OK, so today I've got a short post for you. I want to share with you six great ways to make your readers stay loyal to your blog, and keep them coming back to read your awesome content.
Sometimes, it can be tough trying to keep on top of your game as a blog writer. Trust me, I know this well, I've been doing it for almost 10 years and I still struggle sometimes.
The truth is, you can please some of the people some of the time. So, don't be too harsh on yourself. It does get easier with time. And, the more tuned in you are with your readers, the better you will be at serving them.
But, seriously, it's up to no one else but you to keep your readers interested and coming back for more of the good stuff.
Did you know that 16% of bloggers say that their biggest challenge is creating consistently good content?
So, if you're scratching your head wondering what you can do better to stay fresh each time you set about writing a post, here are some quick tips.
- Have a big list of topic ideas handy - Yes, talk about the obvious, I know. But a very big list of ideas works. Because chances are that only a few of the topic ideas from your list will be worth writing about. I have a list of over 100 post ideas on my computer, and I chop and change this list every single day. I also put the best topic ideas at the top of my list. Try it.
- Add one piece of irresistible value, or two - Each piece of content you put out on your blog has to contain something, or a few things, your readers can take away. So, make it something irresistible that they'll want to come back for more of in the future.
- Converse with your readers - Got comments? Don't ignore them. No one likes to be ignored, especially blog commenters. I can't help but notice some blogs that have lots of comments, but not a squeak from the author to be seen. I don't get it. Make sure you respond and treat each commenter as an individual. Let them know you value their time on your blog. Be as helpful as you can be. Don't have time to reply to comments? Make time, not excuses.
- Reward your readers - From time to time, do something rewarding for your faithful followers and blog readers. You can host a blog contest, or create a new incentive to give away. I'm sure you can come up with some creative ideas to reward your loyal readers.
- Take them behind the scenes - This is something I've always done and believed in doing for my business and blog. Take your readers behind the scenes of your blog, be transparent about who you are and what you're doing. Don't be afraid to share with them your struggles as well as your wins. Not enough bloggers are doing this, and most hide behind their blogs and do nothing other than creating bog-standard posts to keep ticking along.
- Create amazing and engaging content - Well, there it is. The last and most obvious 'slap in the face' way to make your readers stick is to make sure you're consistently creating amazing content. Not just great content, but content your readers will want to comment on and share. It's really not that hard to do, actually. Yes, it takes a lot of time, careful planning, and dedication. But I'm sure you can pull it off. Here's a detailed post to show you how.
Wrapping up
Well, I did say this post was short but hopefully, you found value in it.
Think about each of the tips I've mentioned above. Grab a pen and paper and spend some time thinking about how you can put in place each strategy.
Start off by writing a big list of post ideas. Do it right now. Stop reading my advice and not taking action. Write at least 40 to 50 blog post ideas. Under each post topic, write what the unique value proposition will be for each post.
Then, head over to your blog and make sure that you've responded to every single comment of the last few weeks or so. Even the 'one-liners'.
Next, make a list of things you could do in the future to reward your readers from time to time. It could be something so simple like giving away an Amazon Gift Card Set in a blog contest. Or, sharing an exclusive discount code for one of your products or services.
Above all, make sure you pick the very best topics from your big list of post ideas and spend time crafting the best piece of content that you can. Create something that you know your readers will love reading, and come back again for more in the future.
Best of luck.
