In the early days running a website or a blog was much easier than it is now. If you had a .com domain and a nice looking design you had trust. Webmaster didn’t have to put in too much effort in showing off who they are and why they are the right solution to people’s problems.
Nowadays, blogging had become more and more about networking, building relationships with your visitors or potential customers. You need to put yourself before the content. You need to let people know there is a real person behind the blog they are reading. You need to showing off your face and interact with your readers to gain trust.
During my experience as a blogger I have found various methods that can help you build a trusty relationship with your readers. Most of them can be implemented right away with very little work, while others take much more time and effort but the results are worth it.
1. Introduce yourself
The first and most important step is to introduce yourself to your audience. Build a compelling “About” page and make it visible. Don’t hide it out in the footer or I don’t know where. Have a link pointing to it in the sidebar above the fold and author bio box bellow each blog post.
I also recommend adding some pictures or videos of you. Remember that a potential customer will rely on YOU not on your blog posts.
2. Answer to comments and e-mails
Answer the comments people leave on your blog. Answer their questions or let them know if you agree or not with their opinion. This will make them feel that somebody is taking note of their opinion. Occasionally, you can also e-mail them directly or comment back on their blog.
3. Offer freebies
People love to get stuff for free. This will make them loyal to you and realize that you are not trying to rip them off. You could offer free e-books, coupons, WordPress Themes, services and so on.
This is also a good way to get some promotion and increase your subscriber list as well.
4. Get on social media
You want to be where your customers are and these day people are on Facebook, Twitter and other few socializing platforms. These two tools can bring in lots of benefits if used wisely.
5. Blog about yourself
This is a good way you can take the “About” page even further. You can write about your personal life every now and then but don’t overdo it. Even though it probably won’t be the main topic your readership is interested in, these types of posts are fun to read and will improve your personal relationship with your readers. Don’t be afraid to let people know how your summer holiday was or what you had for breakfast.
Get personal with your visitors!
6. Do Q&A sessions
Another great way to build a trusty relationship with your readers is to do regular Q&A sessions. Offer your consultant services for free from time to time. This will not only turn them into loyal visitors but also make them aware of your knowledge and your professional advices.
7. Offer your own products/services
You will eventually want your readers to buy something from you. Build yourself of portfolio of services and start selling them. Make sure to interact with your customers a lot while working with them via conference calls, video conferences, and email.
8. Attend events
One last thing you want to add to your list is attending events. You don’t need to be a speaker or attend big events at first. Just pick a couple of smaller get-togethers in your niche and interact with the people there. Once your online business starts to grow you can attend bigger events, build relationships with more customers and partnerships with bigger guys in your niche.
This is my “To do” list for building a trustable name for a blog, I am sure there are other methods that worth mentioning and I must have left out, so feel free to add your stuff.
Comments are appreciated as always.
Regards,
Lazy Goys Blog
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