How to Optimize Your Blog for User Interaction

It’s a good idea to review web pages annually and make updates as needed but for the most part… websites are static. They provide the basic information: who you are, what you do, who you do it for, and how to be a customer.

Blogs, on the other hand, are an important element of a website where the content should never be viewed as static or stale. Implementing a blog on your website is a powerful way to move away from the one sided conversation of a static web page and into an open conversation with your audience.

That is as long as you’re capable of effectively encouraging readers to interact with your blog. Here are a few steps that may help you accomplish engagement.

Blog articles should always be related to your products or services.

This approach to publishing is almost as bad as using your blog strictly for SEO purposes. (Yeah, that’s bad too.)

Once in a while, you might find a good topic in “X Unique Uses for {Product}” and your customers might really find it to be a valuable article. However, spare the shameless self-promoting in your blog. When you’re at a social event, would you rather stand and talk with the guy who goes on and on about the same old tired topic… or the guy who can carry out a conversation about anything and everything.

Instead, publish about topics that are relevant to your audience.

The primary keyword here is topics. The secondary point is relevance and it is only important when trying to qualify blog subscribers as eligible customers. For example, a storage company can publish articles about home renovation tips—which is entirely unrelated to storage—and the relevance is valuable for the core audience (home owners).

Be opinionated.

Don’t be the stubborn kind of opinionates. Approach controversial topics with an open and objective perspective, but express and explain your opinion. Don’t be the blind sheep kind of opinionated either. Avoid duplicating the same opinion piece as anybody else… but feel free to respond with an open letter if you agree or disagree with a public opinion published elsewhere. Be authentic when choosing a topic that matters to you and keep it relevant to the issues that your audience cares about.

Why?

Because readers are more moved by something they can relate to.

It’s your move.

Writing an article may still feel like a one sided conversation if you don’t end it with the opportunity for a response. Close your point with a trigger and open up the comments for discussion.

What are some of the best tips you have for publishing articles that get more likes, shares, comments, and/or subscribers?