by Scott McIntyre
In the first part of this series, when I shared my perspective on connecting with offline customers, it was clear from your comments that this is an area of business activity which many of you are keen to develop.
I was also very interested to learn that some of you have already adopted this as a business goal, and are taking steps to focus in on attracting this particular audience – a group that is, I would suggest, waiting for you to find them and to address their consumer needs.
Helping you to grow your online business by reaching out to non-bloggers, is a subject close to Lizââ¬â¢s heart. She previously hosted a lively session on blogging outside the blogosphere with Wendy Piersall which opened up the debate.
Today, I would like to explore a little further the issues behind whether your online business could be profitably served by aiming for customers outside the blogosphere.
The Nature of Your Business: Is Your Audience Bloggers?
Let me ask you whether there are people within your own network of current, or potential, contacts who either (a) donââ¬â¢t read blogs or (b) are not bloggers themselves?
I would hazard a guess that there are.
At first glance, the vast majority of blog readers would appear to be other bloggers. Or, at least, that is the impression I get when I read the comments sections on almost every blog I have visited. The vast majority of commentators have links to their own blogs in their signature.
Either other blog readers without a blog are few and far between or else, as I suspect, they are reluctant to get involved in the conversation.
Itââ¬â¢s a missed opportunity whichever way you look at it.
Are other bloggers your ideal target audience?
The nature of your online business will strongly influence any decisions you make as to whether you might usefully channel resources into targeting offline customers as your primary marketing strategy.
If your product or service is aimed specifically at bloggers, it seems entirely appropriate for your business to be aiming for customers within the blogosphere.
If your market offering, however, is non-blogging based then it might be best to look for potential customers offline.
To focus only on bloggers as your target audience is to miss out on an army of potential customers — people with money to spend — who are not aware of blogs (yes, they do exist!) or who do not blog themselves.
Next week, I will be looking at some of the practical methods and communication channels you can use to spread your message to this potentially lucrative, offline market segment.
If youââ¬â¢re a blogger, leave a comment to let me know your views on whether it’s right for your business to target offline customers. If youââ¬â¢re a blogger already targeting customers outside the blogosphere, what are your experiences in trying to attract this audience to your online business?
If you’re a non-blogger, let them know what they need to do to get your attention.
ââ¬âScott
Scott McIntyre is a freelance writer based in Scotland, who only recently discovered the wonders of the blogosphere. He’s a writer on a personal mission to live a colorful life, and to write about it along the way. You can find out more at LinkedIn, or be one of the first to follow Scott on Twitter.
tinku gallery says
July 17, 2008 at 1:40 PMHi Scott,
My business (contemporary art gallery) very much targets non-bloggers. I have only been in business for 3 months, and started blogging right away so people could get a feel for the gallery (and me) while I was working on my website and getting the word out about my physical space.
It is a bit early for me to say how much this will help me bring in new customers but so far I can say it has had a positive effect in terms of engaging the small group who do read it and I believe it has some non-commercial benefits in terms of building a relationship between the gallery and my audiences.
–Amrita
Flora Morris Brown, Ph.D. says
July 17, 2008 at 4:09 PMScott,
Targeting only bloggers is definitely a mistake. However, at first they will be the ones more likely to read and comment.
I target offline customers by listing my blog address on my website and business literature. I encourage on and offline customers to not only visit my blog, but to subscribe to the feed.
Al at 7P says
July 17, 2008 at 8:26 PMHi Scott,
I think that a lot of bloggers write articles that non-bloggers would also enjoy. However, it seems like bloggers are the only ones who would be willing to subscribe through a feed reader, which makes bloggers the only dependable regular readers.
I think articles I write can be appreciated by non-bloggers, but I don’t have a link to a page explaining what “RSS” means or explain what my “StumbleUpon” link does, since most bloggers already know. Maybe I should reconsider that, though.
Bamboo Forest says
July 17, 2008 at 9:09 PMI have to believe, for example, that a site like, “zen habits” which has 62,000 subscribers does not only make up bloggers.
The comment section, as Scott pointed out, could have you believe that – however.
This is a subject matter I myself have pondered. But with further contemplation have concluded it’s just that non-bloggers are far less likely to comment on a blog. Why this is, is open to debate. It’s clear though that bloggers have the added incentive of leaving a comment, because it helps market their blog. In other words, they get something out of it beyond just leaving their opinion.
As to attracting non-bloggers to your blog, I’m not sure what the best method for this is. But, it is definitely a worthwhile endeavor, as the potential for an audience can span far beyond that of bloggers, and ideally should.
ME Liz Strauss says
July 17, 2008 at 9:42 PMHey Amrita!
I think you’re doing something right there if folks are engaged and coming back. Folks who come back often bring their friends. 🙂
ME Liz Strauss says
July 17, 2008 at 9:43 PMYeah, Flora,
The bigger mistake I see is when bloggers don’t stop to consider that maybe only bloggers are reading their blog, when the customers they want are people who don’t blog yet.
It’s an issue of awareness more than anything. 🙂
ME Liz Strauss says
July 17, 2008 at 9:48 PMHi Al!
Good points you make about explaining how your/our information can be more accessible. 🙂
ME Liz Strauss says
July 17, 2008 at 10:37 PMHi Bamboo Forest!
I think your point about the comment box is valid. I’d love to see some up-to-date statistics on where this all comes out.
I know that folks who read my blog often read from work and they work in the most interesting places . . . hospitals, court houses, electronic equipment stores . . . not the places you would expect that folks might be blogging from. 🙂
Scott McIntyre says
July 18, 2008 at 1:31 AMHi Amrita,
Having a blog, as a way to promote your business, is an excellent tool for building your reputation and your brand, both online and in your community. Brand building offline is an area I intend to explore later in this series.
Hi Flora,
Great idea about listing your website addresss on your hard copy business literature. Getting your url out there in the public domain is a very useful way of giving your online business a presence offline. I’m looking at the different kinds of communication channels to achieve this next week.
Hi Al,
It certainly is worth considering including some kind of information on what RSS is, the benefits of subscribing, and the relevance of your Stumbleupon profile somewhere on your blog.
It could be as a link to an internal page with info. on the topic. Alternatively, have you thought of writing a post on these topics as they specifically relate to your target audience needs e.g. how to use social media to help find self-improvement pages (your target audience)?
Hi Bamboo Forest,
I totally agree about the comments section not giving a true reflection of the numbers of blogging/ non- blogging readers. For some reason, non-blog readers are still very reluctant to join in the conversations.
It’s worth thinking about how all readers can be drawn into this form of participation, as it is one of the unique distinguishing features of blogs- that the readers can shape the very content itself.
Al at 7P says
July 18, 2008 at 8:28 AMScott – those are pretty good suggestions about social media for self-improvement pages and about having a dedicated page on what RSS is. You’ve given me some nice weekend project ideas 🙂 .
Stephen says
July 18, 2008 at 9:59 AMThis is something that I have been thinking about a *lot* since SOBCon, and I am just about ready to do something about it. Thanks for providing some real food for thought. I especially like “If your market offering, however, is non-blogging based then it might be best to look for potential customers offline.”
I am looking forward to seeing your advice on this point.
ME Liz Strauss says
July 18, 2008 at 11:52 AMHi Stephen!
Yeah, we need to get conscious of the folks we’re trying to reach. How can we move closer to them. That’s what Scott’s role here is all about — making new connections to our non-blogging friends.
Marisa says
July 18, 2008 at 1:52 PMHaving your blog on first pages of Google search results is one of the most effective ways in reaching non-bloggers audience.
Non-bloggers generally search for information, while bloggers aim for network.
PS: I’d like to submit a blog to your directory. How can I do this?
ME Liz Strauss says
July 18, 2008 at 4:53 PMGreat point, Marissa!
So many folks forget that people get to us looking for content / information, not blogs.
Here’s where you can find the information about how to become part of the SOB directory.
Kelly says
July 18, 2008 at 5:54 PMScott,
My business does primarily target offline customers, though I’m happy we’re now getting some bloggers as customers, too.
I got started blogging when I began to think about giving away information about Experience Design as a way to demystify what we do, hopefully attracting more and “better” clients, and in the spirit ofââ¬âthere are far more seekers than we could ever take on as clients, anyway. I love sharing my passion with others.
Getting these seekers to stick around for more than the post they surfed in on is a challenge. Of course I try to have easy navigation, great content, etc., and my guess is that 2/3 of my RSS and email readers are silent non-bloggers, but it drives me nuts trying to think of ways to keep and engage more of these folks, since they’re the ones I am writing to.
Blogs still scare some people.
I have friends who won’t read my blog and have to have blogging explained to them again every time they bring it upââ¬âthey’re curious, but not enough to read mine or others.
A friend said to me today, “I read there’s a blog conference in [X city]. I hope you wouldn’t ever go to such a thing.”
With all my powers of getting inside a customer’s mind, I could not figure out WHY he would hope I would never go to such a thing. (Friend is in his mid-30s and reasonably Internet savvy.) What is it about blogging that is still such a sticking point for non-bloggers?
Enjoying the series, though I feel like I’ve got more questions than answers. Very thought-provoking writing!
Regards,
Kelly
ME Liz Strauss says
July 18, 2008 at 6:14 PMHi Kelly!
Welcome and great to meet you!
Sound like you’re “just the kind of folks” that hang around here. 🙂
Getting a blog to work is an effort. Conversation on the Internet with non-bloggers, in particular, is a slow-starting event. It’s less about getting into their heads as it is about letting them have room to get in to what’s happening . . .
What I’m learning is that folks who don’t blog have no context. When they’re ready they look until then I just say “I write spy novels.” :))
Kelly says
July 18, 2008 at 7:00 PMLiz,
He he. I do hang around here. I’ve commented over the months a quite few times. Well, to me quite a few…
Great to meet you again! 🙂
“No context”: I may have said this here before… my mother, in spite of all my demonstrating and explaining, in spite of having known me for all of my 39 years, insists on thinking blogs are about porn. *sigh*
Maybe I’ll tell her I’m writing a spy novel.
Until later,
Kelly
ME Liz Strauss says
July 18, 2008 at 7:26 PMHi Kelly,
I so remember that comment. It made me laugh then and it made me laugh again now.
Come more often. I like to laugh.
The spy novel thing doesn’t work, but it stops the questions. 🙂
roberta says
July 18, 2008 at 9:23 PMHi Liz, with your encouragement, I have learned to enjoy blogging. My hubby wonders what I am doing. I just answered him that it makes me feel more creative.Kudos to you!!!
ME Liz Strauss says
July 18, 2008 at 9:27 PMHi Roberta!
I’m thrilled that you’re enjoying it! Welcome to the conversaation! Keep talking!
Scott McIntyre says
July 18, 2008 at 9:51 PMHi Kelly,
I’m delighted that you are finding the series thought-provoking 🙂
You ask what it is about blogging that is still such a sticking point for non-bloggers?
I think it’s brilliant that you’re asking yourself this question… you’re already well on the way to finding the answers by doing so!
It really does sound as if you are working hard to attract the non-blogging reader to hang around.
I think that there are a few potential barriers. Issues such as the overuse of blog jargon, blog design, and other factors relating to the “mechanics” of a blog can be a little overwhelming.
I’m going to be writing about the blog experience- as seen through the eyes of a non-blogger- in a couple of weeks time.
It’s great to hear all of your experiences as we continue to explore the issues around connecting with the offline customer.
Hi Roberta,
There can be no better reason to blog than the fact you enjoy it. Does hubby not fancy joining you as a blogger?? 🙂
Cath Lawson says
July 19, 2008 at 9:30 AMHi Scott – This is interesting and some great ideas have been discussed here. Amrita makes a great point about Zen Habits subscribers. Some of them have to be non bloggers, so if they know how to subscribe they obviously know how to comment.
Plenty of non forum owners contribute to forums but it seems more of challenge to get non-bloggers to comment on blogs.
One thing I did to attempt to bring offline customers to my blog was to submit an online press release. It caught the attention of a local paper and they wrote about it. My traffic increased but the comments didn’t really increase much.
Vered says
July 19, 2008 at 10:19 AMI don’t really have a business – I guess my blog IS, in a way, my business – but I have often wondered about it. I find myself writing posts with other bloggers in mind. Many of my posts deal with blogging. Is that a turnoff for non-bloggers who come across my blog? Perhaps. I am also curious to know how to get non-bloggers more involved in the conversation. I’m just not sure they have the incentive to take an active role that bloggers have.
“Next week, I will be looking at some of the practical methods and communication channels you can use to spread your message to this potentially lucrative, offline market segment.” – I am looking forward to reading your suggestions!
Lin Burress says
July 21, 2008 at 9:22 PMWow Scott, I’m loving this series. Targeting the Offline Customer has been my focus since I began blogging almost two years ago.
While my blog gets a decent number of comments from fellow bloggers, my targeted audience is the offline customer, and offline customers have asked questions or asked for advice in the comments section many times and continue to do so.
The majority of the traffic to my blog is from the offline customer, non bloggers, (search engine traffic) and I’ve worked very hard from the very beginning to make it be that way.
Comments from bloggers are certainly welcome, as that builds personal relationships in the social networking arena. However, I do not base my opinions on the effectiveness or “authority” of a blog based solely on the number of comments per post.
In my opinion, that is a grave mistake many bloggers make; I do not get uptight if a post doesn’t get comments from bloggers, as they are not my specific targeted audience.
I’ve been asked numerous times from bloggers (through emails) why I “don’t write for my readers”. I do write for my readers; search engine readers, not bloggers.
My blog is not intended to be a “social” blog entirely, but is intended to be an “authority” blog primarily with an occasional social post done.
The majority of the blogs I read by RSS (Like Liz) are blogs that have helped me immensely in building my search engine traffic using a variety of important factors that takes time to learn and time to implement in order to see results.
My guess is that you’ll very likely be discussing those various factors in your series, so I’ll just shut up now. 🙂
Barbara Swafford says
July 21, 2008 at 11:06 PMHi Scott,
My schedule made me late for the party, but I wanted to say your words ring true.
As a blogger whose target audience is bloggers, and who visits many other blogs, I often see blogs targeting other bloggers, when their efforts should be directed toward a different audience.
For any blogger who is trying to make money online, it’s a known fact other bloggers will become blind to our ads and/or don’t click.
I’m guessing it’s easier to target other bloggers as we get caught up in the social aspect of blogging. Who doesn’t love comments?
Linda Abbit says
July 24, 2008 at 2:30 AMHi Scott,
I’m an even later arrival to this post than Barbara, but reeally wanted to add my two cents.
I’ve been thinking about my target audience (baby boomers & older caring for aging parents) a lot, and think the majority of them are off line (still). When I tell my friends that I’ve started a blog, they go to “tilt,” so I’ve started calling it a website, which they seem to understand.
I just asked my husband to help me design a business card for my blog that will match the design and that I can hand out in the real world, since I do take my blog seriously and want it to become a business. Don’t know exactly in which direction it will take me, but I am dedicated to sticking with it and finding out! I totally love writing and helping people.
I’ve also been thinking about our BWAB community, and how much I love commenting on Barbara’s and the other members’ blogs. However, I also think it vital for me to target other blogs that my target market frequent and begin commenting there as well to get my blog noticed there. I don’t know that I’ll have time to comment on my blogging “friends” blogs as well as comment on my market’s blogs. I definitely will reply to people’s comments on my blog first and then use whatever other time is possible to blog comment elsewhere. It remains to be seen how I split up the location of those comments.
I look forward to your next post, Scott!
Liz, thanks for getting Scott out in the public domain this way! I’ve been lurking on your blog awhile, but he also got me to comment here!:-)