Here are 15 creative ways to boost blog engagement!
Use Visuals
People are visual. Visuals are a great way to communicate and highlight info.
- Memes: imgflip, Canva
- Videos: you can post your own videos, or embed Youtube videos (Youtube wants people to share their videos, they have share buttons for a reason!)
- Gifs: GIFY
- Graphics
- Images
- Screenshots
- Pie Charts
- Charts
- Graphs
- Tables
Ask Them
- Ask your audience questions.
- Ask for input in comment section.
- Respond to comments. People want to socialize. If they see you respond to comments, they might want to join in.
- Ask for people to subscribe to your newsletter.
- Ask for people to share the article if they liked it.
- Take a poll: Typeform.
Giveaways Or Contests
Hosting a giveaway or a contest is great because you set your own rules. Some popular rules are: to enter you must be following (either the newsletter, social media account(s) or both), comment, tag 3 friends on social media, repost a photo on social media, etc. For a contest it usually requires participation such as a reader taking a photo relevant to the niche and posting it on their social media account. This can be a great way to reach more people.
Behind The Scenes
It is no secret that people like unfiltered, raw photos and videos that are not perfectly edited. People like candid behind the scenes moments in your daily life. Share something completely related to your niche or just something related to you. This is relatable and likable, and often receives the most feedback. Some of Glossier’s first Instagram posts included behind the scenes posts to draw curiosity.
Use Proven Data
Proven data acts as an authority on a subject and adds credibility to your blog posts.
- Facts and Statistics (Make sure you site your source. For example: Video content is 50 times more likely to drive search traffic instead of plain text” (Optinmonster).
- Show social proof: for example show other people using a product or service, or doing something to achieve results, in your niche.
- Quotes: people love quotes. They are often inspirational and thought provoking. There are quotes for almost any subject. For example: BrainyQuote has a lot of quotes. Make sure you put the quote in quotes (“”) and give credit to the author.
“Your first blog posts won’t be perfect, but you just have to do it.” – Shane Barker
Listen To Your Readers
Deliver what they actually want. If some posts are really popular, make more posts like those. For example if you run a coupon blog, you may notice that readers really like grocery hauls with how much you paid for everything.
Story Telling
Talk about your personal experiences. People like details! And they want to hear from someone who has done something they want to do.
Be A Guest
Being a guest writer on someone else’s blog can be a great way to attract new readers, especially if it is in a similar niche.
Call To Action
Ask your readers to comment, subscribe, or ask them questions. For example: “If you found this article helpful please subscribe to our Email so we can send you more helpful tips.” Use buttons, arrows, icons, etc. along with your call to action. You could include a button next to an affiliate link that says “Buy,” “Learn More,” “Purchase,” etc.
Good Looking Website
Make sure your web design looks good, is easy to read, and organized. People will often spend more time on a website if it looks good. You don’t have to be a web designer, there are many design custom themes out there.
Offer Freebies
You could offer a freebie in return for someone signing up for your newsletter. People love getting something for free, and they are more likely to sign up for an email list if they are getting something free for signing up.
- Printable’s: adult coloring book pages, checklists, to-do lists, posters, etc.
- Digital downloads: ebooks, PNGs, info pamphlets, lists of ideas, complete resources lists, etc.
Tip: If you are having trouble finding out what to create and offer as a freebie, check out the digital items for sale on Etsy to get an idea of what people sell.
Search Box
Include a search box on your website so that readers can search for certain topics. This can extend the time your reader spends on your webpage. You can also put on in the footer.
Newsletter
Offer a newsletter. Email marketing is often a lucrative business model. This allows you to have direct communication with a reader who already signed up for you email list and likes the content on your blog. You have multiple chances to “close the sale.”
Add Links
- Internal Links: this includes using hyper links to links within your own website such as articles, an About page, or a Resources page. Often times bloggers will use a “You Might Also Like” at the bottom of an article with reference to other articles that might be helpful to them.
- External Links: External links are great for showing your audience additional information, tips, etc. For example, this blog page links to memes, gifs, and a poll website.
- Backlinks: Obtain backlinks by posting your blog post links or website on the social media sites that your audience uses (for example Pinterest), sharing your blog on Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn, Reddit, by guest posting, etc.
Use Social Media Feeds Or Icons
Use a social media feed on your blog such as Instagram. Put social media icon buttons on your blog so readers to click on your social media. For example, this blog has a Pinterest social media icon, but it does not have a social media feed.
There you have it, 15 ways in increase engagement on your blog! Which is your favorite tip?