by Elaine Slatter | Featured Contributor
Engaging new fans to love what you say and keep them loyal to your brand isn’t really that secret! Just follow our 9 simple rules of engagement and you can shine online. Check out our 9 simple blog secrets to guarantee new fans.
Pick A Catchy Headline
What makes a headline ‘pop’? There are several free sites that can analyze your blog headline to determine the best scoring headline. Hubspot’s blog article gives you many ideas on how to write a catchy headline.
Try Using a mixture of the following
- Common Words
- Uncommon Words
- Emotional Words
- Powerful Words
Pictures and Videos
Attention spans have been reduced to just a few seconds. Nothing engages faster than pictures and videos. Make sure these are at the top of your blog. If you don’t have a budget for video, use your pictures to make a video story using the free Lumen 5 software. In 30 minutes or less you can produce your own video, post it on your blog and your YouTube channel.
Podcasts
Showcase your authority by interviewing guests on your own podcast show. Software such as SoundCloud makes it easy to upload your podcast and use for different purposes and gain a new group of fans who like to be inspired while driving, shopping or working out.
Be Active and Consistent
A blog once a year doesn’t gain you new fans, but actively developing content on a regular basis (at least once a month) will help you get out in front of an audience that is hungry for your magic.
Be Honest and Vulnerable
Your readers will connect better with you if show vulnerability. That doesn’t mean you have to pour your heart out with every post, but sharing some downs as well as your ups, will make you seem more real. It’s closer to everyday life. It helps your readers to know that your life is relatable to theirs. We aren’t all movie stars! Share your doubts, too.
Be Authentic
We all have different personalities, but being “you” is what’s important. No-one can write like YOU. Our voices are all different. Make sure your true, authentic voice is what is your followers will hear. They will detect anything less than sincere.
Two-way Communication
In today’s world customers are looking for an “experience”. Disney and Apple are always wowing their customers, and you can do the same. Listen to your tribe, what questions do they have, how can you deliver a better experience? Do you wrap your arms around them and deliver everything they could wish for before they even know they need it? That’s what Disney and Apple do! Your blog can do that too.
Be Helpful
If you have developed a two-way communication with your readers, then you are in the best position to be helpful. But first you have to know how to help, so put out questions in your facebook group so you can answer the pain points in your blog. If you have examples, so much the better as we all relate to someone else’s journey.
Story Telling
To sum up, everything you write is a story, it has a beginning, a middle and an end. Your blog needs a structure that your readers can follow and genuinely enjoy. If you can find the emotional connection, then you have followers for life.
It’s simple, write often, write from your heart, write to engage and watch the results.
Elaine Slatter is a Small Business Expert, founder of XL Consulting Group and author of the popular book, “Fabulous Fempreneurship”, a complete business guide for women. XL Consulting Group helps entrepreneurs with market planning, strategy, branding, web design and social media. She has over 30 years of executive business and marketing experience and is ready to help you rocket your business to success. Elaine is passionate about mentoring women to become successful women entrepreneurs. To find out more, visit XL Consulting Group or join the Fabulous Fempreneurship mastermind.
