Have you ever opened your Google Analytics account to check your website traffic, only to discover that your latest blog post didn’t even crack the top ten most viewed pages on your website? There’s nothing worse than pouring your heart out on the page, only to realize that no one is reading those carefully crafted, optimized pages.
So how do you make sure your clients will read your posts? Beyond knowing your ideal reader’s problem (and how your offer will solve those problems), these four key strategies will help you write more engaging posts to get clients reading and taking massive action.
Start with a topic that resonates and include your target keyword in the headline
If you choose a blog topic your audience doesn’t care about, even blogs optimized with the best keywords and engaging photos won’t resonate. Start a list of possible blog topics, and anytime a client asks you a question, add it to the list. Then, type that exact question into Google and use the “people always ask” section to determine what related questions your audience might have.
These topics are the ones that are sure to connect with your audience, answer their questions, and move them to take action.
If you’re not sure which keywords to use or you want to slide ahead of your competitors and capitalize on the keywords they’re using, agencies like this SEO Company can help you find new high-traffic keywords that can help grow your readership.
Present a new point of view or alternative
If you’re planning to write a blog about why the newest iPhone is worth the investment, it’s going to be difficult to get readers. Why? Because there are likely a thousand other bloggers out there writing the same perspective. When you present a new perspective or alternative to the popular opinion on a topic, readers are more likely to engage with your content and read it through. A title like “Why you should ditch your iPhone {and go back to the flip phone} is likely to pull in way more readers than popular opinion. Just remember to deliver on the perspective and be clear about your position, so the reader feels like they gained a practical viewpoint to consider.
Surprise the reader in a good way
It’s a basic expectation that readers want your headline and blog content aligned. If you’re pulling them in with the promise of “three elements of a compelling headline,” and then your post only gives them two, your reader is unlikely to return to future posts.
However, when you overdeliver on the headline and provide more than you promised, readers will be delighted with the information they weren’t expecting to receive. You’ll simultaneously improve your likeability and trust with your audience. Great surprises include a recommendation for further reading on the topic (also great for your SEO), an excerpt of a book or interview from someone else with authority on the subject, a bonus tip beyond those you promised, or an infographic that dives into a related and yet relevant topic.
Always offer a solution or next step
Your reader is busy, and if they do happen to land on your blog, they want to know you understand them and have something that will help them. Simply listing out the top three challenges of cooking at home isn’t going to hold your reader — they want to know how you can help overcome those challenges.
Once you’ve connected with your readers and established that you understand their situation and empathize with their circumstances, always offer at least one next step the reader can take on their journey to overcome the challenge.
This next step could be another article on your website you want them to read about how to take next steps in their business, a guide you to download, or a product to purchase. Once readers decided they trust your opinion and expertise and are presented with a solution, converting them to a customer should be less complicated.
Bonus tip — increase visibility by emailing a snippet of your post
While most of your traffic will come from organic or paid search traffic and referrals, you can boost readership by emailing a snippet of your post to your email list and giving them a link to read the rest on your website. This strategy is a great way to engage lapsed email friends (those who haven’t opened in a while) and get your ideal customer over to your website, where they can take massive action.
Get the tools you need to write your next post
When you’re able to put yourself in your reader’s shoes and place value on service instead of selling, you’ll write more compelling blog posts that readers love and appreciate and have them coming back for more.
