Generating repeat traffic?

I really don't think that there is anything you can do to get people to come back regularly if the site isn't updated often! A forum might be an idea but you would really have to have it open for other discussions other than the entertainer.

Also, you could ask one or two other people you trust to help moderate if you decide you would like to have a forum.

In the end, there is no substitute for updating. People won't feel the need to come back to read the same thing over again. You could try and set a goal to update at least once a month.

It looks like you've got two options: ether start up a forum and deal with the resulting moderation challenge or tell your content person that you need to have regular updates.

Quote: One of the sites I administer is for an entertainer with a moderate size fan base. The site owner expect to keep a heavy flow of traffic, but NEVER gives me site updates...so content can be stagnant for a couple months at a time. (Very frustrating)

Tell him that he can't expect to generate a lot of traffic without regular content updates. Period. If he wants traffic he's going to have to help you out. Are you actually connected with the entertainer in anyway or is this a completely separate fan site?

Quote: Originally posted by Megan
Are you actually connected with the entertainer in anyway or is this a completely separate fan site?

It is the entertainer's official site. I think the main problem is that the site owners think if it isn't some big anouncement it isn't "news worthy" enough for the website. What they don't realize is that even little updates, new photos or a quick "hello to the fans" posted frequently would be enough to keep people checking the site for something new.

One thing that people really seem to like is diary entries. I've seen that on a lot of fan sites and I've seen it be a *very* successful feature not only for the site but also for the artist or athlete invovled. If he/she can put up some little entries once in awhile just giving the fans some insight into his/her lifestyle, what s/he's been doing etc. it would be a big boost to the site. It doesn't have to be all that frequent (once a month even) and it doesn't have to be topical either. Good to include some non-entertainer/personal life type info because that's what gets people hooked. Try to show a multi-demensional view of who this person is without getting too far into personal details he/she wouldn't want to share.

Megan -
We are definitely on the same page...
A diary is a great way to keep fans checking the site even when the artist isn't announcing "the next big thing." The website already has a "diary" section. (I created one before site launch.)

The problem: the artist has only made 1 diary entry in the last 5 months! Again - they aren't providing new content on a regular basis. I don't know how the site owners can expect to keep a viewing audience if the site never changes. If they don't work with me on content/news/dairy entries, there's only so much I can do.

Have you tried pushing it from a business perspective? If you can convert passive fans, who visit the site once in a blue moon, to active fans who check it a couple of times a week it can only be good for the artist's career. Active fans who have a stonger interest in the entertainer are going to be much more likely to collect every album, go to great lengths to attend live performances, buy the t-shirt etc. They may also be more likelty to spread the word and attract more fans.

A really good thing to add would be a blog. You can get this at blogger.com and your users can edit them very easily without needing to contact you. Also you can ask members to submit articles through a web based application which will also create some constant updates going on with the site which google loves.