If you've been following the previous posts about this blogging challenge, you probably already know how to create good blog posts and what topics you can blog about. Then what?
After typing away, and sharing content on your blog, you expect people to read and respond. But oftentimes, blogging feels like a very one-sided conversation. You don’t hear anything back from your readers. Can you do anything about it?
Blogging is supposed to foster engagement and communication. This is why a blog has its comments section. So, you should encourage your readers to leave comments on your blog. You could leverage social media to get readers to respond and hope that your blog will have an active conversation going on.
When there's interaction from your readers whether through an email they send you or a comment they post, it helps you to learn a little bit more about your audience. It helps you to know how you can address their particular needs. And that is a key to becoming a good blogger.
Readers can share some interesting and helpful ideas. You can also pick up some of these ideas and use them as a springboard for new blog posts. You can share your reader's tip or further add your own two cents, so you will end up with a longer, meatier blog post.
So, take the time to know your readers. Then, serve your readers by offering your help to them to either reach their goals or satisfy a need.
How To Get Your Readers to Interact with You and Your Blog
Ask Them Questions
Questions can be as open-ended or specific as you like them to be. Ask your readers to give feedback and encourage them to share their tips and opinions. Do it right there from your blog post.
For example, your blog post topic is about how to get your baby to sleep through the night. So in the post, you can ask your readers questions like
- Do you have kids, how old are they?
- Would you care to share your experiences with your baby?
- Have you ever struggled with getting enough sleep because your baby doesn't sleep through the night?
- Did you do anything to keep your baby from waking up every few hours?
Your readers may not know how to leave a comment, so you need to tell them exactly how to do it and where. Give extra encouragement so they wouldn't hesitate to share their stories.
Reply to Comments
This step is crucial. The moment you see that first comment pop up, make a reply and keep the conversation moving. It actually feels great to be able to talk with your reader -- a bond is formed somehow. Then, other readers who see your reply will know that you actually care for your readers. That would really encourage more of your readers to leave a comment.
Leverage Social Media
Post a link to your blog post and ask your friends and followers to check it out. When they like, share, or comment on your FB post or tweet, let them know that you appreciate it. You can also keep the conversation going by asking a question related to your blog post topic instead of just adding a link to your blog. That way your social media followers will be encouraged to check your blog and share their thoughts as well.
Apply these simple steps whenever you write a blog and see if you can get your blog readers to engage and interact with you. When you succeed in facilitating interaction with your audience, you have reaped the fruit of your labor.
This is the 10th post in our Better Blogging Challenge. If you missed the other blog posts in this series, just click the link above to find the other posts at the bottom of the page.
Thank you for reading.
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