As publishers, we spend so much time creating quality content that sometimes we forget about how to order articles on our site for maximum reach. However, our data has proven that it's important to be strategic when determining the order of content after each article. Here are some suggestions on how to structure your content stream for success.
Don't Rush a CTA
It can be tempting to place a subscription Call-to-Action (CTA) module — like an email newsletter sign-up form — immediately after an article. Although counterintuitive, our experience has shown that this is not the best strategy.
If it's a new reader, asking them to subscribe to your newsletter immediately after they finish an article could be a little premature because you haven't given them enough time to check more of your content. Also, repeat users who are familiar with your site may already be subscribers.
If you do have an email newsletter, a subscription CTA module should be saved for the third or fourth spot below the main article. This placement gives users enough time to gauge their interest in your content.
Alternate Popular + Timely Content
It's best to have users flow directly into more original content after an article. Our suggestion is to alternate content in your stream between the most popular articles in the last hour and recently published content.
Mixing up the flow like this means that new users are shown the most popular content, while new content is still given a chance to gain pageviews. Another great option is to strategically use a recommendation module in the second position to promote popular articles while the user is still in view of the main article.
If you have any questions about ordering your content in the stream on your site, please contact your account manager or send an email to support@rebelmouse.com.
