Web Site Interactivity

Here are some ways to add interactivity to your web site, and thus make it more interesting and useful for your site visitors.

1. Virtual Polls and Surveys

Learning about the visitors to your site is key and by asking them some questions about themselves and their interests is a good way to get data. You'd be surprised at how willing people are to tell you all about themselves.

2. Self-Tests

People LOVE to know who they are, what's important to them, how they compare, etc. Examples would be personality profiles, aptitude tests, situational quizzes, etc. These can be a lot of fun to create and try, and can be made so that they are timeless.

3. Adding Content

Invite your visitors to add information and content to your site, to be viewable by others. Often times this takes place in the form of a discussion forum or similar place where people can post messages.

4. Inviting Comments

Ask your site visitors for suggestions and feedback about your site. Why not turn over market research and R&D to your potential and current customers? Many are happy to solve problems for you, give you free ideas/enhancements, etc.

5. Creating Communities

By setting up web-based forums, message boards, chat rooms and other topic/market-specific features, you'll be creating virtual communities of visitors with similar interests. Given everyone is hungering for a sense of community in their lives, these virtual communities are a natural.

6. Offering Free Newsletters/Mailing Lists

Giving visitors something to sign up for when at your site turns your site into something interactive! Plus, this way, you can keep coming to them versus you relying on them to come back to you.

7. Create an Online Training Program

Have your web site visitors perform a series of step by step tasks and have them learn a skill in doing so.

8. Site Search

Although perhaps not viewed as entirely interactive in its best form, a site search allows the user some control over what they see or find on your site. People always like that kind of functionality and control over where they go on your web site.