Creating an emotional connection with your readership is one of keys to blogging success. Without that emotion attachment, you’re going to have a really hard time separating your blog from the other 120+ million blogs in the blogsphere.
Look at all the blogs that you visit everyday. Why do you visit them and not the other blogs in the same niche? Chances are, you go because you have some kind of emotional connection with that blog or blogger. Here’s some tips on how you can create that connection.
State Your Name
When I come across a new blog, the first thing I like to do is find out something about the owner. I’ve lost track on the number of times I’ve come across a blog and the owner is completely anonymous. The posts are made by “Admin” and the About page has nothing on it or worst, there is no About page at all.
Blogging is a personal medium and that mean it’s all about trust. If you’re gong to start a blog then at the very least, you need to let everyone know your name. And I’m talking your real name, not some nickname you use for World of Warcraft.
If you’re willing to give more than your name, like where you live and what you do, that’s even better. Generally, the more information your provide, the higher the trust level and emotional connection you create.
Show Your Face
If you really want your readers to connect with you emotionally, then try showing a picture of yourself. People love putting names to faces and posting a pic shows you’re a real person.
I realize that some people have security concerns about posting their photos online but that shouldn’t be an issue. Chances are there are photos of you online already. You’ll be amazed at how many people don’t know their mug is on someone’s Facebook page.
A picture is worth a thousand words. Showing your face to your readers will greatly enhance your ability to connect with them. If you want to go beyond the picture, then show a video. They’re worth a million words.
Tell Your Story
By now, you’ve probably figured out that the more information you reveal about yourself, the more emotionally connected you’ll be with your readers. This is where telling your story will really make a big impact. I know that the post showing the house where I grew up created a huge emotional response and this is kind of connection that makes my blog stand out from everyone else.
The most common place to tell your story is in your About page. Aside from your blog home page, your About page will be the second most read page. It will also be the page where you can generate the most emotional connection because it will all be about you. If your blog doesn’t have an About page, you need to make one.
You might think your story is boring and that there’s nothing to tell but let your readers decide that. If they’re interested in your blog, it means they are interested in you. So let them know who you are and where you’ve come from.
Interact with Your Readers
When readers are emotionally connected to your blog, they will reach out to you. When they do, it’s very important to reach back and interact with them. If they post a question in your comments, then please go answer it. That will create trust and make the connection stronger.
I go one step further by trying to interact with my readers face to face. I attend many local networking events and will try organize a face to face meet up if I’m in a new city. Believe me, once you meet a reader face to face, you’ll have that reader for life.
Offer Multiple Ways To Connect
Blog are just one way to connect with your readers. With the explosion of social media, you can now connect with readers on dozens of channels. Making yourself available on these other social network will help to increase the connection you have with your readers. In addition to the blog, readers can connect with me via Twitter, Facebook, LinkedIn, YouTube, Flickr, etc. You should definitely use social media to your advantage.
Create a Strong Brand
In the end, what you are trying to do is create a brand for yourself. I’m really big on branding because it really your only advantage. I know there are lots of people who know more about making money online than me. I know there are people who write a lot better than me. But you know what? When people ask what blogs they should read to find out how to make money online, my blog is one of the few names that always pops up. That’s the power of the brand.
By being completely open about yourself, you will connect with your readers on an emotional level. Once you create that kind of connection, your competition will have a hell of a time trying to break it. Get enough readers to connect with your blog emotionally and you’ll become a brand name. And that is a very good place to be.