How to Engage Readers
AND Grow Your Reader Base

Congratulations! Your reader base has grown to 5,000! You had 4,277 hits on your blog last month, and 737 legitimate comments!

If you’re a solo professional trying to get found online, these numbers could be PDG: pretty darn good. Small businesses, however, might find these figures PDA, pretty darn awful. My point is whatever the size of your biz, you want to grow your reader base, increase hits on your site, and stimulate comments, on your blog, social media, and LinkedIn.

If you’re not seeing growing numbers, take heart; you’re not alone. I know this because it’s one of the frequent concerns and questions my clients have: “How do I grow by reader base?” Here are 4 techniques you should be using to engage readers, and grow your reader base.

4 Ways to CAST Your Net

“Quality online content” depends on what business you’re in, who your ideal clients are, and how you can reach out and attract them with your solutions. Here’s a memory device when writing for your blog or website.

Content (compelling)
Assets (free)
Social Media
Track

Of course I believe it starts with quality content, based on your niche, or target market, offering solutions to their problems. If you are going to cast your net into a huge WorldWideWeb, your content must be compelling. It must move your reader through three phases.

3 Phases of Compelling Content

1. Grab your readers’ attention and evoke interest.
   That’s why headlines and subject lines are critical. Appeal to basic human drives (food, safety, sex); universal motivations (save time, energy, money, belong, feel good), hot buttons (strong words, questions, promises) or persuasion tactics (reciprocity, scarcity, commitment and consistency, consensus, authority, liking).
2. Position yourself as an authority.
   Provide reasons for your readers to believe. If you are a true subject matter expert, you need to showcase your understanding of your readers’ problems and the experience and solutions you have to solve their problems.
3. Inspires conviction and action.
   Providing data (research, statistics) is important, but don’t forget emotions.

That last phase is where most online content writers get hung up. Yet it’s key:

You’ve got to connect with readers in emotional ways. How do you engage your readers and grow your reader base? I’d love to hear from you, connect with me on LinkedIn.