If you are reading this, then you already know the importance of growing your readership when you are branding yourself using your blog.
But you may have also realized that there is a possibility of a problem. Maybe, just maybe, you are not connecting with your visitors and readers. For some reasons, your blog is quiet.
Sure, you get all the good traffic from your SEO and social media campaigns but there seems to be something missing. It's like having hundreds of people in your house party but nobody seems to be happy about it.
Doesn't that just bum you out?
It is important, whenever you are branding yourself, to have a certain kind of connection to your readers.
Here's how:
#1 Write as if you are talking to them - simple trick here
Just make sure you sound human. Your readers will find it hard to connect to you when you sound like a big company or a robot. Here are some things you have to take note when you don't want to sound like a commercial conglomerate or C3PO.
a. Use everyday terms like Hey! Sure thing! and even Hell yeah!
b. Don't use jargon as much. It will just alienate your readers.
c. This is not language class. Don't be afraid to start your sentences with Because, But or And. (Just don't let ol' Ms. Hammelsdorf read your work)
d. Use the words I and you in your work. It makes the whole piece more personal.
e. Pose questions in your content as if you were just talking to your readers. (and treating them like 10-year olds)
#2 Use metaphors
Everybody loves metaphors. It's like when your Uncle John would use a story involving a horse and a dog in order to prove the point that water is important. It's something like that but a little less tacky. Metaphors make your posts more engaging as it becomes vivid and pretty much "alive" to your readers. Use metaphors that are close to you. Use your old profession, your hobby or something you see everyday in your location.
#3 Be an inspiration to your readers
Don't just give instructions. Inspire your readers to follow them. Empathize with them at the start of your post and conclude with an inspiring paragraph. Remember that it is not all about sharing knowledge, it's about inspiring others to become better.
#4 Be interesting and interested
Many people who create content through blog posts think that it's a one-way relationship. You write and they read.
You have to remember that you are branding yourself in your work. Yes, it is a given that you are interesting just because of the fact that you do have readers. But you have to recognize the fact that this is just half of the journey. You should also be interested in your readers.
As a writer, you have to have a "center" in writing. It could be about gaining more money, sharing interests, teaching people or even just wanting to vent out. Aside from these "centers" you also have to know that keeping a blog is not about a recording of your successes or greatness, it is about your reader's journey.
So what have you written today that might be of importance to your readers?