Care was also taken to make sure that their web site ranked high in search engines and could be found in several online directories.

What a surprise it was to read their web site statistics at the end of that month! 500,000 hits! Even the company's stock went up! Their efforts were successful! - or so they thought. Six months later, the average monthly hits to their web site went down to 6,000. What happened?

Perhaps the question should be re-phrased, "What didn't happen?" Sample-Widget-Company, Inc. developed a very static web site and never gave anyone a reason to visit again.

When the content of a corporate web site does not change over a period of time, viewers may feel that the company is stagnate. As our society becomes more web-savvy and dependent on the internet for news and general information, a stagnate web site could be detrimental to the life of a company.

Blow Your Own Trumpet!

Does your company have new products, stories, recipes, offers, etc.? Then tell the world about it! Put a photograph of your new product, a brief synopsis of the story, or mention the offer right on the home page. Have a featured product section in full view for all to see and change it weekly or monthly. If visitors know they will find something new each time they visit, they will come back!

Some companies update their web site's overall look and feel on a regular basis. One company, Quark, Inc. (http://www.quark.com), was well known for changing the entire architecture (both information and graphics) of their web site on a monthly basis. While most companies do not have the resources to do this, there are some definite advantages: 1) People return to see what you're up to, and 2) it helps your company to develop a brand that works.

Glen Turpin, Corporate Communications Manager for Quark, said "Our site architecture has evolved over time to meet the needs of the people who visit the site. Understanding who those people are and what they want is critical."

Find Out Who Your Visitors Are and Invite them Back!

An important key to getting return visitors is "the reminder." Tell them that you have something new for them to see. How do you do that?

Develop an "opt-in" e-mail database. Give the viewer the option to send you their e-mail address. Then, on a regular basis, send out a newsletter to your list that gives a brief synopsis of the new items on your site. Provide a link in your newsletter so that the viewer can easily jump to your site.

What It All Comes Down To...

Are you a music fan? Have you listened to the same CD everyday since you were born? Chances are the answer is "No." If your favorite music artist puts out a new album, do you purchase it? Most likely yes. Why? Because it's new.

Imagine that your company is a famous band. Your web site has fallen to obscurity on the pop charts. It's time to give the public something new to hum along with. Keep the content fresh!

About Author :
Jake Gorst is a writer, film maker, and president of Exploded View (http://www.explodedview.tv), a new media advertising and design company. He also is a frequent contributor to various trade publications on topics related to Web site and architectural design psychology and trends. Previously, Gorst served as Vice President and Chief Creative Officer for E-Media Publishing, Ltd. and as an Internet content developer for Citibank and other Long Island based corporations.