Have you ever been ‘talked at’ instead of had someone ‘talk with’ you in a real life conversation? It doesn’t feel good to have someone talk AT you.
It leaves you feeling like you might as well not have been there at all.
Blogs can be like that and in this post we explore the power of asking questions on your blog and I share 7 types of questions you can ask to increase reader engagement.
The 7 questions are:
- What Do you Think?
- How Do you Feel?
- What Will You Do?
- What is Your Opinion?
- What is Your Story?
- What is Your Experience or Example?
- What Have you Been Working On?
Of course there are plenty of other types of questions – what type do you ask and how do you find people respond?
Note: you can get the full sized version of this video at YouTube here.
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What topic does anyone like to talk about the most?
Yourself!
I’ve started many conversations with complete strangers while standing in line at the grocery store! I use simple open ended questions like:
– “how long have you lived in this area”? (I’m near a US military base in Germany so people move a lot)
– “Are you ready for ___ holiday?”
– Comments about the weather, etc
– How busy the store is or isn’t
Anything to get them to speak. Once they do, I ask more questions based on what they say (that’s obviously on their mind). It’s amazing how quickly people open up to you if you show interest in THEM, not YOU. The less I talk and the more I listen, the more engaged the other person is.
There’s an old saying:
You have two ears and one mouth. Use them in that ratio!
Obviously with a blog, we’re speaking a lot, but we need to listen and ask these types of open ended questions.
Why not ask your readers to be a guest poster or give a telephone or video interview, testimonials etc. :)
Good post Daren.. really stirs up passion in us readers!
Tom Nunamaker
http://www.option911.com
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I laud the worthy report you essay in your post. I will bookmark your blog and have my children check up here regularly. I am rather sure they will determine a lots of new stuff here than anybody else!
Darren I’ve read posts from many affiliate peddlers who claim that some of their best income comes from their ugliest sites.
They believe in desperation visitors click to get out and that is a sale.
Question, why do your videos have half of your head chopped off at the top and the play button over your mouth looking like a gagged Guantanamo prisoner almost complete with goggles – only the ear muffs are missing?
Is this some special strategy as per the ugly site dictum? And no, it does not work for me – I am NOT clicking on the video ;o)
Excellent video post, as usual.
I generally try to ask one specific question at the end of my blog posts. Though I might consider asking simpler ones throughout.
I had to laugh at your “what do you feel” question, as I have never ever, never ever never ever never ever, used that on my blog. In 4+ years. If that doesn’t peg me as a strong melancholy-choleric, I don’t know what does. *laughing* But I’ll have to shock my readers one of these days by asking them what they feel (“feel”) and I’ll be fully prepared to get an 8,000-word comment from my mom. Soaked with tears.
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It is a very nice post!
Thanks a lot!
yup. i always do that. :D
thanks this is what i want
Excellent idea. Very helpful..thanks for sharing.
I generally try to ask one specific question at the end of my blog posts.
I have used some of the lines you listed. However, it seems that people respond more when you use a bit of provocation. I prefer a positive provocation, but sometimes a negative one does a bang as well. Thanks for the post.
Now I’ve learned something :)
Though I might consider asking simpler ones throughout.
Its a great way to get reader opinion. I have created my own simple blog “Computer Zone”. I’ll try to use above advice.
Thanks
http://computer-edu.blogspot.com/
This type of information is so helpful. It is GREATLY appreciated. Thank you!
might consider asking simpler ones throughout.
I’m kinda ashamed to say that I have not thought about this before! But a great idea and I will definitely impose this on my new websites.
BTW did you know that these questions are also known as the 1 husband and the 6 wives? That stands for the 1 How and 6 Whats
* What Do you Think?
* How Do you Feel?
* What Will You Do?
* What is Your Opinion?
* What is Your Story?
* What is Your Experience or Example?
* What Have you Been Working On?
It is so hard to engage a reader for more than a few minutes.
Great article and useful information.
I just read another of your articles on page rank. Thank you for sharing all your information and giving really good tips.
Back to building more content and not worrying about page rank!
Julie
I generally try to ask one specific question at the end of my blog posts. Though I might consider asking simpler ones throughout.
It’s not easy to make our unique viewer come to our site.
Workout Routine
http://www.trainwithmeonline.com/programs.asp
Each time I visit your blog I learn a new thing, a new tips that could help me in my blogging story,,,
thanks for sharing, and happy new year ;)
regards,
Ahmed Saidawi
Thanks for a great post as usual, Darren.
It has certainly given me food for thought. I have just added a short question on my last post, as a tester.
I will most certainly use the power of asking questions in future posts.
Hey, this is a great blog…I am really interested in how to make this blogging thing work. This blog is short, simple, and it has more meaning than most any that I read… Thank you
Asking questions I definitely something I would like to work into my writing.
Luke
It is so hard to engage a reader for more than a few minutes
I think its a great way engage with your audience especially when you’re just starting out and trying to build traffic.
Hi Darren, I watched your video-blog-post and it inspired me to create a page for my website on industrial automation, which also functions as my blog. I have asked my visitors to post their “industrial automation project stories”, or in other words “what have you been working on?”.
If I receive posts with stories from different industries this will create more credibility for my website. And it will also enhance the experience of my visitors, they can read entertaining stories. Thank you for the great idea!
Hi Darren
Your question “Have you ever been ‘talked at’ instead of had someone ‘talk with’ you ” says it all.
When people deliver a speech or presentation they have to make sure that they don’t talk at the audience… they have to create a bond with the audience by asking questions etc – they have to talk with the audience.
Not thought that we should apply the same idea to blogging – thanks for making the connection.
Excellent video. Engaging your readers and asking what they think about your posts is a great way to get them commenting back. People want to offer their experiences and share and many bloggers only talk at you, and not to you. Thanks for the insight. Take care. Patrick
Excellent Article! I’m going to try these ideas on my next post!
This article and all the comments have given me some good ideas. Thanks and Happy New Year.
This is very interesting. Especially the part about asking the question. I have started doing that. All 7 tips are vital for a blog. Thanks for sharing. I will be incorporating this into my future blogs. I have only been blogging a few months, but I know that I love it.
I love your blogs, and i have followed all your tips. Even my blog is in my own language, its pagerank is now much better than before. Thanks for all the brilliant ideas.
Great post mate.
I dont do this enough and definitely will start now.
I always trust your view’s!
Thanks for this.
Sam
Great Advice, been looking for different ways to increase comments on my site, will be making some changes right away. Thanks again!
I basically ask :
# What is Your Opinion?
# What is Your Experience or Example?
These seems to be more precise and engaging.
If you have a good idea of your readers and their views, then playing Devil’s advocate and deliberately including an opposing view which you know they disagree with is a very effective way to inspire them to comment.
And of course, by seeing what your readers’ comments are, it’s a great way to get further insights into their core beliefs.
And of course, by seeing what your readers’ comments are, it’s a great way to get further insights into their core beliefs.,,,,,
i’ve asked all the seven question and find out that i’ve a lot more work to do before i can attract more readers. abercrombieandfitch
Now i m definitely gonna this kind of questions..
it surely helps to keep readers coming back..
Thanks Darren
You’re particularly good at the reader engagement thing, so thanks–these are great.
I’ll be trying to add these questions, or a variation, to all my post for now on. When watching the video I was reminded of so many instances where I was in the same situation. One question leads to a person talking and talking. For a blog I think thats a great formula for success.
Anthony V. Gibby
GibbyDevelopments.com
I’m on Twitter Also
Get paid just for using Twitter
I tend to ask my readers to simply comment below if they have something to add or know of a better way to do what I just described. Like all things anything involving a computer can be done in many ways…this tends to engage readers although most of the comments I get are folks experiencing problems and asking for help. Great list though.
This is really perfect for a new blog we are making. Some of the posts we were asking people for responses but they weren’t really following through. Thanks for the great advice!
Truth is always simple :)
Just started a Blog and This was a great post. thanks
Very nice post… this is the trick how you can make readers come back to your blog again and again!
i am going through same period now , already exhausted with only 1 month of blogging and getting only 200 visitors a day , i wont stop though will work on it and lets see what the out will be..thanks for post problogger.
I am learning so much from your web site. Thanks :-)