ideas interactive videos continue to increase as technology evolves. So far, many businesses such as Advance Auto Parts and Stacks And Stacks, have found success in creating both instructional and promotional advertisements. Another growing web video trend is using “hot spots” to make certain areas of the video clickable. This method in particular has been ideal for the apparel industry, allowing users to follow the video “hot spot” links to the online store’s product page for purchase.

The type of video placed upon a site depends on the goals of the company. For each target audience age bracket, certain types of videos may be more appealing than others. Either way, when a business has a clear message and it is conveyed clearly in an engaging method, consumers remember. When audiences remember that message and want to be a part of it, they’ll continue to interact with the brand whether it is looking up a tutorial, contributing to product reviews, or following the brand on other social platforms. Catching the consumers’ attention and causing them to make a decision are vital steps in establishing buyers and brand loyalists.