Liz Strauss at Successful Blog

Thinking, writing, business ideas … You’re only a stranger once.

August 14, 2008

Welcoming the Offline Customer: Does Your Blog Create A Good Impression?

ME Liz Strauss wrote this at 12:51 pm

by Scott McIntyre

Scott McIntyre — The Avid Blog Reader Without a Blog

Last week, I suggested ways in which your blog could potentially benefit from participating on Social Media sites, and highlighted 10 Social Media tips for connecting with non blogging customers.

From your comments, it seems that this is an area of promotional activity which many of you would like either to develop more fully or to engage in for the first time.

I know that Liz herself is passionate about helping us all to better understand the reality of Social Media. Liz suggests maintaining a degree of perspective about Social Media and to think about whether your online offering is what people are actually searching for.

So, what might offline customers be looking for when they come to your blog, or website, for the first time? What would you like them to discover when they arrive? It would be great to read your views in the comments section.

Today, I want to look at those features of a blog which can influence how a first time, non-blogging visitor reacts to your site.
Ideally, you want to create a positive impression, to be welcoming. Make the offline customer feel ‘at home’ on your blog from the outset and you’re well on the way to connecting with them successfully.

Is Your Blog Appealing to the Non-Blogging Customer?

For all of you, I’m sure your blog is the result of much strategy development, planning, and hard work. You’ve invested resources- time, effort, and money- into developing an online offering to attract your target audience.

From the overall design to the little finishing touches, you’ve thought long and hard about ways to make your readers’ experiences as positive as possible. This can be achieved by addressing issues relating to usability and accessibility, amongst other factors.

But I wonder whether you’ve ever taken the time to see your blog from the perspective of a non-blogger? Perhaps you’ve asked a non-blogging contact to review your blog and give you feedback? If you have, you may have been a little surprised at what they told you.

As I’ve mentioned previously, there are still many people who either do not blog themselves or have never been exposed to the medium of blogs. This sizeable group of consumers represents a potentially lucrative target market for your online activities.

Of course, the nature of your online business will affect how much you need to be concerned about addressing the needs of a first-time visitor to your blog. If your product or service is aimed specifically at bloggers, you can safely assume that they will already have a good level of awareness about blogs.

If your market offering, however, is non-blogging based then you might need to pay a little more attention to making your blog as welcoming as possible to visitors who don’t blog.

Speaking from my own experience, when I first discovered blogs earlier this year, I was puzzled by the concept behind them. The more I read and researched, the more I gradually came to enjoy reading blogs and to understand their unique nature.

Blogs can be bewildering to a non-blogger…

So, how can you create that ideal first impression, and encourage the non-blogger to come back?

I’m going to briefly consider 6 points below, and would welcome your ideas on any other factors which you feel might attract or put off the non-blogger who pays your site a visit.

Like the start of any beautiful relationship, creating the right first impression goes a long way to ensuring long-term success. By building a positive rapport with the non-blogger right from the beginning, you can develop powerful and productive partnerships that will benefit you both.

If you’re a blogger, leave a comment to let me know of the factors which you feel help create a positive first impression for non-bloggers? How do you make your blog appealing to non-blogging customers?

If you’re a non-blogger, tell them what they can do to win you over when you visit their blog.

–Scott McIntyre

Related

Week 1: Connecting with the Offline Customer: A Non-Blogger’s Perspective
Week 2: Targeting the Offline Customer: Do You Blog for Non-Bloggers?
Week 3: Reaching the Offline Customer: Do You Promote Your Blog Offline?
Week 4: Attracting the Offline Customer: Why Do You Promote Your Blog Offline?
Week 5: Top 10 Social Media Tips for Connecting With Non-Blogging Customers





Filed under Marketing, Successful Blog |




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11 Comments to “Welcoming the Offline Customer: Does Your Blog Create A Good Impression?”

  1. August 14th, 2008 at 2:16 pm
    ElaineB said

    So true! We often over look how blogs are an extension of our businesses…

  2. August 14th, 2008 at 9:17 pm
    Shilpan | successsoul.com said

    Scott - A fantastic summary of essentials for a social media success. In fact, anyone serious about making a stride into the social media arena shall bookmark this page. Content + a successful marketing campaign along with active social media participation is the recipe of success. I enjoyed this article from your outsider perspective.

    Shilpan

  3. August 15th, 2008 at 12:13 am
    Vered said

    To answer your question, I do ask questions. Many of my posts end with a question. While bloggers are talkative and opinionated and can always find something to say about anything :)
    I agree with you that one of the best ways to entice a non-blogger to participate in the discussion is to ask questions.

  4. August 15th, 2008 at 1:29 am
    Cath Lawson said

    Hi Scott - It’s so easy to use terms that are alien to non-bloggers without even thinking. I will be keeping an eye on the words I use from now on.

    Like you, I would love to know how we can engage more non-bloggers in discussion. After all, millions of non-bloggers participate in forums, so why are blogs different?

    As Vered said, asking questions helps. But what else would encourage folk to join in?

    I’m wondering if we should encourage people to ask us questions too? On forums - a lot of people seem to be asking questions, in the hope that other members will answer them. I wonder how this would work on blogs?

    Another thing I find difficult on blogs where there’s lots of comments is following the discussion. I wonder if comments would work better if they were set out differently?

  5. August 15th, 2008 at 4:19 am
    Karin H. said

    Hi Scott

    My very first blog (Blogger - free) was an extension of our normal ’static’ website. The was before I ‘discovered’ the blogosphere. I just saw (and still do, specially after switching to typepad which gives so many more options/features and benefits for this) my ‘blog’ as a simple interactive part of our website.

    It’s grown since then, again thanks to starting to use Typepad. My ‘posts’ are called articles - informative and mostly extensions on questions my ‘readers’ (non-bloggers looking for info on our subject: wooden flooring) enter in the ‘comment-box’.

    I never call this ‘blog’ (one of the 7 I work on/with) our blog: even the banner states: FAQ & News site.
    And when I have to explain the workings of it - how it attracts many prospect - I call it our dynamic, interactive website.

    What’s in a name? Much ;-)

    Karin H. (Keep It Simple Sweetheart, specially in business)

  6. August 15th, 2008 at 7:09 am
    Scott McIntyre said

    Hi Elaine,

    Definitely. A blog represents the online ‘public face’ of your business and, ideally, you want to extend the branding in a way which is both welcoming and supportive of your business aims.

    Hi Shilpan,

    Thank you.

    You’re right- it’s impossible to escape the fact that, unless a blog features first-class content, the reader will likely not stick around for too long.

    Hi Vered,

    You have a great blog community which is keen to contribute to the discussions. By provoking your readers to think twice, they want to participate time and time again.

    Hi Cath,

    The issue of encouraging readers to participate in blog conversations is one I am especially interested in.

    Like Liz, I believe developing a lively blog community is a high priority for any successful blog.

    Your ideas regarding how to encourage reader comments are very interesting.

    Personally, I believe that developing a dynamic, interactive community is going to be an increasingly key factor to a blog’s success.

    Perhaps bloggers will develop new ways of achieving this.

    I’d love to hear more of everyone’s ideas on this topic.

    Hi Karen,

    I’ve visited your blog and think you’ve done a great job in welcoming a reader who is not experienced with blogs.

    Indeed, as with many areas of business activity, providing simple solutions is usually the most effective strategy.

  7. August 15th, 2008 at 10:36 am
    Marelisa said

    Hi Scott: I definitely want to attract more nonbloggers to my blog. Do you think that offering something in exchange for subscribing, such as a free-book, would entice nonbloggers to sit down and read about an RSS feed so that they can subscribe? Because that’s what worries me: RSS is very foreign sounding and I’m sure a lot of people would rather stay away from educating themselves about RSS.

    You offer some great tips here, thank you :-)

  8. August 15th, 2008 at 11:25 am
    Avani-Mehta said

    One reason why non-bloggers don’t comment is because they don’t know this is possible.

  9. August 15th, 2008 at 1:05 pm
    John Hoff - eVentureBiz said

    Scott - great article.

    When designing a blog where you plan to attract many non-bloggers, you definitely have to think a little less “bloggy.”

    A static home page is definitely a great start. It provides the normal introduction to a website that they are use to and should quickly explain:

    - What’s here?
    - Who’s it for?
    - Why you?
    - Why this?
    - Why now?
    - So what?

    That’s what non-bloggers looking for something want from you right away. Often times when I go to a website for the first time I think to myself, “What does this person want me to do.” That’s a great question to ask yourself when reviewing your website.

    Re: RSS - Of course put the little symbol up top, but non-bloggers will have no clue and I’m sure even after you explain it to them on a page, they will still have no clue what it is.

    It’s best to highlight the email subscription for them and be sure they know their email address will never be given out, sold, spammed, etc. if your goal is to get them signed up.

    I have an article I wrote a while back about protecting your assets using business structures which has been attracting a few non bloggers with some questions. Like you said, it’s the content that gets them curious and leads them to commenting to learn more.

    I think you’re right on with the categories part. So many people feel it necessary to add tons of categories which in the end, just clutter up your blog and offer too many choices.

    Give a simple and clear message and give them a road map of where to go and you’re on the right track.

    @ Marelisa - that’s a great idea. However, if your target customer is a non-blogger, make sure to highlight the email subscription.

  10. August 22nd, 2008 at 5:55 am
    Timing Is Everything for Your Blogging Style said

    [...] Welcoming the Offline Customer: Does Your Blog Create A Good Impression? [...]

  11. September 4th, 2008 at 1:00 pm
    Offline Customers: Do You Make Room for Non-Bloggers To Comment? - Liz Strauss at Successful Blog - Thinking, writing, business ideas . . . You’re only a stranger once. said

    [...] Blog Offline? Week 5: Top 10 Social Media Tips for Connecting With Non-Blogging Customers Week 6: Welcoming the Offline Customer: Does Your Blog Create A Good Impression? Week 7: Engaging the Offline Customer: Do You Talk With Non-Bloggers? Week 8: Offline Customers: Do [...]

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