Stickiness is the buzzword which characterizes a good website. As the name implies, sticky content keeps a visitor on the site. Visitors poke around to discover all the goodies you have to offer. Pageviews are an indicator of stickiness. But is stickiness all you need? Maybe. But perhaps there’s more to it for blogs.
We think a blog is more like a newspaper or magazine than a website. Since posts soon get pushed down into archive limbo, readers usually only take a look at your newest offerings. This is especially true with feedreaders. There is not much to keep visitors stuck on the blog beyond the latest posts. So, we think you should aim to create a “magnetic” blog. A magnetic blog gets readers to return to see what’s new on Page One. And Page One is really all you’ve got.
So what makes a blog magnetic? We are still trying to figure it out but we suspect the following have magnetic properties:
- Variety
- Humor
- Unpredictability: probably has the most magnetic properties
- Series post. Add a cliffhanger for the next episode
- Quiz
- Contest
- Interesting visuals, including video
- Incongruity or contrariness (can you say “bubble”)
- News & what’s new (word of mouth worthy)
- “Did you know” information/education (I didn’t know that. Thanks)
- Regular posting, but not too much
- Posts that attract heavy commentary: also very high (RCG “owns” this magnetic field)
What other magnetic qualites are there? What other things have the magnetic property of a block of wood?
Stickiness (page views) sucks. Give me all the functionality I could ever hope for on one page…that’s the good shxx! I would say that you guys are doing well with this “magnetism” concept, as I probably make up at least 20 visits over the last few days. That Zillow back and fourth can’t end at #4. Total bummer.
Visit Mining the Elusive Unzillowable for a great exchange with David.
http://blog.sellsiusrealestate.com/2006/09/15/mining-the-elusive-unzillowable/