The Question That Messed Up My Old Marketing Strategy! (Part 1 of series)
WHO is clicking on my blog? Figuring out the answer to this illusive question is a curiously stubborn challenge in the realm of online marketing.
Many of us have wondered why the millions of hits which our listings and blogs generate seem to drivel into a surprisingly small number of call conversions. In no scenario is the quantity vs. quality debate more relevant than in the Web 2.0 World.
Within the online community the tradition has been to correlate a subscriber list with a ratings popularity index. But are clicks really a measure of relevance or are online relationships far more complex and nuanced?
Obviously to some extent, popularity figures into the equation...people don't normally come back to something that they dislike. However, I think that judging the benefits of a professional blog by tallying clicks creates a superficial understanding of the nature of online relationships. In a professional context, the quantity of clicks may not necessarily translate into beneficial business relationships.
One significant insights which my participation on the blogosphere has produced is understanding the extent to which visitors to a blog develop a kinship with the author. I experienced this first hand when I attended the Active Rain Birthday Celebration in Chicago and found that it surprisingly easy to connect with 40+ individuals whom I had only met through their blogs.
It clicked! For the first time, I understood why my readers felt a connection when they met me. A regular blog subscriber/visitor embodies a real world vote of confidence. There is a tangible sense of community which is shared by regular visitors/subscribers to a blog. This is why it's easy to create alienation when the format of a blog changes as subscribers may actually feel a betrayal of their loyalty.
Setting a clear intention for a blog post changes the nature of our communication. The reality is that everyone will never be vitally interested in what any of us has to say. The Key is to speak clearly to those who are. Thinking of an audience in expansive terms tends to dilute the message and makes writing impersonal.
However, by taking the time to delve behind the information shrouded within the hits & clicks on our sites, we can return the biggest favor our subscribers give to us...the Gift of Attention. This requires that we evaluate the terms that people use to find our blogs, the length of time they stay on different posts and the diligence to respond to their comments. It then becomes possible to begin to understand WHO we are talking to and WHY they choose to initiate a one or two-sided dialogue. And in the end...isn't that truly what matters?
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