Sticky Tips

Don't overdo it. Too much sticky stuff can backfire on you. The point is to give your visitors a reason to return - not to overwhelm them.
Keep important information in the center of the screen. That's where people focus at least 20% of the time, according to site usability tests conducted by Ziff-Davis' Smart Business Labs and specialists from Eyetracking.com.

Scroll down for more tips below this example.

This calculator is an example of good sticky content. Try it yourself!

Make your content of general interest to the public, something everyone will need sooner or later.
Allow your visitors to become familiar with your site, kind of like your favorite grocery store or hardware store. The more you visit a site, the more comfortable you become with its layout, navigation, and features. That means you'll be more likely to buy a product or click on an advertiser. Do you do most of your shopping at the same stores? Why? Probably because you are familiar with where things are and you don't waste a lot of time looking for what you need. You walk in, get what you need, and get out quickly. How do you feel when that store changes its layout and moves everything around? It's usually frustrating for a while until you learn the new layout. It's the same with websites. Add new content, help people find it, but don't change the entire layout if you can help it.
Test! Click those links and make sure they work. Be especially careful if you've added a search utility to your site and make sure it's in tip-top shape. Jupiter Communications reports that 80% of your visitors will abandon your site if the search function doesn't work properly.
Pay attention to what gets and keeps your interest on sites you visit, especially sites offering similar products or services as yours. What sticky content are they using? Could you use that content on your site? Bookmark or make a list of the sites you may want to revisit - it's amazing how hard it is to get back there when you stumbled on it by accident the first time.

What you can do right now!

You can start your search for sticky content right now, by checking out some of the free and low-cost calculators and assessments available at www.WebCalcSolutions.com. (Hint: Every group has at least one free calculator or assessment that you can add to your site in minutes.)