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Whilst chatting to a coaching client the other day, the topic of blog post conversion came up. She felt that her posts should be converting better and despite the wisdom and advice I was sharing, she felt there had to be a magic plugin that would make her blog posts convert into more sales.
There is no magic plugin, it’s down to you. It’s down to what you write. It’s down to what information you share.
1. Know the purpose of your blog post
Each blog post has a different purpose, some are created with the intention of gaining subscribers (if you like what you are reading here btw, you can subscribe at the end of the post or to read via email in the sidebar), others are written to express an opinion or share advice. Others are written with the express intention of generating conversation and Twitter shares. When you start writing your post you should know in your mind what the outcome from that post should be.
2. Write for your ideal reader.
Don’t assume that your posts are read solely by your ideal reader, they won’t be but you still have to write them for her. Search engine traffic will be your ideal reader searching for you, she has to recognise that the post is written for her. You can have several ideal readers but each blog post should appeal to just one of them and not all of them. If you appeal to all of them you will have one confused posts with a message that doesn’t read right to anyone.
3. Write deep, share your knowledge
Back in my recruiting days we called this demonstrating your capabilities, you may call it showing your expertise. It’s the same thing. There can be a fear of if you show all, that you won’t get any enquiries. Let me reassure you: it doesn’t work like that. When you show your expertise you build trust, you start to create a bond with your reader – you are demonstrating, in the most authentic manner that you know what you are doing.
Have you ever skimmed a sales / squeeze page and thought “hmm, that looks flaky?”. The lack of depth in the writing has not reassured you, not made you feel safe so you have skim-read and moved on.
Build the trust and your copy will convert better, trust me on that. You don’t have to be the best writer in the world you just have to show that you know what you are talking about. Write more knowledgeably and your ideal reader will become a customer. She won’t if she thinks you have no idea what you are talking about.
- Write more how-to blog posts,
- Write more posts about why you do things a certain way,
- Write about how you get results
- Educate your readers so that they value you and share your words with their audience.
- Share case studies of your clients
- Share what you would have done in a topical scenario
- Show examples
Don’t be afraid of the detail, it’s what wins you customers. If you write light you are presenting yourself as a flake. You deserve better than that.
Bonus tip – Add a call to action
- Guide your ideal reader into taking action.
- Lead them to what you want them to do.
- Focus on one call to action per blog post.
Simple really, but all to often we forget the call to action or we leave it out because we think it’s selling. Guiding our ideal readers to subscribe, to share, to comment isn’t selling. Even inviting them to register attendance at a webinar isn’t selling. It’s extending an invitation and if you word it correctly you will be fine.
Examples of good wording (feel free to crib and adapt)
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Sarah Arrow
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This is great Sarah thank you. I love your call to actions. I get overly concerned about being in people’s faces with it and I’m not a cold sell but the way you word means it doesn’t come across like that. Fab! I also like the point about building trust and sharing. Really helpful stuff as always.
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Lisa recently posted..The magic of Christmas – your kids still believe, but do you?
Thanks Lisa, at first it does feel uncomfortable but the good news is you can always go back over old posts and add the call to action when you feel more confident, and of course re-word them if you do come on a bit too strong.
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Sarah Arrow recently posted..Dedicated Couriers: the different types of delivery
Hi Sarah, I love your point number 3 – demonstrating expertise. The first time you do this, you tend to get VERY worried that you are delivering “the keys to the kingdom” – both to potential clients and to competitors. The way I see it there are three types of people reading your posts – those who already know what you are talking about (your contemporaries), those who don’t but will keep Googling until they figure it out for themselves, and those who just want somebody who knows how to take care of it. Obviously the third category is the perfect client, but the second group quite often converts as well. Either way, demonstrating knowledge is what you do in face to face sales and your blog should do the same thing.
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Tony recently posted..Local SEO – a Case Study
Hey Tony, thanks for stopping by and commenting
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Yes, I agree it can be a scary thing when you do that first post that demonstrates your expertise, but how else can you speak to your ideal clients and show them what you are capable of? You just have to take a deep breath and get on with it.
Sarah Arrow recently posted..But isn’t haulage what you do Sarah?
Thanks for a great post, as always really interesting information. Like Lisa I always get worried about the “selling” part, but it doesn’t need to be scary when you write it in a nice way. Thank you
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Paula Kemp recently posted..What Causes Back Pain!
Twitter: PaulaKemp73
Hey Paula, thanks for dropping by
I am a big fan of only writing what you feel comfortable with as that is better than writing nothing at all. For example I am happy to say “subscribe to my newsletter” but less happy to say “buy my ebook”, but my ebook is selling. I am happy to say take a look at the sales page but not so happy to say “cough up the cash this will change your life in a gazillion different ways”. I don’t think I could ever say that and mean it.
Definitely know who your blog is aimed at, and make sure you’re passionate about your subject.
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Jed the LA SEO Guy recently posted..How to Avoid the Google Sandbox
Absolutely, it’s the most important metric I use – am I reaching my ideal readers? and if the answer is no, then I have to change and adapt until I reach them.
Thank you to get a fantastic submit, since constantly actually intriguing details. Just like Lisa I fret in regards to the “selling” portion, nonetheless it doesn’t must be terrifying once you compose that in the great approach. Many thanks.
If you guide rather than push your readers you have nothing to worry about. thanks for stopping by and commenting.
Thanks Sara,
kinda confirms some of the stuff that I already knew but you’ve also reinforced it in my mind not to try and cater for everyone.
Much appreciated.
Karl
Glad to hear that Karl, thanks for stopping by and commenting.
I’m not sure when it happened or why, but today it seems, everything you do, write or sell MUST convert. It’s as if, if it doesn’t convert, you’re a huge failure. Some things are meant to consumned without converting to cash. I’m not convinced everything we do on the Internet has to convert.
Having said that, there are many ways to convert, there are some common practices that are proven, each niche has its eb & flow.
Sorry, it’s on my mind. Good piece by the way. I just think we need to keep perspective now & then. Cheers!
Twitter: Owengreaves
Glad you got it off your chest Owen
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Conversion can be as simple as someone become a long term reader or as complex as making a sale. It can be as much as gaining a comment and starting a conversation as someone joining your newsletter, all are conversions. Some are just more valuable than others. I like the comments best, I’m shallow like that
Sarah Arrow recently posted..WordPress Video Training
Twitter: saraharrow
Thanks Sarah … this is what I needed to here, I guess I sit around the fence that is don’t call to action – but you have inspired me to get clearer with it and why not….!
Sarupa Shah, The Soul Agent recently posted..Where’s your business’s silver bullet?
Twitter: sarupashah
It’s easy to think that sitting on the fence is benefiting your blogging, but in truth as a reader, we need to be guided to the next action – what do you want us to do next? It’s then the call to action is helpful.
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Sarah Arrow recently posted..Exploring Dynamik
Twitter: saraharrow
Hi Sarah,
Very helpful tips, thanks for your thoughtful, helpful guidelines.
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Anita recently posted..Advent day 7 Light of the World
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Hi Sarah!
Thanks for the great tips! I also don’t like to do a hard sell. I really like your tip number 3. It’s important to gain a potential customer’s trust before they take action. Give the reader a solution to their problem and don’t hold back!
Thanks again for sharing your knowledge here, it’s been very helpful.
Lisa
Lisa recently posted..Using Google Keyword Research for SEO
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