Email marketing is getting tougher by the day. With ISPs coming up with their own definition of what’s SPAM and what’s not, you may find that your email are not getting delivered to as many people as it should be. This is the reality of 2006. As an alternative, most marketers nowadays perfer to use blogs as their marketing forefront. There’s no issues with this, except one nagging question:
How do I get more visitors to my blog?
And that’s followed by this question:
How do I get visitors to leave comments on my blog?
These are NOT the answer:
Provide great content:So what if you provide good tips? There are equally great content (if not better) elsewhere.Design a beautiful blog:Beauty is only skin deep. After the initial ‘wow factor’, what’s left?Use SEO:Ok, this will work for traffic, but not for loyalty or responsiveness. So SEO is not the ultimate answer.Talk about Google:If you really have nothing better to say, then by all means talk about Google. But there’s tons of other bloggers talking about Google
Here the countdown to the “Top 5 Secrets To Increase Returning Blog Traffic“, ranked from my personal experience on blogging, that will make your blog traffic grow and your readers more responsive to your marketing messages:
Secret Number 5: Make It Easy For Them To Come Back
Don’t assume that everyone knows how to use an RSS feed or even cares about Feedburner. In fact, if you’re blogging on a topic other than Adsense, ecommerce or Internet Marketing, most of your readers will be less tech-savvy. You MUST provide clear instructions on your blog itself, and help them to keep in touch with your latest posts. The more they hear from you, the more they love you.
Secret Number 4: Stop Selling All The Time
Nothing turns me off more than visiting a flea market disguised as a blog. Yes, I know that you want to sell more and earn more. But don’t let it be the only thing you do on your blog. Say something else other than “Buy now”
Secret Number 3: Compare Two Different Groups And Let Them Know
Compare two different people, groups, organization or even countries. Then, using Technorati and taggging, let them know about it. The more controversial your topic is, the better. My post on broadband in Malaysia and Singapore got over 10 comments because a bunch of Singaporean guys who found my blog via Technorati could not stand the fact that Malaysia got one step ahead of Singapore At that point of time I had only started blogging for 10 days.
Secret Number 2: Critique An Opinion, Product or Event
Notice I said “critique” and not “criticise”. The latter can get you some very pissed-off readers.
Critique an opinion by giving your views as opposed to those of another blogger. Then, using trackbacks and pings, let him know that you’ve posted a response on your blog. Critique a product or event in the same way. Never, ever attack someone personally when doing this, or you might make more enemies than friends!
Secret Number 1: I Can’t Tell You
No, I can’t tell you the most important secret for getting and maintaining a highly responsive readership for your blogs. This secret will make anyone shed their resistance or commenting and start participating on your blog. After they do it for the first time, they tend to feel more comfortable, and they will do it again. .. and again… and again. I’m not going to make it easy for you by spoon-feeding you this information. But I WILL give you examples, and let you figure it out.
- Kidino got over 20 comments on his blog using this secret.
- I got over 50 comments on my blog using this secret.
- Armand Morin over 200 comments on his blog using this secret.
Click on the linked comments to visit these blogs, and compare it with other posts on the blog. You’ll notice that most of their other posts get very little comments. But the ones I’ve highlighted get tons of them for no “apparent” reason. Why?
What is THE SECRET? If you have figured it out, let me know by posting a comment below. It’s time for me to test the marketing genius in you, if there actually is one Let me hear your answers below:
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google adsense are dying!!!many of pro blogger and webmaster had said it.
Thank you, Gobala! Very nice speech. At the first time I read your article in IAHBE, I simply talked to myself. “who is this guy?” and I did not know you’re Malaysian. I think I love U and your blog. Frankly speeking, I am one of your follower. Hope one day I could meet U.
That’s a “bulb” light on my head… I think got write some personal post instead of normal posts only.
Thanks my fren.
Once they read , … The shift is starting to creep into workplace communication, too.
well, Mr Kidino let the cat out of the bag.
yes, the best way to get response is to talk about your pet, your kid (or someone else’s kid) and women.
you also need to include pictures cos they say “a thousand words”. the cuter the person / pet the better…
if you’re blogging on a serious topic (e.g business or tech) don’t do it too often, but DO IT. it allows your readers to connect with you at a more personal level.
another important thing: ask for comments
Armand Morin asked for his readers to vote on how he should look. I asked readers to wish my girlfriend good luck. So you have to ASK for their comment.
As long giving a comment is easy and will not make them look foolish, they will do it. If they feel like they need to think what they are going to say (for fear of being wrong) they are less likely to comment.
Once they comment, I guarantee that they will feel a part of your blog, even if they don’t return for the next 10 weeks
It is documented in the e-Code, three topics that can draw the MOST response …
babies,
pets,
women
Gobala, you wrote something nice about your life, Kidino wrote something nice about his life and Armand wrote something funny about himself.
Then there is the the ummmph factor. Your girlfriend, Kidino’s daughter and Armand’s beard.
Hehe….just giving my two cents.
Tell real life experience.
big bro gobala …mmm saya budak baru belajar ….kena try and error lah .baru feel buat blog guna adsense .
Mr G. This new in malaysia but still ok…a lot of secrets need to think. So i like this blog but 4 the future u must think more.
Powerful Knowledge new generation.Mr. G why u keep secrets No 1. why@ ? @ Y….thanks u Mr. G.
The human factor, the connection especially when you ask for people to answer a question you really want to know is what I see in all these three comment subjects.
Another way to get comments is take the initiative and connect with people on their blogs first, write about other blogs with a trackback because they will want to “meet” those that have been to your blog.
This lesson is very new to me but its when people have met you on other blogs THEN find your blog to learn more about you.
This is a cool place for me to bookmark ~
Mr GK, i was one of the participant in adsense class yesterday and have buy your ebook Chapter-M. I am very impressed with your presentation about the wordpress.com how to quickly set up niche and i found your blog also give me such as wider info about online in Malaysia. Keep up goodwork GK.
P/s: My refrence blog
Ya Gobala,i got d point!YES!That’s human touch,am I right?My opinion here is when you do blogging,don’t just write topics on your products,your affiliate’s products etc2.People will get bored easily and marked you as a ‘gila duit’(money crazy)-correct me if wrong.So the human touch on blogging is A MUST.Then you will get tons of comment,because people loves talking non-business matter rather than business matter.Trust me,it’s proved anywhere.
Very nice writeup GK,
Really sums up the basic principles of getting good traffic. Alot of common sense in there, unfortunately most people lack it.
Looking forward to reading your next post.
Cheers