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For people who want to drive traffic to their online business, blogging isn’t the cherry on top of the sundae: it’s the ice cream itself. In other words, it’s a necessity, up there with having a social media presence and a website.
But blogging is not merely putting words to, well, WordPress– it’s about turning visitors into customers. So, how do you do this? You must compose solid posts, of course, but lead generation requires more than that.
Other elements you must consider include:
Your opener
People have attention spans that are short (very short – are you still even reading this?). That means your opening line must draw them in. Tell them what you can offer right away. If they have to dig for answers, they won’t.
Longer posts carry more weight
It seems counterintuitive – why write a long blog post if your readers have attention spans rivaling those of a fruit fly? The reason lies in the fact that longer blog posts (at least 1,000 words) make more of an impact than shorter ones. Yes, you still need a strong opener to hook them, but once you do, the size of your posts matter.
Quality is more important that quantity
You may be striving for word count or hoping to put out a set number of blogs each week, but never sacrifice quality for quantity. It is much better to post two or three solid blogs than a dozen mediocre ones. Even a single poorly written blog can hurt you – readers will assume that’s all you have to offer, and they’ll refrain from returning to your site.
Include a call to action
Calls to action, or CTAs, are an important element of blog posts – they clearly tell the reader the next step they need to take. Simply, they act as a catalyst between making a pitch and making a sale. While most people put their calls to action at the end of their blogs, this isn’t always the best placement. Try including them within your content; they’ll have more punch.If you need help with blog posts or other types of marketing, contact us today to get started. See what I did there? 😉
Offer free stuff
Perhaps there is no word in the English language that piques someone’s interest quite as acutely as the word, “free.” Offering your customers free downloads, e-books, and other digital materials on a regular basis can do wonders for your readership. It keeps them happy and that keeps them coming back.
Blogs do not need to be filled with the suspense of John Grisham or the wit of Woody Allen – keeping things simple and consistent is an effective strategy. But, above all, aim to give your readers something that educates, entertains, or informs. That will help turn your website visitors into buyers.