20 Ways to Boost Engagement on Your Website

If you’re here, chances are you’re looking for ways to boost engagement on your website. Maybe you’ve got great content but your visitors just aren’t sticking around. Or maybe they’re ghosting you before they even click on that shiny CTA button. Don’t stress—we’ve all been there.

The good news? There are plenty of ways to get those visitors clicking, reading, and coming back for more. So, grab a coffee (or tea if that’s your thing) and let’s dive into some fun, practical tips to level up your website engagement

1. Make Your Website Stupidly Easy to Navigate

Let’s be real—no one wants to play detective just to find your blog or contact page. A clear, intuitive navigation menu is key. As Donald Miller says, “if you confuse, you lose.” Don’t give your visitors decision paralysis.

• Keep your main menu simple.
• Use descriptive labels like “About Us” or “Contact” instead of vague stuff like “Discover.”
• Add a search bar—because sometimes, people know exactly what they’re looking for.

Pro tip: Check your website on mobile. If your menu is a nightmare on a phone screen, it’s time to fix that.

2. Speed Matters: Optimize That Load Time

We’re living in a world where waiting 5 seconds for a page to load feels like an eternity. Make sure your site loads in under 2-3 seconds, preferably faster. My goal is to get all of my sites under a second. A lot of them have a lot of photo-heavy, dynamic content so sometimes that time is slightly over a second if certain pages have a lot of content to load. A couple of sites to test your speed are: UpTrends, Pingdom, GT Metrix, and Debug Bear. Heads up though, you’ll always get a slightly different score/time for each of them. It just depends on server locations, time of day, etc.

• Compress your images.
• Minify CSS and JavaScript files.
• Use a reliable hosting service.

Good news if you’re one of my maintenance clients… this is already done for you!

3. Create Killer Content (That People Actually Want)

This one’s huge. If your content doesn’t speak to your audience, they’re out. And in terms of what Google serves up… gone are the days of keyword stuffing. Google wants to give searchers high-quality results, so you need to make sure your content is incredibly helpful, informative, entertaining, or a mix of those.

• Know your audience: What questions do they have? What problems are they trying to solve?
• Mix it up: Blog posts, videos, infographics—variety keeps things interesting.
• Be authentic: Write like you talk. People connect with real, relatable content.

4. Use Eye-Catching Headlines

You’ve got about 3 seconds to grab someone’s attention. Make those headlines count.

• Keep them clear and specific.
• Use numbers (“7 Ways to Boost Engagement on Your Website”)… I do this a lot
• Trigger curiosity (“You Won’t Believe What Happened When We Changed This One Thing”)

5. Add Interactive Elements

People love to interact with content, not just passively consume it.

• Quizzes
• Polls
• Interactive infographics
• Calculators (if relevant)

These not only keep users engaged but can also give you valuable insights into their preferences.

6. Make Your CTAs Irresistible

Your Call-to-Action (CTA) is where the magic happens—or doesn’t. Your CTAs are one of the most important ways to boost engagement on your website. Guide visitors to where you want them to go.

• Use action-oriented language: “Get Started,” “Download Now,” or “Join the Fun.”
• Create a sense of urgency: “Limited Time Offer!”
• Place them strategically—above the fold, at the end of blog posts, and in pop-ups (but don’t overdo it).
• Make sure your buttons are consistent colors and stand out.

7. Leverage Social Proof

We trust other people’s opinions—it’s just human nature. If you have a product or service that others have used and loved, brag about it! Make sure your visitors know about others who have experienced working with you or using your product! Don’t be afraid to reach out to past customers to get testimonials. You can even offer a discount code as a compensation for their time.

• Customer reviews
• Testimonials
• Case studies
• User-generated content (like Instagram posts from happy customers)

8. Keep Your Design Clean and On-Brand

A cluttered website is an engagement killer. If there are too many things to look at and read, you’ll lose your audience. Keep things simple and make it easy for visitors to see what it is you do, who you serve, and how to get it.

• Stick to a cohesive color palette and font family.
• Use plenty of white space to give your content room to breathe.
• Keep images high-quality and relevant.

Pro tip: Avoid auto-playing music or videos. They’re the fastest way to make someone hit that back button. Personal experience: if a video or music autoplays on a site for me, I will hit back so fast… and never return.

9. Optimize for Mobile (Like, Yesterday)

More than half of internet traffic comes from mobile devices. If your site isn’t mobile-friendly, you’re leaving money on the table. You can check your Google Analytics

• Use responsive design.
• Test every page on different devices.
• Ensure buttons and links are easy to tap.

10. Use Analytics to Spy on User Behavior

(Not in a creepy way, promise.) Analytics tools like Google Analytics can give you valuable insights into how people are interacting with your site.Use this data to tweak and improve your site. Here are some things to do on Google Analytics.

• See which pages have high bounce rates.
• Identify traffic sources.
• Track conversions.

11. Personalize the User Experience

People love feeling special. If you can work in personalization to your site, that will make them feel even more welcome, important, and likely convert them into a loyal customer or visitor.

• Show personalized product recommendations.
• Address returning visitors by name (if they’re logged in).
• Use dynamic content based on user behavior.

12. Create a Community

People are more likely to engage with your site if they feel like they’re part of something bigger. This will take a little extra time and effort, but it’s a great way to boost engagement on your website.

• Add a forum or community section.
• Enable comments on blog posts.
• Encourage social sharing and interaction.

13. Incorporate Video Content

Videos are engaging by nature. I get sucked into Instagram reels all the time, even if I came to look for a specific thing for a client project. Videos engage…. and that’s the goal. Tip: Keep them short and sweet—under 2 minutes is ideal. here are some ways you can incorporate videos:

• Create how-tos or explainer videos.
• Share behind-the-scenes content.
• Use video testimonials.

14. Make Sharing Super Easy

If people love your content, make it simple for them to spread the word.

• Add social sharing buttons.
• Include “Click to Tweet” snippets.
• Encourage sharing at the end of posts.

15. Run A/B Tests

Not sure if your new headline or button color is working? Test it! This will take some advanced work on your part… and data, but there are tools out there to help you out. Optimizely is one!

• Try different versions of CTAs.
• Test headlines, layouts, and images.
• Use tools like Google Optimize for easy testing.

16. Offer Value with Lead Magnets

Give visitors a reason to stay connected. A great lead magnet is an awesome way to give visitors a little bit more of of a glimpse of the types of products, insight, etc. that you have to offer. Collect those email addresses and keep the conversation going.

• Free eBooks
• Exclusive discounts
• Access to a webinar

I have a great blog post that gives you some ideas for lead magnets!

17. Use Exit-Intent Popups Wisely

Don’t let visitors leave without offering something valuable. A well-placed (and timed) popup can give them one last chance to take advantage of a special offer or deal. Just don’t be spammy about it.

• “Wait! Get 10% Off Your First Order!”
• “Before You Go, Check Out Our Top Resources!”

18. Show Off Your Personality

Your website should reflect your brand’s vibe… and YOU, especially if you’re the face of the brand. Your visitors want to know that a real person, with real experience, is running the show. Help them know, like, and trust you by giving them a glimpse of who you are and what your brand is all about.

• Use a conversational tone.
• Share your story.
• Let your brand’s personality shine through visuals and copy.

19. Don’t Forget About SEO

Good SEO doesn’t just bring traffic; it brings engaged traffic. I could write posts and posts about SEO, but I’ll just link some below if you’re interested.

• Optimize your content for keywords (like “boost engagement on your website”).
• Write compelling meta descriptions.
• Use internal linking to keep visitors exploring.

20. Make Your Contact Info Easy to Find

If someone wants to get in touch, don’t make it hard for them.

• Include a contact form.
• Display your email and phone number prominently.
• Add a chatbot for quick questions.

In Summary…

Boosting engagement on your website doesn’t have to be complicated. It’s all about creating a user-friendly experience, delivering value, and making people feel connected to your brand. Try out a few of these tips, see what resonates with your audience, and watch your engagement soar.

Got any favorite engagement-boosting tips I missed? Let’s chat in the comments!