Attracting visitors to your Blog, and then keeping them there is the obvious end game when offering content online. The information, your message, that’s on your site is extremely valuable, but if no one’s able to find or read it, it becomes a completely mute point.
Attempting to keep these readers at times, could be a colossal exercise in total futility. It usually requires a lot of time, patience, and testing.
Many consider that visitor engagement is the key to creating attraction, by encouraging or cordially inviting them to return. The process of doing so includes the reader sharing your content with others, linking back to your site, or leaving useful feedback and comments, which lead towards a mutual relationship.
The goal, which is easier said than done, is keeping your content as interesting, relevant, and as fresh as possible while setting a proactive tone in your message. The following steps should help you in achieving this:
Evoking An Emotional Response
There are different ways of getting responses as well as valuable feedback on your blog posts. One of the most effective is by making your content as engaging as possible, by writing as if you’re speaking directly to them.
So use ‘you’ or ‘you’re’ instead of using separation words, such as, ‘they’re’ ‘them’ or ‘it.’ Asking or provoking questions throughout your articles can work wonders, particularly if it’s a debatable topic, which appeals directly towards the readers emotion or passion.
Inserting questions directly into the body of your title helps in attracting visitors seeking an answer. If you do have a good post, one which someone has read in its entirety, you’ve posed a meaningful question, or made a valid statement or argument, you then succeeded in engaging the reader.
Use Shorter Sentences And Paragraphs
Text which are long drawn out can easily distract readers, a formula which will force them to click away. So break up your text into shorter sentences and paragraphs.
The reason being it’s easier to read and is much more digestible. Breaking the paragraphs up into short informative bursts of sentences invites readers to continue reading.
A recent survey found that the majority of readers are the most comfortable at a Grade 5 reading level. So structure your sentences through the eyes of a 12 year old.
Use Bullet Lists And Subtitles
When you group your text into meaningful chunks of organized data, doing so helps your readers, who are usually pressed for time, locate the exact information by finding it quicker.
So begin grouping paragraphs which are related together, and then give it an appropriate title. What this does is it helps the reader know precisely what you’re writing about.
This since the majority of readers will just quickly scan titles and then scan the content. Readers will just quickly read your post provided the paragraphs are short, and then their eyes will stop at what interests them.
Also, group approximately 3 to 5 paragraphs together and give it a concise subtitle which describes the topic. Subtitles invites the reader to stop and delve deeper if it happens to catch their interest.
Break down a list of points into bullet form. Doing so supplies more information while making it more legible. Once you bold or “quote” a specific passage, or a phrase, that can effectively divert the eye into reading the desired text of the copy.
Include Videos, Images, And Media Files
Provided that it’s relevant to your blog topic, make sure that you include an image, or a video which can immediately describe the essence of your topic.
These pictures can instantly evoke the readers interest which results in them reading the content. Keep in mind to place this media, especially when it comes to images, above the fold of the webpage.
Keep Your Content As Error Free As Possible
Proof read and then recheck for spelling errors as well as the obvious mistakes in grammar. Just one glaring mistake can completely turn off your reader, and may force them to flee your page.
If an article is poorly written, you’re more likely to generate comments on how bad the content is presented, rather than if you offer false information or inaccurate data.
No one is absolutely perfect, and it’s a blog, so the occasional mistake is expected. But put some effort in keeping them at a minimum, so proof read it out loud, or have someone else re-read it for you.
Make sure that you check all the facts that you present for accuracy, use spell check, and run your article through a program which checks for the most obvious grammatical errors.
Get Proactive By Engaging Yourself
If you do get genuine comments and feedback based on the topic of your post, try to personally reply back as soon as possible. This shows that you’re paying attention while being active, and you’re interested in their input.
The readers will then come back if they want to respond, or have something further to add. If your article is topical and well written, it will create a chain effect where the readers will volunteer to share it with others.
Controversial Opinionated Content
When writing your content, one angle you can take is making your posts opinionated, teetering on the edge, being slightly negative, or cynical, and on a popular trendy topic. One word of caution however is that you’ll get detractors if you are too polar.
It’s recommended that you visit other blogs, sites, and forums which are in the same niche, and leave comments. Leave a reply and discretely place a link pointing back to your post, if allowed.
Another method is directly contacting an authority figure who’s prominent in your niche, and get their opinion. There’s absolutely nothing wrong with you being proactive, and it could potentially be the beginning of a beneficial relationship.