Is Your Blog Stuck?

Many of our clients at DBC Digital tell us that they’re diligently writing an inbound marketing blog, but that their blog seems a little “stuck” with the same number of followers, the same readers over and over again without attracting many new ones. In other words, without saying so, they’re telling us they’re afraid that their blog may be a little boring.

Here are a few ideas to help you put some life into your blogs:

1. Talk simply and directly. Don’t try to be all-inclusive. Write as if you’re speaking to only one person. Be personal about it too. Get away from the hard sell. Get away from the soft sell too! Here in Denver, especially during football season, even a rhetorical question like “How ’bout dem Broncos?” will elicit lots of attention. When possible, local stories and local comments will help connect you with your readers.

2. Make it “appetizing.” Remember Wendy’s classic “Where’s the beef?” commercial? It was highly successful because it separated itself from its competition by claiming more burger in its burgers. At the same time, it became a meme – social media marketing at its pinnacle – for its inherent entertainment value. You can do the same. Give your readers something meaty, something they can take away from your blog that enriches their knowledge base. For example, you can use charts, statistics and even quotes from recognized experts to enhance your readers’ experience of your social media marketing blog.

3. Satisfy the hunger right now. You don’t have to be all things to all people at the same time. However, you should be able to provide worthwhile information about a single concept or technique.  In fact, make it as substantial as possible within the parameters of a blog. Keep it to a single idea, one that can be digested easily and one that can be implemented immediately. Your readers will keep coming back for more unique content!

4. Make sharing easy. Your readers are people who like to share unique social media marketing tips with their colleagues and friends. You can provide convenient share buttons – Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn and many more – that enable them to spread your message easily and effectively. This is the pulse of your inbound marketing heart. It accelerates your branding process, provided you’ve also given your readers something substantial that they want to share.

5. Ask for personal dialogue. Effective social media marketing is a two-way street. Invite your reader to participate by asking direct questions about their experiences. What works, what doesn’t, how strategies were implemented, etc. This will further enhance your image as someone who cares about the success of your readers’ business.

At the same time, don’t be too disappointed if you don’t get a lot of comments on your post.  Less than 15% of your readers will typically leave you a comment.

What do you think? What works for you? What hasn’t worked? How did you implement these strategies? Our readers would like to know!