In this blog post, we will explore the importance of engagement in online publishing and offer some examples of how publishers can increase engagement within their articles.

Audience engagement is a crucial aspect of online publishing that can greatly impact the success of an article. Today, blogs compete with every form of digital media – and some research shows the art of highly impactful blogging is falling behind.

One thing for certain is that static articles that simply provide information – without actively involving the reader – are becoming outdated. Today’s consumers require interactive, engaging content that captures their attention and keeps them hooked.

As such, over the last few years, publishers have had to adapt their strategies to ensure their articles are informative and engaging enough to keep readers coming back for more.

Why is audience engagement important for digital publishers?

Engagement is the measure of how actively involved and interested readers are in an article.

Similar to the ongoing debates around the attention economy, good engagement goes beyond just views and clicks.

The most successful platforms focus on how readers interact with the content, how long they stay on the page, and whether they take actions such as liking, sharing, or commenting.

Most of the time, high engagement rates indicate that readers find the content compelling, and are more likely to continue reading, sharing, and returning for more, whereas low engagement often leads to poorer and lower traffic as well as reduced effectiveness of the article.

Some argue that engagement is the most important metric for publishers because it is frequently used to attract advertisers and, as a result, generate more revenue, while also building a loyal audience.

However, each publisher will have different ways of measuring success; for example, the Financial Times highlights returning visits and quality reads as two of its most important factors.

By using these engagement metrics, advertisers and agencies can deduce whether or not the content on their website will lead to greater brand visibility and/or have the potential to convert. Without strong engagement, publishers will find it difficult to attract higher CPM rates.

How do you drive user engagement on a website or blog?

There are a number of ways that publishers can increase engagement within their articles.

By layering proven features and allowing room for new solutions, publishers can quickly understand what resonates with their audience and create higher engagement rates.

The following five suggestions are techniques we believe are still underutilized but can drastically improve reader engagement.

Quizzes and polls

Both quizzes and polls are highly interactive elements that provide a great opportunity for readers to participate and express their opinions. They also help create a more unique experience that can keep readers on the page for longer periods.

Publishers with a more loyal readership will be able to quantify their level of engagement through these methods.

They can be used in various ways, such as for testing readers’ knowledge, used as part of broader features such as competitions, or simply for gathering insight into your audience’s preferences and behaviors that can then feed into future content planning.

Image streaming and Hyper Zoom

Image streaming with Hyper Zoom capabilities is a relatively new concept that offers a more visually captivating way to present images on publishers’ sites.

It can significantly increase reader engagement because of its ability to allow readers to explore high-resolution images in detail, zooming in and out to discover hidden details and immerse themselves in the visual content.

For years, JPEGs have sat on websites, acting as nothing but a visual nudge to the surroundings. One of the key benefits of image streaming with Hyper Zoom is its ability to create a unique and interactive experience for readers.

This newfound image capability can increase the average time spent on the page, as readers are drawn into the visual content and compelled to explore further. Moreover, image streaming with Hyper Zoom can enhance storytelling and content presentation.

Publishers can use it to showcase images in a compelling way, creating an immersive visual narrative that complements the accompanying text. They can also access analytics on the types of interactions readers have with the images within their content, which helps them to understand what types of images perform best.

Social embeds

Embedding content from social media platforms allows publishers to easily embed tweets, Instagram posts, and other types of content directly into their articles.

This provides readers with additional context to an article and interactive elements that can enhance the readability of their work.

Comments from experts or influencers can add credibility and authority to an article to spark further interaction and interest in the reader.

Video embeds

Furthering on from social, video embeds have been a popular feature for publishers for years. Incorporating video allows publishers to leverage existing content to enhance their work.

Curating relevant video content to support the purpose of a piece can drastically increase engagement and keep readers on a publisher’s site for longer; according to Wistia, readers spend roughly 1.4x more time on pages with videos than on those without them.

 

In terms of making this feature the most effective, publishers should consider collaborating with influencers and creators.

If a publication isn’t already producing its own video content, collaborating with influencers or related channels can be viewed as a positive brand message that supports independent creators, resulting in a more valuable ecosystem.

Comment sections

Moderated comment sections can be a valuable tool for publishers to foster discussion, encourage interaction, and increase engagement on their platforms.

By providing readers with the opportunity to leave comments on articles, publishers can create a community-driven environment that promotes conversation and feedback, keeping readers engaged and wanting to return for more.

One example of a successful comments section is found on the BBC Sport website. Although not present in every article, articles with obvious opportunities for fan engagement have allowed the publisher to build an active community of people who freely share their thoughts.

It is, however, worth noting that moderation is key to ensuring that comments are respectful and relevant in order to maintain a safe space for meaningful discussions to take place.

In summary

As the art of written content continues to battle it out against short-form media, it’s important for publishers to recognize the power of experimenting with other interactive elements when posting written content online.

Not every technique will work but with consistent testing and analysis of new features, publishers can quickly learn what resonates best with their audience and adapt their strategy accordingly.

 

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