everything you think you know about pageviews is wrong

by Jerod MorrisCopyblogger Media

Everything You Think You Know About

Pageviews is Wrong

Image credit: Sea World

Flickr Creative Commons Image via: Martin Terber

Flickr Creative Commons Image via: istolethetv

3 Big Ideas

1. Start with the end in mind

2. Turn online visitors into readers

3. Turn readers into an engaged online audience

“Begin with the end in mind.”

~ Stephen Covey

from The 7 Habits of Successful People

Are you doing this with your

online properties?

AAN Member Sites

Great• Content• Features

Not-so-great• Design• Layout

Flickr Creative Commons Image via: Martin Terber

How to TurnVisitors Into

Readers

• A visitor is someone who ends up on your site.

• A reader is someone who consumes your content.

The problem?

Pageviews don’t understand the difference.

Visitor pageview ≠ Reader pageview

If not pageviews, then what?

• Time on page

• Time on site

• Pages per visit

• Successful events (clicking on CTA, watching video)

• Substantive comments

How do you drive those metrics?

With intent.

“An object imbued with intent — it has power, it’s treasure, we’re drawn to it. An object devoid of intent — it’s random, it’s imitative, it repels us. It’s like a piece of junk mail to be thrown away.

This is what we must demand of our lives, of our objects, of our things, or our circumstances: living with intent.”

~ John Hockenberry, TED2012

Is each page on your website designed with

intent?

Design that turns visitors into readers

• Structure content for the web

• font type and size

• subheads

• white space

Design that turns visitors into readers

• Use internal linking

• Simplify your layout

• Provide an excellent experience across all devices

Flickr Creative Commons Image via: Bushery

Flickr Creative Commons Image via: Martin Terber

How to Turn Readers Into an Audience

• A reader is someone who consumes your content.

• An audience member is someone who commits to consume your content consistently (and then does so).

Inspire committed action.

An audience member …

• Subscribes to your RSS feed

• Subscribes to your email newsletter

• Subscribes to your podcast

• Bookmarks your site in their browser

• Follows you on a social media account (that they actually use and engage with)

Quick recap

• Visitors arrive at your site

• Readers consume your content

• Audience members come back, consume consistently, and share with others

• (Customers buy your products)

What metrics show audience

engagement?

• Subscribers (RSS, email, podcast, etc.)

• Social media (interaction — not followers)

• Participants in polls, surveys, etc.

How do you drive engagement

metrics?

• Respect the power of email

• Offer a forum or membership area

• Allow people to self-select

• Have a smart social media strategy

• An option not provided cannot be selected

• Your actions show your intent and your priorities

Remember …

The Power of an Audience

Bottom Line

Visitors are nice …

And readers are motivating …

Bottom Line

An engaged online audience

drives real business results.

Flickr Creative Commons Image via: Martin Terber

Build an engaged audience with the power

of a digital media platform:

NewRainmaker.com

Connect with me on Twitter: @JerodMorris