Blogging, blogging, blogging! So many advantages like: building your online reputation, sharing your wealth of knowledge with others, developing meaningful relationships with like-minded people from all over the world, strengthening your writing skills, passively promoting your services and expertise… and the list goes on and on!
Though the list of benefits of blogging is long and wide, I’d like to take the time to focus on one extreme advantage in particular: how blogging will help you develop meaningful relationships with your viewers. Although this has a long list of advantages all to it’s own, being a social media crisis specialist I like to look at it from a social media crisis standpoint: Developing rich relationships with your viewers will help you regain control of a social media attack, and come out of the crisis with minimum repercussions to your business.
A social media crisis is a stressful time for everybody. It’s overwhelming, frustrating and can be terrifying since you don’t know how your business and reputation will fare once it’s over. But if there’s anything that will help you overcome a crisis it’s having true fans who are on your side and who will organically come to your defense during an attack.
So how do you create those loyal fans?
Odds are, being a passionate blogger, you’ve already got some! So let’s focus on some specific tips and tricks to strengthening those relationships, and gaining new ones!
So here you go, 10 Ways To Win Loyal Fans Through Blogging:
1- Blog your heart out
For many bloggers, blogging becomes an addiction. The more you blog, the better you get, the more exposure you get and the more loyal readers you gain. Readers with whom you eventually build real relationships with, and it’s these wonderful readers who will stick by you through a crisis.
2- Show who you are
If your readers become regulars then it’s clear that they care about what you have to say. But one of the best ways to turn readers into real fans is by sharing who you are with them. Add personality to your posts – your personality. Embrace your voice and give them the opportunity to get to know you on a more personal level. After all, real relationships are made of real people!
3- Remember to make it about them
Inspire your readers. Motivate them. Encourage them. Empower them and they’ll love you for life!
4- Get to know your readers
Real relationships go both ways, so make an effort to get to know your readers as well. Ask them questions, provoke conversations, give them a reason to share a little bit about themselves with you, over and over until you know each other well. Like old pen pals or long distance friends, they become a part of your life.
5- Invite them to connect with you in other places
You have more than just a blog. You have a Facebook fan page, a Twitter presence, a Google+ account, and whatever else. Real fans will want to continue to connect with you in other places than just your blog, so invite them to do so.
Tip: This is a great strategy as well since you never know which platform a crisis might break out on. By having your fans on as many of them as possible you’ll give yourself more opportunities to leverage their help when you find yourself faced with a social media crisis – no matter where it breaks out.
6- Share your content and get new readers
Needless to say the more you share your content and grow your reader-base, the more relationships and fabulous followers you will gain!
7- Enrich their life or their business with your expertise
Everybody wants to know what’s in it for them. Yes building relationships is extremely beneficial but if you want a loyal following, you have to focus on what’s in it for them – how are you going to enrich their life or their business? Why would they choose to follow you over someone else?
8- Don’t stop
Once you start to see a real fan base forming, and start to feel the magic of true online relationships, don’t stop! Keep at it and always focus on strengthening those invaluable connections.
9- Thank them for their loyalty and support
People like to know that they’re appreciated. Every once in a while, find a creative way to say thank you. This will help you continue to strengthen those bonds, making them love you even more!
10- Give back – become their biggest fan
One powerful strategy is to give back to your community. Those people who visit your blog, share your content and take the time to leave you comments regularly – are you showing them how much you think they’re fabulous by returning the favor and supporting their online efforts? Trust me when I say that this little effort will go a long way!
When a social media crisis strikes, you’re going to need all the help you can get. Putting in the time before you find yourself faced with an attack will put you at an extreme advantage when it comes to regaining control of the situation and coming out of the crisis with the least amount of repercussions to your business and your online reputation.
What strategies do you use to reinforce the relationships you share with your blog readers? Share your comments with me below!
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