All bloggers want to believe their efforts will compel their readers to take action. After all, the power of the written word has changed societies—even compelled nations to go to war. Surely your blog can convince the reader to click through to your website. Right?
Unfortunately, too many blogs are simply written for the sake of adding content. I understand getting continuous content to your site is important. And making sure you have included the right key words is critical. But it is equally important to remember the purpose of your blog—you want the reader to take action.
This fact is not new; it has been the goal of advertisers throughout the ages. The good news is the same concepts, methods and, yes, even the tricks used by traditional advertisers and marketers work online.
If you want your reader to take the next step, give them a reason to do so.
Unless you're dealing with Gandhi or Mother Teresa, every person wants to know “What’s in it for ME?” If you can't show them how they will benefit, then they will never do anything. It’s a cold, hard truth.
In life, we all listen to the same radio station: WIFM. The station may broadcast a different message to each listener, but the call letters are the same and stand for "What’s In it For Me."
Is that all there is to it? Is that really enough? Not by a long shot. Simply knowing you will benefit does not ensure you will take action. Think of trying to stay on a diet: You know you will benefit, but that by itself usually does not instill compliance.
If you really want to influence your reader and compel them to take action, incorporate the six principles outlined by Robert B. Cialdini, PhD, in his book, The Psychology of Influence—the bible of marketers since it was first published in 1984.
After extensive research, Cialdini found everyone, regardless of their gender or origin, was moved to take action when confronted by these six principals. Have you implemented these principles into your blogging? Share your examples below!
Bill Arnold is the Strategic Accounts Manager at Kuno and loves to blog about practical application of social media strategies, inbound marketing, and technology. Connect with Bill on Twitter and LinkedIn .
photo credit: bunnicula