The inclusion of user accounts on a website can be a very valuable tool, both for customer engagement and retention, and in terms of gathering data which can be used for advertising purposes. Many websites are beginning to ask or allow their visitors to create a unique account which can be used on their site. There are a few key things which can be accomplished via the integration of a customer login system.

1. When a customer logs into a website, it increases their engagement in the site. More time on the site translates to greater conscious and unconscious awareness of your brand. Additionally, the sharing of their information can be an exercise in trust. This feeling of belonging can be fostered through the distribution of member benefits as a tool to incentivize signups. For example, many companies do things like making coupons available periodically to members, or offering an instant discount or freebie upon creating an account.
2. When users sign up, most websites will require an email address. Gathering email addresses of your target audience can be an incredibly valuable way to create a portfolio of potential customers. This email address can be advertised to, and the fact that they are invested enough on your site to create an account means that they are much more likely to be part of your target audience than any random email. The recipient can benefit as well: if they value the services or products which you provide, your advertisements can serve as a means by which they obtain something of value to them.
3. Creating a database of members can be a valuable tool for understanding the demographics of your typical customer. The database which stores your user accounts will obvious contain usernames and passwords, but can be set up to collect much more data. The broader of a net you cast, the more tools you potentially will have access to in order to create an accurate profile of your customers. However, when collecting user information it is always important to remember that this information must be guarded carefully. There are few things that will lose the trust of your customers faster than informing them that you have lost their private information to unknown hackers. Therefore, whenever you create databases such as this, take the time to ensure that you have every reasonable protection against your system being compromised or leaked.