When you just start out as a blogger, the thought of one day having hundreds and thousands of visitors may seem like an unattainable dream. Actually, it's not that difficult--if you adhere to a few basic rules. Here are some tips that will help you achieve killer conversion rates quickly and efficiently when blog writing:
1. Use catchy headlines
Like any other writing activity, good quality blogging requires creativity. Crafting a good headline is not always easy as you have to take into consideration two factors: your readers and the search engines. When it comes to your blog followers, you should focus on creating titles that would make them go beyond the first line.
2. Help readers find you
While creativity is essential, be careful not to overdo it. As tempting as playing with words may seem, the result might have some side effects. You want your blog to be found easily, but search engines don’t know (yet) how to decipher metaphors.
3. Keep it short
We live in the speed era. People don’t always have the time or patience to read novels online. When browsing a blog, readers want to obtain the information they are looking for with the minimum time investment. With blog writing, you don’t have to exhaust all your ideas at once. Make your point efficiently, bring the necessary arguments and save some fuel for your next posts.
4. Keep it simple
You may be an expert on the subject you are writing about, but your readers may not necessarily be. Therefore, try to use simple language and explain the specialized terminology in case you have to use it.
5. Write for your readers
Maybe you made the decision of creating a blog because you love the idea of blog writing, you are great at it and you feel like you have a lot to share. However, don’t overlook your readers. If you want your blog’s conversion rates to increase, focus on your followers and write the type of text they want to read.
For instance, nowadays many people don’t have the patience of reading a whole document word by word and they just skim through the text. Therefore, it would be a great idea to support their reading habit by using bullets, short paragraphs and by highlighting the relevant phrases.
6. Write buzz content
Every time you want to write a new post, ask yourself: Is this topic of interest for people out there? What we research for varies upon external factors such as what media talks about, the hottest stuff in our domain of activity or important events that impact our daily life. Never underestimate the power of trends. People are interested in novelties and this is one of the keys to increase your blog’s conversion rates.
7. Position yourself as an expert
By keeping your readers updated on the latest news within a specific domain you can build a “guru” reputation for yourself. This will make people come back to your blog each time they want an expert’s opinion.
8. Hook your readers
Imagine this scenario: someone has landed on your blog by pure chance and he likes what he reads. Let your visitors know they are welcome to stay as long as they want and come back. Provide at the end of each post links to articles on similar topics or invite them to subscribe to the RSS feed or to your newsletter. It’s a good practice that will certainly increase your conversion rates.
9. Use teasers
With blog writing, teasers never fail to bring your visitors back to your blog. Although not advisable for excessive use, teasers are great for setting expectations. If an idea has hunted you for a while and you know you will make a killer post based on it, draw your readers’ attention and announce it in advance. Teasers are one of the most effective ways to advertise your blog post.
10. Update your blog on a regular basis
By definition, a blog is dynamic. Therefore, take the time to update it frequently and choose topics that are relevant for the targeted readers, providing them with food for thought. Those who think they will not have the time to write a post at least twice a week, would better give up the idea of creating a blog. If you forget about your blog, your readers will forget about you and you will see your conversion rates dropping drastically.
By respecting these simple steps and by providing quality content, you're sure to turn your blog writing into a success.