Are you writing for yourself or for the reader?
The difference in motivation varies for all writers and especially bloggers. A blogger generally wants to get his message out there. He wants to have his say in the world. In some cases readers really appreciate that and appreciate an honest opinion. In many cases however they want to have confirmation of what they expect in the world.
If the purpose of your message is to reach the reader there are certain points that you need to consider. Most readers are very busy and want straight specific information. They usually scan the article meaning they see the title, the first sentence or two, subtitles and the ending. Maybe they will even check to see who the author is. Then they click another site, perhaps gone forever.
If the reader finds a point he wants to remember or recall later, that is when they bookmark the site. This is the time they send it to others. I think most people want quick information now and later want to return if they can see value in it. If the article is too short or doesn’t provide perceived value, they click on to something else.
There are times you need some back story or basic information for the reader and at other times you need more specific information. A great site provides both allowing the reader to feel comfortable with the article. Internal links are a wonderful thing. It gives additional information to only those that need it.
Another great way to isolate a reader into the part he is looking for is the use of subtopics. Remember this is where the eyes are concentrating. If you don’t obtain their attention they will not take time to hunt for what they need. They know other sites have information for them as well.
At the ending, you need to let the reader know you are the expert in this field. This is usually the last chance you have in the reader remembering or book marking your site. This is also a great place to add additional links for the reader to check on. Let’s face it; he is planning on going somewhere. It might as well be another one of your articles.
What are your thoughts on engaging the reader?
Johnny Ray
http://www.sirjohn.org/bloglist
Blogging, collaborating, and other social media influencing tips and insights
Well, leaving comments that actually talk about the blog post, rather than trying to draw their readers to your blog!
ReplyDeleteI read comments on blogs. And I will click through to them, if they seem intriguing. I noticed you leave more generic comments, and you have few comments.
I blog for me. However... I will admit, at times I notice some topic will get more comments than others. If I blog about what music does to the soul, I get tons of comments.
Nice...Dont forget to visit mine too http://forex-freaks.blogspot.com/
ReplyDelete