Engaging blog readers is the #1 concern of everyone who has a blog.
If you want to succeed in this age, you need more than quality content, there should be a nexus between great content and effective marketing, coupled with engaged readers.
Until a person is engaged, he can’t respond to your offers.
Fact is: The more people stay on your blog, the greater their chances of buying your products and services.
That is why, reducing bounce rate is one sure-bet to enhance reader engagement.
The steps listed below will not only engage your readers, but it would cause them to trust you, your opinions and whatever product your recommend. Isn’t that all you want?
1. Be interesting
Do you know that no matter the degree a web visitor needs a solution; they want it in an interesting way?
If you’re known for quality contents, but never get people engaged, the reason is not the content, it’s because you’re not interesting.
How many times do you visit cinemas in a year?
Most of us take our family to the cinemas and other interesting places several times in a year. The reason is not because you’ve money to throw away, but because you want to experience an “interesting” stuff.
Don’t be confused with being “interesting” and writing quality information. They are both different. As much as possible, deliver the solution you’ve in an interesting manner.
If there is need to add humor to your blog posts, please do. Everyone loves to laugh – but don’t overdo it.
2. Write Passionately
A passionate blogger is always transparent. Whenever you’re happy writing about something, your readers doesn’t need any suit-sayer to interpret the words and sentences.
Readers want to see you inside your blog posts, I’m not talking about your photo, but your character and voice embedded into the content.
Until you’re passionate, you can’t engage – especially when you’ve common knowledge in your chosen niche. This is the reason why bloggers must determine their area of expertise and focus on it.
Words and sentences flow naturally when you’re passionate. Often, bloggers who are not passionate about their niche are somewhat pretentious. Don’t be like them.
3. Break Your Paragraphs
I hate to read blog posts that have “heavy” paragraphs. Like I said earlier, certain professional bloggers who are making money already are prey to this mistake.
I know a Freelance Writer who is still stuck to this problem.
People who read your blog are always in a hurry. Your role is to make reading simple and interesting for them.
By breaking your paragraphs into bits and pieces, you automatically encourage readers to go on. 3 – 4 lines are enough for a decent paragraph. Use sub-headings to portray inner meanings and watch your blog explode with engaged readers.
4. Beautify Your Sidebar
I haven’t read about this from any blog, at least for the past 12 months. It’s the determining factor that holds your readers to your content. I see a lot of sidebars clumsy and dirty.
In a bid to make money off affiliate sales, unintelligent bloggers add thousands of banners and advertisements.
Let me be honest with you, if your blog is still growing traffic and daily readership, there is no need adding advertising space on your sidebar.
Remove it entirely and concentrate on quality content and marketing.
No matter the niche you’re into, your sidebar should be beautiful and clear. For instance, I have few widgets on my coupon blog, where I share free sittercity coupon and 6pm discount codes.
My goal is to get online shoppers to respond to my offers, and save money on every purchase they made.
As a matter of facts, banners slow down wordpress load-time.
Even though I don’t want to mention “fast loading” blog as a way to engage readers, but by making your sidebar free of unwanted campaigns, you could increase your engagement by 89%.
For efficiency, put RSS feed, recent posts, popular posts, and categories widgets on your sidebar. As your blog grows and becomes popular, you can opt-in for advertising.
5. Conduct An Interview
The last way to engage your readers, each and every time you publish a blog post, is to interview a successful “icon” in your niche.
We all love interactive interviews, and when it comes from respected persons, we are glued to it.
You may think getting these successful bloggers to respond to your questionnaire is hard, but that’s not the case.
You can actually get a decent interview when you become a networker. How? Simply connect with the intended person in social media networks like Twitter, Linkedin and Facebook. Then participate in commenting on their blog posts, and make your comments sticky, detailed and interactive.
Once you’re known around the blogosphere, it’s easier to get a “YES” for interview sections.
When writing your blog & guest posts, link back to your inner blog posts, within the content of the interview and you’ll get a responsive engagement for your readers.
All in all, quality content is the “Mother” of all strategies aimed at engaging your readers. If you abide by the above tactics, and juice it up with informative posts, you’ll convert most of your readers into customers easily.
About The Author:
Get free SEO tips from Michael Chibuzor. He also writes on his coupon blog that shares free discount deals. Some popular products discussed are sittercity.com coupon and 6pm codes & discounts.Currently, he offers a free sittercity promo code and 6pm discount codes.