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Why is return website traffic important?
There are several great reasons why return traffic is important. The percentage of return visitors vs new visitors affects your Google rank. New visitors costs more to acquire than return visitors. Return visitors are already interested so they are more likely to buy. That’s all good, but does it really matter that you get a good percentage of return visitors, if you are generating a lot of visitors?
Google is watching
Think of return visits as a thumbs up signal to Google. Google wants to find the best sites to send searchers. The first three spots are auctioned off, but the rest are the ones Google thinks are most likely to take the searcher to a sight that will give them what they want and make Google look like the best search engine in town. Once Google has filtered out all the sites that don’t match the search criteria, it’s probably left with hundreds, if not thousands, of sites that do match the search criteria. So how does Google pick? We don’t know exactly, but these three things are a big part of the equation:
- Return visits
- Time on site
- Events per session
We’ll get into time on site and events per session in other posts and we’ll just focus on return visits in this post. Let’s say you go to a store, and don’t see anything that interests you, chances are you won’t come back. Simple logic right? Google uses this same logic for websites. If they send searchers to a website, and the searchers stay a while, and click on things while they are there, Google gives that site high marks. But if they come back again, well that’s as good as it gets. Three points for Gryffindor! Fun trivia: When SEO experts talk about sites with lots of return traffic, they call them sticky. Sticky websites get customers stuck on them.
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Return visitors tend to buy more
There are several time honored ways to get customers to come back. Sending out engaging emails to your existing customers is a good way to entice them to come back. Sales and special events also create interest that leads to return visits. It’s worth making a real effort to get return website traffic, not just because it increases your Google ranking, return customers typically buy more. Makes sense, they saw something that intrigued them and they come back to see it again. If you are a Shopify site, check out Stylaquin. Stylaquin shoppers come back 28% more often.
Cost is also a factor
If you are paying for your visitors through ads and promotions, then return visitors are a gift from the money gods. You didn’t have to pay again, they just came back. Let’s say you have 1000 visitors, and you increase your return customer rate to just 10%; if each visitor costs you $1, and you only have to pay for 900—you will save $100. Think of return visitors like money that returns to your wallet.
Stylaquin increases return customers and more
If you are an innovative Shopify website, you might consider adding Stylaquin to your site. Stylaquin is easy to add and prices start at less than a movie ticket. (Plus you get a month free.) Stylaquin shoppers stay 70% longer, view 180% more items, come back 28% more often and buy more when they do. Here’s a 90 second video that explains what it is and how it will help your Shopify website.