How to Keep Your Readers Coming Back for More
"How do I get my visitors to return to my blog?" is a common question I'm asked by new bloggers. It's not exactly the easiest question to answer, because there is so much involved. But in general, the idea is a simple one.
As more and more blogs are being created every day, it's becoming more and more difficult to build up a popular blog. There is a lot more competition to contend with as all niches are growing crowded (some at a quicker pace than others), and it doesn't look like the blogosphere will be thinning out anytime soon.
Because of this, the early bird does indeed get the worm. However, even as a latecomer in your chosen niche, there is always a chance to become a leading authority. It's a matter of catering to your visitors' needs and/or wants.
You can't please everyone..
You may find that, as you build your blog, you may gain several readers who really enjoy what you write, and then there will be others who find your blog to be bland and not very useful to them.
It's difficult to write for everyone, because not everyone has the same knowledge, or interests, or views on a specific topic.
..but you can try to please a wider audience.
Let's say you have some sort of how-to blog. Your existing articles may be perfect for a specific audience, but too basic for some, and too complicated for others. By expanding on your existing work to include both some simpler and advanced tutorials, you are opening yourself to a more diverse group of people who, as you become increasingly helpful to them, may be more likely to return.
But don't just stop there- build upon what they already know, and topics you have previously covered that have gotten a good reaction. (But don't beat a dead horse, if you know what I mean. Some topics are just better off left as they are.)
Be extremely helpful.
Again, with the how-to blog example; the more useful your blog is to others, the more likely they are to return. A good way to achieve this is to try to cover everything someone could ever want to know about a topic. Try to recall the questions you had when you were new to the subject, or allow your readers to ask questions, and answer them to the best of your ability. Link to related articles and other resources that your readers would be interested in. The more you help others, the greater the chance that you will be seen as an authority in your niche.
Encourage your visitors to subscribe.
This is one of those obvious tips that you hear over and over. But really, a lot of bloggers overlook this. It's not just about placing a subscription link on your blog, it's about placing it in a prominent spot, and actually asking people to subscribe. You have to be the one to make the first move in order to get a reaction.
Strive to surpass your competitors.
As I already mentioned, there is a lot of competition in the blogosphere. You should, ideally, strive to provide not only what your competitors are providing, but also more, and in a way that is clear and easy to digest.
If you are selling a product, is it of high quality and available for a competitive price? Have you considered giving away freebies (scripts, ebooks, etc.)? Encourage feedback for your product(s), and pay attention to what people are saying. Make improvements as needed.
One of your goals should be to constantly improve. Every day the bar is raised as webmasters are not only improving what they already have, but also coming up with new ideas and inventing new things. You must be able to adapt to the changing times.
Be unique.
What makes your blog stand out from all the others in your niche? What do you have to contribute that is unlike everything else someone has already given to the world?
I believe that everyone has something unique about them, whether they realize it yet or not, and they should embrace that and use it to their advantage. As you probably already know, there is a lot of crap out there that is, for the most part, the same thing repeated over and over and over. Naturally this is going to happen as knowledge spreads and bloggers repeat what they have learned. But even if you are covering a topic that has been covered by a hundred other bloggers, try to write from a different perspective, or with a twist. Keep it new and interesting.
Pay attention to your readers.
When it all comes down to it, it's your readers who decide what is 'good' and what isn't, and through word of mouth, they could either make or break your blog. Listen to what they have to say. Expand on ideas that you haven't presented as clearly as you thought you did. Answer their questions. Fill in all the little gaps where there could be confusion. Try to meet their requests. Build friendships.
Think of it as a business whether you're actually selling something or not- customer feedback is vital to improvement, and you should embrace it, both the good and the bad, and either find or create solutions to their problems.
What do you have that keeps your readers hooked?
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I agree with the "strive to be extremely helpful" part. I always try to approach things with the clearest explanation in mind, and I'm always happy to clarify ideas for anybody that asks. Karma and whatnot.
I also agree with the idea of building upon what you've already said. If you don't keep evolving, you won't learn anything, and neither will your readers.
Posted by: Corey Freeman | October 28, 2008 at 10:06 PM
Awesome and informative article.
Uniqueness is most important and giving away free ebooks and other stuffs can really boost up blogging.
Posted by: Rohit | October 29, 2008 at 01:02 PM
Excellent, excellent post. One day I realized the importance of being unique. I noticed so many bloggers were copying the same ideas over and over again. Boy was I getting bored. I decided to brainstorm and try to come up with new ideas. To my delight I was able to. I sometimes do shared blogs. So I went to those authors (contributors) also. I said let's come up with some new ideas. Just give me one. To my astonishment, they each gave me one new idea. I was astounded. As a matter of fact, one soon gave me two. Soon we were excitedly running away with the project. I kicked in another idea. Then the third person kicked in another. It taught me something. Oh, ya, first let me say this real quick. We added a fourth person. She copied one of us. Ugghhh. It really bothered me. Not only did she have none of her own ideas, but she began to copy one of ours, and many other people out in the blogosphere. I found this both boring and well, just plain wrong and disingenuous. Okay, so there is a lot that is NOT copyrited, but come on, at least on occassion, come up with SOMETHING of your own... Now this person wants to work with us, and after seeing her work, I am thinking of saying no.
Why does this issue so effect me? Because I have come up with a lot of ideas, only to have them ripped off a few days later. Like I said, we can copy each other a little, but let's not totally rip each other off. Let's not copy down to the T! I have had others not only copy my ideas, but entries word for word! And I have had others say, DO NOT WORRY, immitation is the highest form of flattery. To which I say back to them, "no, Immitation is the highest form of theft!" This is how I believe, as there are some who know better -- they know exactly what they are doing... Let me give you a for instance -- I have made up, actually made up, specific games for my blogs, and had them ripped off. Sigh. And well, as I stated earlier, there is just so much copying out there, that I wonder are some blogger's heads mush? Can some no longer think??? Come on, come up with an idea? Are we sooooo stuck in a blogging rut that we have no ideas of our own? Just wondering. Say it isn't so!
So today I actually read in a blog which was in the top 100 this advice: Rip off other bloggers. They have done it right. Rip them off. Rip off their ideas...
I was stunned! Why not advice coming up with some ideas of your own in one's blog, like you did?
A blogger could do fresh unique content, or have a different way of looking at things (a different paradigm -- a new angle), or even the blogger could come up with a new game or another way for his audience to interact, such as asking questions. I don't know, there are lots of ideas! I love very interactive blogs, and that is how I try to make mine.
Anyway, thanks for this post, and encouraging us to be unique. After all, we must be ourselves, everybody else is already taken! ( i forget who said that, but I read that quote today, LOL!) Okay, must run,
Krissy :)
http://sometimesithink-krissy.blogspot.com
Posted by: Krissy Knox | December 03, 2008 at 05:19 AM