Customers earned via the internet begin their relationship with a company as simple web page readers. Converting those readers into customers is then the key to earning revenue and increasing sales. Blog readers want information that can help them, but usually desire a strong and positive message to guide them in their activities as well.
What attracts readers to a company website? Of course the website must first be configured and positioned so it can easily be found when users look for information about a product or service. This can be done using standard Search Engine Optimization or Low Cost SEO strategies, but once readers arrive, what then?
To some extent, readers are looking to be informed and are looking for meaningful content. A business blog that provides these elements invites readers back repeatedly for fresh information or at least some entertaining material. Yes, entertainment can be a key ingredient in earning repeat customers.
Posting a comic or joke at the top of each day's blog post might not be appropriate for one's line of business. However the reason many email campaigns and blog posts use a joke or 'daily chuckle' is that humor invites the visitor to continue reading through the material. It also provides a free bit of value the visitor gets from clicking onto the page. Still, the reason visitors will hit your site are fundamental, so making the business blog a page that attracts future readership, the author should make sure that each post includes: Value - outlining the value found by reading all of the material "Moves the Ball" - showing an incremental advancement that the reader can quickly achieve Support - otherwise known as 'cheerleading' or providing some moral support for the reader that is facing obstacles and problems
Value: Unique bits of value or customer testimonials are useful to illustrate the value delivered by the company. If used appropriately, humor can help in story-telling as well. Keep in mind that customers don't necessarily have a great deal of time to spend on your page, so keep the piece relatively short - usually in the neighborhood of 500 to 600 words or so.
Using the post to discuss one single point of value is also effective. Readers in a rush to get to the point appreciate brevity and also appreciate knowing the point of value early in the text. Bold statements such a "improve profit margins in retail by 20%" with a certain product or methodology inspires the reader to continue and to look for that point of value within the copy.
"Moving the Ball:" This old football metaphor refers to the importance of making incremental progress if even by small amounts. Under the best of economic conditions, enterprise operators are continuously challenged to make more sales and improve efficiencies so progress is difficult. Showing a reader how to achieve small bits of progress is an attractive reason for a reader to return to the site. Claims of thousands of dollars in income each day using a new internet technique tend to turn these readers off though, so claims of progress should seem reasonable to a well-seasoned entrepreneur.
Support: This can seem trite, but "cheerleading" or motivating your potential customers is important. For new entrepreneurs, business can be depressing when things don't go as planned. As you don't know your individual readers' situation, offering supporting advice is useful. Supporting advice can take the form of advising the reader how to make best use of the company product or service and then setting a positive expectation for the reader if she/he takes certain actions. This adds value to the page makes the reader more inclined to return.
Specifically inviting the reader to return is also important. Frequently posting valuable information and respecting the reader's time also encourage return visits.
Acknowledging a couple simple inclusions in each blog post can build the company business blog into a readership magnet. By attracting more readers to the site, the company has a significantly improved opportunity to convert web page readers into customers.
What attracts readers to a company website? Of course the website must first be configured and positioned so it can easily be found when users look for information about a product or service. This can be done using standard Search Engine Optimization or Low Cost SEO strategies, but once readers arrive, what then?
To some extent, readers are looking to be informed and are looking for meaningful content. A business blog that provides these elements invites readers back repeatedly for fresh information or at least some entertaining material. Yes, entertainment can be a key ingredient in earning repeat customers.
Posting a comic or joke at the top of each day's blog post might not be appropriate for one's line of business. However the reason many email campaigns and blog posts use a joke or 'daily chuckle' is that humor invites the visitor to continue reading through the material. It also provides a free bit of value the visitor gets from clicking onto the page. Still, the reason visitors will hit your site are fundamental, so making the business blog a page that attracts future readership, the author should make sure that each post includes: Value - outlining the value found by reading all of the material "Moves the Ball" - showing an incremental advancement that the reader can quickly achieve Support - otherwise known as 'cheerleading' or providing some moral support for the reader that is facing obstacles and problems
Value: Unique bits of value or customer testimonials are useful to illustrate the value delivered by the company. If used appropriately, humor can help in story-telling as well. Keep in mind that customers don't necessarily have a great deal of time to spend on your page, so keep the piece relatively short - usually in the neighborhood of 500 to 600 words or so.
Using the post to discuss one single point of value is also effective. Readers in a rush to get to the point appreciate brevity and also appreciate knowing the point of value early in the text. Bold statements such a "improve profit margins in retail by 20%" with a certain product or methodology inspires the reader to continue and to look for that point of value within the copy.
"Moving the Ball:" This old football metaphor refers to the importance of making incremental progress if even by small amounts. Under the best of economic conditions, enterprise operators are continuously challenged to make more sales and improve efficiencies so progress is difficult. Showing a reader how to achieve small bits of progress is an attractive reason for a reader to return to the site. Claims of thousands of dollars in income each day using a new internet technique tend to turn these readers off though, so claims of progress should seem reasonable to a well-seasoned entrepreneur.
Support: This can seem trite, but "cheerleading" or motivating your potential customers is important. For new entrepreneurs, business can be depressing when things don't go as planned. As you don't know your individual readers' situation, offering supporting advice is useful. Supporting advice can take the form of advising the reader how to make best use of the company product or service and then setting a positive expectation for the reader if she/he takes certain actions. This adds value to the page makes the reader more inclined to return.
Specifically inviting the reader to return is also important. Frequently posting valuable information and respecting the reader's time also encourage return visits.
Acknowledging a couple simple inclusions in each blog post can build the company business blog into a readership magnet. By attracting more readers to the site, the company has a significantly improved opportunity to convert web page readers into customers.
About the Author:
Matthew Stone provides Low Cost SEO consultation services to businesses across the country. Specializing in link building, blogging and article marketing, SEO Consultants Denver helps organizations of all sizes improve sales and income using internet search engines.
