How do you grow your blog in the face of severe competition?
Please read my previous post tagged: SEO content writing 101 – The Ultimate Guide For Google Domination
Virtually every small business and corporate organization is resorting to blogging as a means to building their brand and increasing return on investments.
These days, quality content is no longer enough to make you a success; no matter how prolific you’re, going the extra mile could be the secret recipe for effective actualization of blogging goals.
Brand fidelity can boost your influence in the blogosphere. But what exactly is “brand fidelity?”
Brand fidelity in this context is the honest impression you’ve tapped on your audience’s mind.
Since brand is an identity, the way your business is promoted to another person in your absent is brand fidelity.
When you first launched your blog, you had well-written goals but believe me, every decision you make in your business is at your discretion.
It’s a personal “thing” that wouldn’t change the status quo unless you impress the right thought on your target audience.
Let’s consider 7 smart tips to get started with brand fidelity and how it can increase your authority online.
1. Define Your Objective(s) From Day One
If you define your core objectives from day #1, your brand and the perception of your audience would align automatically.
Blog readers are so selective in what they consume. When someone stumbles on your blog either from search engine, referrals sites or direct web traffic, they’re looking for help around your blog.
If you don’t define the objective and what they will derive from visiting your blog, you’ve failed and ultimately, this single visitor could be the savior you’ve been waiting for.
The moment you define what your blog is really about, your entire strength will be redirected towards achieving them.
I have a couple of blogs I read on weekly basis and my reasons for consistently reading a blog is because they’ve clearly stated objective. When I need blogging tips, I’ll quickly visit problogger and when it’s about copywriting, where else than copyblogger.
2. Don’t Sympathize, Inspire Readers
Engaging blog audience is a wide subject. Several articles and posts have been written to substantiate the fact that engagement enhances conversion.
Ironically, prospects and customers aren’t looking for sympathizers.
Sympathy reveals the ugly path of a person and often, doesn’t proffer workable solutions.
On the other hand, inspiration is like the shield and armor used by Soldiers. When a Soldier is efficiently armed, he’s inspired to take on the enemy’s camp without fear.
In other to build your brand fidelity, write contents that motivate readers and creatively engage them. This and only this should be the basis for blog monetization and business networking.
If you continue whining and peeing with readers/prospects, they would become unwanted salespersons. Stay away from such content marketing practices, be yourself and learn to persuade creatively.
3. Entertain First, Educate Thereafter
No desperate prospect is looking for answers in a dungeon. It doesn’t matter how helpful and qualitative your blog is, without entertainment, the foundation is weak and failure looms.
“There is no place like home” – whoever formulated that cliché was right!
Therefore, when a potential client or consumer visits your blog, they should feel at home. This will not be achieved by quality information alone, entertain them first and the rest would align accordingly.
Hollywood generates millions of dollars yearly from entertainment. Off course, movies are educational and you could learn business tenacity from watching “The Godfather.”
The moment you start entertaining readers, you’ll create an impression of trust in their crowded minds.
Do you forget interesting movies so quickly? Absolutely not! If prospects can’t forget you, they would stick around, follow you on twitter and buy your products. Is that simple (Not really simple…!)
4. Communicate Your Brand Consistently
Blogging is a perfect communicator.
Understand your identity (brand); how prospects and customers perceive you is very important.
If you do not give up on positive hopes and aspirations, your blog would go viral bringing the needed clients and resources for productivity.
So, how do you communicate your brand?
Since a brand is an expression of you, it’s wise to watch your thoughts and the contents you put out there. The thoughts flowing through your congested mind will determine what you “give” to your audience.
The web is powered primarily by written words. Videos and podcasts have joined the fast moving content wagon, but articles, blog posts and press releases are still best ways to showcase your stuffs and build trust.
When you know your readers and what type of posts they enjoy, stick to this unique style. If they enjoy ‘list-type posts,’ be committed to meeting this need. And if they prefer case studies posts, keep at it.
5. Ask Open-Ended Questions Creatively
Now, it’s time to streamline your blogging business with creative open-ended questions.
Several bloggers whom I know have used this strategy to command authority in their niche. It’s proven to work in any field, not just internet marketing.
Your target audience is looking for caring professionals. Someone they can relate with, without feeling dejected or stagnated – the two types of questions in managerial practices are open-ended question and close-ended question.
The former is a viable ground to say things as they are with all transparency, while close ended questions causes an infringement and obstruction in the communication system.
Here is an illustration: If you’re a copywriter, when sending questionnaires or goal markup to your clients before starting the project, the typical call session goes thus:
Close ended question:
You: Hello Mr. Shawn, do you want to optimize for search engines
Client: No, just concentrate on converting sales; I already have a database of responsive subscribers.
Open ended question:
You: Good day Mrs. Shirley, what is your ultimate marketing goal?
Client: Thanks for asking. I want to build credibility, double my email list and increase conversion rate.
Give readers and prospects the opportunity to express their business goals. Don’t give options unless they asked for it. This is the simplest way to boost brand fidelity and become an authority.
6. Use the Magic Wand Strategy
Photoshop users are familiar with a sleek tool called the “magic wand.”
It’s an important tool in graphic designs and intelligent web designers also use it for photo cropping and background selection.
Bloggers are creative people, but several stuffs get on the way and prevent them from building strong audience, let alone, make significant income.
Unless you debug the mind and concentrate on core blogging principles, making headway is blurred.
If you use the magic wand on a vector right inside Photoshop workspace and press “delete” from your keyboard, the path selected will disappear.
The world will not prosecute you, if you don’t have answers to every problem in your niche. Challenge yourself to solve at least one particular problem.
Find out what you’re good at, search engine optimization, social media, content marketing etc. Read every book you could lay your hands on in this field and increase your knowledgebase. The more insights you acquire about a “subject,” the more trusted your “brand.”
7. Intensify Social Media Optimization (ISMO)
Social media networks are powerful business-transformers in present times. Getting your blog accessible to social networking giants is a great decision.
But how do you actualize this when every blogger is using the same platform to showcase his strengths and business tenacity? It’s easier than you think: intensify social media optimization and profit.
Unfortunately, it’s easier to join a social network and get your blog listed, but very difficult to optimize for efficient positioning. A lot of business entrepreneurs are active twitter users and Google+ enthusiasts, but they rarely drive traffic from these networks.
Optimize your social media profile with the right keywords. Google search spider can now crawl social media profiles, trail the links to your blog and reward you handsomely.
Google+ caused some remarkable search changes in recent times – I think it’s a good thing.
Use LinkedIn to build strong business connections. Share your best contents only and your brand fidelity would blossom, thereby producing results in your blog.
Your Turn To Speak
There you’ve it, the 7 smart tips to grow your blog with brand fidelity. I appreciate your time in going through the entire page. Success is yours forever!
Do you know your readers and prospects? Is there any remarkable tip you would like to share regarding brand image and marketing fidelity?
Let’s keep the comments section active. But don’t forget to take action and implement the tips as contained in this post.
Image Credit: davidshawblog