It can feel like you’re talking to yourself sometimes when blogging. You sit there typing, and sharing content with your readers but they don’t talk back! The good news is that it doesn’t have to be this way- blog conversation should actually involve some two-way dialogue for the most part so start looking into how you might go about getting more involved in a one on one with those reading what everyone’s been thinking or doing all week long.
Blogs were created to engage and communicate. In fact, they’re designed for it! That’s why you can leave comments with just a little encouragement from readers – all it takes is one comment to get others commenting on your blog as well. Combine that with some social media interaction and there’s no reason why this won’t turn into an engaged conversation where everyone benefits: the reader who gets more information; the blogger who has loyal fans reading their work.
Because let’s face it, while it’s nice for our ego to get lots of comments and interactions, when you’re blogging for a living what really counts is making enough money to pay your bills at the end of the month. And for that to happen you need a loyal audience that not only knows, likes, and trusts you but is also comfortable spending money with you or your sponsors. And for that to happen you need an engaged audience.
Interaction helps too because with each email your readers send you, with each comment they post, and each social media post they write you learn a little more about your target audience and how you can best serve them. And that right there is the key to becoming a profitable blogger. Know your market, serve your market, and present them with offers to help them reach their goals or fill their need.
We know it’s important, but how do we get the ball rolling and encourage our audience, our readers to interact with us bloggers? We do it by asking them questions, by asking them for feedback and by encouraging them to share their options – right from our blog posts. Let me give you an example. Let’s say you’re writing a post about getting your baby to sleep through the night. Within the post, ask your readers how old their kids are, or what their own experiences are with their infants. Ask them to share if they are struggling with getting enough sleep right now because baby wakes them up every few hours. Encourage them to share their stories and tell them exactly where and how to do it – by leaving a comment below.
Once you get the ball rolling, it’s hard to stop. Once your followers see that their words are being acknowledged and they’re not just talking into a void, don’t be surprised if people start chiming in on conversations of all varieties; plus there will always be readers who need encouragement or some kind word from time to time too!
As soon as you first notice someone comment (or two), reply back right away so both parties can have an engaging conversation together – which is great for fans because not only do they feel appreciated but also encouraged when other like-minded individuals join in. And let’s face it: everyone needs a little love now and then too 😉
The same goes for social media engagement. When you post a link to your latest blog post, ask your friends and followers to like, share, and comment. Then let them know how much you appreciate it when they do. Of course, you can get the conversation going there too by asking a question related to your blog post on Facebook for example. It’s a great way to share another link to your blog post and get the conversation going at the same time.
Give these tips a try and see if you can’t get your readers to engage and interact with you. It’s well worth the effort. In the meantime, leave a comment below and let me know what you are trying right now. Thanks.
Asking questions always gets me good interactions with readers. I find that people love to take quick polls. You can learn a lot about your audience from that too.
Yes, Elisa, you can! Some polls can be fun and whimsical (Which cartoon character do you like the most?) vs. a poll that really digs into your readers (What is your most pressing issue right now with your business?). A mix of each is nice!