In Part 1 of this awesome series, I discussed how people, when choosing a blog, will always ask this question: What’s in it for me? This is important because it allows you to guide your content writing and the value you provide your audience. If you keep this question in mind, you’ll ensure you provide absolute value to your readers going forward, which is great for brand awareness and building traffic. In Part 2, we’ll be looking at the concept of “Trust†and how this is another important element in creating user engagement. Through “Trustâ€, you can increase engagement, brand, traffic, and even ROI because your audience will hang onto your every word. Let’s look at this concept a little further and look at a few ways proven to build “TRUST†with your readership.
Let’s get started…
The Concept of Trust
The concept as it applies to blogging is very simple and it involves providing the MOST ACCURATE value to your readers. If you’re a blog that provides the absolute best content to your readers, then you won’t have problems establishing trust. However, it’s important you always provide accurate content because high value is only useful if it corrects and solves the actual problem your audience is having. It’s very easy to explain the concept but implementing the trust strategy into your blogging can be a bit tricky. Here’s why….
I personally think there are certain elements that create trust between the blogger and their audience. If you have confused any of these elements, it can affect the relationship going forward. I’ll be going over each main element below, however, “TRUST†is a very sensitive thing because if lost, it can be very hard to get it back.
Let’s look at the fundamentals as it applies to user engagement and blogging.
Research
I’ve noticed the more research you do before writing content, the more value you can provide. Research also allows you to provide accurate value to your audience because you can sort out the facts before publishing them. Always start by researching what’s a common problem within your niche, then provide them the best solution. The more research conducted, the more information you can provide. Length does dictate value because the more words, the more in-depth you can go into your content.
- Write about common problems
- Research the topic
- Be as accurate as possible
Build Social Media
If I want to know if the blog I’m reading is credible, then I’ll always check out their social media accounts because the higher the followers, the higher their reputation. This is why I encourage all of you to build trust by building your social media profiles. Every time you publish content, it’s important to share it through social media using the right #hashtags so it can be found by others in your niche. If you’ve created content of value, then people searching are likely to click-through and share it with their followers, too. However, the point is, using this strategy will effectively build your social media profiles so the next time new visitors arrive on your page, your profile will add value to the bottom line.
- Publish content and share on social media
- Give users an easy way to re-share by adding plug-ins, etc.
- Keep building your profile by following others in your niche, too
Comments and Email
One of the best ways to build credibility is by replying to comments and emails sent by your audience. Many people have come to your blog because they need help and will have questions about your content. These questions will be anything from clarity on topic, further requests, and simple feedback. It’s very important you engage these readers and answer them because it builds a one-on-one relationship with the individual. For example, if you sign up for a service and cannot get a hold of the customer service team, you’re likely to cancel the service subscription…right? The reason is you don’t trust your time and money being invested in a service where NO one is able to help you out when you need it. Blogging works the same way because content provides a solution and connection with the reader so these people will need your help going forward. I encourage you to answer comments and emails being sent to you so they’ll feel comfortable knowing you’ll be available if they need you going further.