When it comes to content marketing, there are ways to write content so
it actively markets you and your business without being “in-your-face”
sales copy or boring product reviews or press releases.
I’m reminded of an excellent book on creating effective website design called Don’t Make Me Think.
The premise is that a customer searching for products and services
online shouldn’t have to figure out how to find what they’re looking
for on your website.
When it comes to reading your blog, however, please, please DO make me
think! Your blog posts should have meaty content that stimulates
readers to ask questions, to comment, to agree wholeheartedly, or
disagree vociferously.
How can you do that? Ahhh, let me think about that a minute here… Wait! I’ve got an idea. I’ll build a list of ideas to make readers think. And, YOU can contribute to the list!
In fact, let me spontaneously brainstorm a few ideas with you here, right now. You can comment and add your own ideas to the list. Here’s my lists of ways to get readers to think, for example, in a blog post:
- Ask a question that can’t be answered (without thinking for a few minutes, at least)
- Describe an ethical conundrum and ask readers to contribute solutions
- Ask readers for their top 3 tips for …. (insert a common problem your customers have)
- Write about a problem you experienced or a mistake you made, and ask readers what they would have done
- Describe a most pivotal moment in your business, and ask readers to contribute theirs
- Write about a situation facing a customer and ask readers to contribute ideas and projected outcomes
- Suggest some ideas and ask readers for more ideas…(hint, hint)
- …
- …
- …
Get it? Okay, now it’s your turn. How can you write blog posts that stimulate readers to think and even actively participate?
Bonus question: How does doing this actually work to market your business?
Prize: 3 randomly selected winners will get a free book sent to them (one of my great marketing books that I mistakenly bought two of, brand new)
Recent Comments