November 10, 2005

Blog Hooks that Bring Readers Back

ME Liz Strauss wrote this at 4:34 pm

Since this is Building Readership Week at Successful Blog, I have to share this with you.

Some posts are a 10 out of 10. Darren Rowse’s post Blog Hooks - Elements that Draw Readers Back is one of them. In it he lays out the qualities that hook readers into becoming devoted fans. He says

We are blogging in a context where there are literally millions of blogs, in some niches there are hundreds (if not thousands) of alternatives for people to read. Successful blogs do something that makes them distinct from the rest.

They are not ‘just another blog on ((insert topic here))’ - they are ‘the blog that….((insert ‘hook’ here))’

He then lists what he thinks are the seven most intriguing hooks for readers.

  • personality of the blogger
  • design element
  • readers participation and community
  • thought leading content
  • latest news
  • practical tips
  • readership levels

Some appeal to readers who are thinkers. Some appeal to readers who are feelers. All tell readers that their time is well invested. Every one in some way tells readers this is a quality experience.

Imagine a blog that has 3 or more of Darren’s “hooks.” How could a reader leave without planning to return?

Sometimes you have to say, “I wish I wrote that.”

–ME “Liz” Strauss


Filed under Audience, Blog Review, Content, Marketing, Successful Blog, Writing |



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8 Comments to “Blog Hooks that Bring Readers Back”

  1. November 10th, 2005 at 7:01 pm
    Martin (HomeOfficeVoice) said

    Darren pretty much hits it right on with this post. I wonder if they are in no particular order or order of importance from his perspective.

    For me the three would be personality of the blogger, thought leading content and readers participation and community - if I can at least get those write I’d be happy.

    PS: talking about mistakes - by readrs you mean readers :-)

  2. November 10th, 2005 at 7:44 pm
    ME Strauss said

    Hi Martin,
    Starting with my order of importance. I got readers, thank you. It takes a village to raise a blog. :)

    I hadn’t really thought about whether Darren ordered them. His way of writing and thinking leads me to say not in the traditional sense, but yes in the sense that he probably wrote them in the order that he thought of them.

    Those three would be my top three also I think, but I couldn’t take a blog that was visually noisy. I also have a problem with blogs where the writer’s picture looks like he or she is watching me. :)
    Liz

  3. November 10th, 2005 at 10:47 pm
    liberalcowboy said

    I think the whole attack method is darn near the most effective.

  4. November 11th, 2005 at 6:05 am
    indeterminacy said

    If you look at some of the really big blogs, like dailykos.com, for example, what elements do you think they have? I would have to guess, as I don’t really read any of the top-ten blogs (I like off the beaten track, better):
    personality of the blogger
    design element
    thought leading content
    latest news

    I think there are a lot of uninteresting blogs that try this:
    design element
    design element
    design element

  5. November 11th, 2005 at 6:59 am
    ME Strauss said

    Hi liberalcowboy. :)
    For those of you who don’t know him, liberalcowby Jack thinks it’s his job to be disageeable. You can visit him at Jack of all Blogs http://jackofallblogs.com .

    Liz

  6. November 11th, 2005 at 7:06 am
    ME Strauss said

    Good morning, Indie,
    I sure do think your right on both points. I suspect that the ones who try design element only, have a high turnover rate in their readership, because after a while people figure out that it’s pretty, but there’s nothing behind it.
    Liz

  7. November 11th, 2005 at 3:17 pm
    liberalcowboy said

    In this case I was not actually being disagreeable. In fact the original article that Darren references points out the attack method. It’s my favorite one. In fact its kinda scary being on my frequented blog list. Some blogs I hate, Some I love. Some I love to hate, others I love and forget to visit.

    It’s all about bringing attention. I prefer standing in a room like a 2 year old throwing a tamptrum.

  8. November 11th, 2005 at 4:38 pm
    ME Strauss said

    Hi cowboy,
    Sorry I misunderstood. Now I get what you’re saying trantrums as a form of entertainment. I’m curious . . . did you throw trantrums when you were two years old? :)
    Liz

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