Make your content sticky

Association Media and Publishing (nee SNAP) just published a short summary of “5 Things That Make Me Stop Reading Websites and Blogs”, by Writers Digest editor Jane Friedman.

The post provides good, common-sense observations about site design, overuse of sound and video and making text accessible.  Friedman also talks about the value of using deep links: bring people all the way to your content.  Don’t make them work to find it.  If you’ve done a good job, they’ll stick around.

If I had one addition, it would be “link out before you link in”.  Give people who come to your site access to the resources that informed you when you created your content.  It’s a bit like “showing your work”, but it helps build understanding and ultimately engagement and return visits.

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