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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Very helpful, well be using these sorts of questions and see how it goes.
Great!
I can try a variation of those questions along with some of mine. I do notice its effectiveness on certain blogs.
I’ve never actually given thought to asking questions for reader engagement before. I usually use a question much more like statements.
I understand how it can be helpful now. It’s something i plan on testing out on my own blog with the next article I write. I’ll let you know how it goes.
Great simple ideas there.
Often the simple ideas are the ones that work.
Thanks for the tips.
Regards,
Gary
http://www.proceduremanualtemplate.com
It is a very nice article.Thanks a lot for sharing .
simple, direct and effective, very good! Thank you.
These days, along with the dramatic development in comoputer technology, more entertainment is brought for people at home.
Now, with some software, people can even make beats and mix music by themselves, and easily grow into professional beat-maker. If you are serious about becoming a successful music maker, and looking to put your work onto the tube, it is important to start out right.
Content is the most important thing to attract readers. So always ask yourself if your content is of high quality, and if it is getting improved all the time. Always ask yourself if the website is updated regularly enough and is the topics this week, or this month interesting enough.
Agree with Beat Maker for Mac, content – 4 readers, optimized content for SE ;)
I do agree with Beat Maker about content is the most important thing but there are many other factors that you’ll need to consider .
1. You should daily update your website / blog content and track repeated visitors that they will come visit again .
2. Clean Design and very simple template that most visitors will find it easy to navigate.
4. Fast loading pages is very important too .
3. Create your page search engine friendly . This is the most important thing that most search engines find your site and index it the right way .Use clear file names in your title .
Ending with a statement is like slamming the door in someones face. It doesn’t leave them with the ability to respond most of the time.
One thing I am also working on is being authoritive and direct with my blogging. A good way to get comments is to piss some people off (in a good way).
great questions for sure. reader engagement realises it’s full reality when readers answer and pose questions in a meaningful way. But they don’t have to, they can browse away with the thought “I’ll think about it and come back later” but they don’t, they loose out, the blog looses out and more than that everyone looses out.
how do you show the value of the commenter whether they add just 2 words or a dissertation? hmmm
Excellent point! Its basically imagine you are on stage in front of an audience and no one is paying attention…what do you do? Ask them questions! What do comedians do…they involve the audience to improve reaction and to use the audience feedback to refine their act in real time.
Everyone wants to know that someone cares about them and this article reinforces that. Further your readers become part of your blog…kind of like joining your family. So welcome your readers into your house and start by asking what do you think?
yes.. interactive with readers / visitors is a very good point to attract traffic.. to keep them come back & subscribe indeed.. creativity of question should based on the topic of the blog..
You know I usually ask readers questions when I make comments on blog posts, never thought much about how often I do this and now I am realizing after reading this post that I should have been asking my blog readers questions. Oh well, live and learn.
I think I should try asking questions. The problem is that I am afraid I’ll get no answer. But if I don’t try it, I will not find out. Love your blog.
Very true, usually what caught my attention in posting a comment to a certain is an open-ended question and really good advice.
This ‘thought’ came in perfect time… I was struggling with a post on my blog: was just missing something… you know?
Questions where a great Idea!
It would be cool to see a few of these “methods” actually at work. (examples in blog posts)
I’ve found that, on a number of my blogs, the ‘What is your opinion’ question gets better results when it’s reworded to a phrase such as ‘Can you think of a better way to do it?’ or even throwing down a little challenge such as ‘If you think we’re wrong, let us know.’ Works a treat especially on review type blogs and sites.
Questions has always been a fabulous tool in my business. Between the fact that doing interviews makes “Giving Good Questions” critical for the results…it also helps my clients collapse their limiting beliefs with their minds set.
Now, it took watching your video to realize as much as I am great with questions I am not leveraging them in my blog, well DUH!
Thanks for the kick in the pants to DO better with what I have, giggle
Wow, this is something that I have not thought about doing before.
The fact that you ended the post with a question and it made me want to leave a comment is proof that it is something that I need to be doing.
Thanks,
James
Ask question to reader is the powerful marketing tool to engage reader to long time on website. Always we should ask to the reader about their reaction on the topic.
Ask them questions! What do comedians do…they involve the audience to improve reaction and to use the audience feedback to refine their act in real time….
Cool, I enjoyed the reading.
Thanks for the article. A nice follow up to the blog you did last year regarding tips to make sure your mom isn’t your only blog reader. thanks as always for the insight into successful blogging!
My favorite part of having a site is looking at some of the crazy posts that the public places on my site. Thanks for the ideas.
Again a fair post. Thanks
http://unitechblog.com/
Darren,
First things first, once again a fantastic and “engaging” post even if rather brief.
I have a question regarding video marketing. It is very much related to increasing reader engagement.
Is there any particular format you should follow or any tips you have too boost the success of video marketing. My main aim is firstly to provide information similar to the posts on my site but naturally the bonus is they will be able to listen to my info while surfing the web else where.
I aim to make the engage with my site at various points in the commentary but generally I want it to be of use even if they cant physically see my site in front of them.
If you were wondering my site is predominantly focused on providing resources for people trying to promote their website and such. As this is such a competative market I thought adding video marketing would certinatly add a bit more uniquness to my site.
Anyway as I said I would really appreciate some tips / advice on this before starting. If you are aware of a quality post that I can use please share.
Thanks again keep up the great work!
Thanks, pretty interesting and good to know. i have few blogs and all are movie linking site nothing else. i m not a good writer just for fun.
only thing is want is focus and passion. thats wat i believe to achieve anything.
Hindi online movies http://www.desionlinemovies.net
Rgds,
So, how many people ran back to their latest post to see if there was a question they could add?
“What do you?” “What would you do?” “What is your opinion?” are the ones I use most frequently.
“What do you think?” “What would you do?” and “What is your opinion?’ are the ones I use most frequently.
This is an awesome post because I’m actually struggling to get people to subscribe to my feed and come back more and more often. I figure I’ll try a couple of these suggestions and hopefully readership increases and is retained as well.
thanks
I prefer to read and ask content related questions. Especially finding out if something worked for them or advice.
Thank you very much.It was a very good advice and very good tips on how to engage user to our blogs.I have tried so many ways and the result is almost the same,no ads click.Your approach is quite helpful in blogs.Adsense has been part of me within these 2 years.However I just wonder how to make those user bookmark our site if everyone depends on post.What I mean is content is King,but how do we know our content is collecting impression.To come out with question along with the post is much better.Anyway thanks for the video.
Great post. Thanks for sharing the 7 questions which I think is very useful to get readers attracted more to the blogs or websites. Like your great thinking…
Keep coming.
Jay
I have just started blogging but I already have done just this. Asking questions is usually in each blog, though not always, because I would love to know what other people think. Though I have yet to have anyone actually answer me so I wouldn’t know if this method works.
Other peoples stories are what I am looking for in 1 aspect of my blog, but until readers find me or I find a way to find them my comments are all empty.
Darren,
I think your list is perfect. Everyone who blogs wants to connect with their readers and I think that these questions cut right to the core of who the reader is, what they are thinking, and how they are understanding your blog.
I like what you’re trying to get at, engaging your visitors in a friendly manner. Making engagement a bit more like real life asking people questions and writing like you’re talking to a person. It adds a bit more personality to your writing. I also find talking like you do in real life helps.
FreeFromAntics, my “sort of previous blog” now redone had the same problem. I think a lot of people scroll through blogs looking for particular information and once received, close the window and move on. Others surf the net to numb their brain (instead of drinking) So they are not interested in actually interacting with people at that moment. I think that getting people to post is a underestimated talent. Although I hope I am wrong. I hope it is a skill anyone can learn. I am not a particularly talented person.
Lol! :D
How could you be all such stupid? :D
Do you really think you get a more visited blog if you follow his clues? :D Never.. The only reason why he is so successful is that enough people are stupid enough to push him :D
Write quality, unique content and your blog will also raise up in the olymp of blogs.. Shame on you guys, invest the time you read here in content for youre blog ;) Darren also write on his blog and DO NOT spent the half day on visiting another one ;)
But really funny how stupid people can be :D :D
Best regards
Christian
Hi Christian – don’t you think that part of writing quality content is also about engaging with your readers? I completely agree that quality content is the foundation of successful blogging but building community, involving readers etc also helps to keep people coming back too!
It is also great to summarize the results and provide them to the readers. People love not only to be able to present their view but also to interact with and see the views of other people with similar experiences. This is one of the reasons polls are so popular. This expands the questions into a 3-way forum: the blog writer’s view, the individual reader’s view and the broader public’s view.
no, i don’t think artificially engaging with your readers with artificial questions is the same level as writing engaging content. engaging your users is not the same as your posts being engaging. as i wrote earlier, i am usually turned OFF by artificial questions.
i think facebook’s recent changes serve as a good proof of this. their new “news feed” is essentially based on the assumption that “engaging with your readers” is the same thing as “your content is engaging”. but do you think facebook’s “news feed” is really what you want to read? or do you still need to go to live feed to pick out what you want? almost 100% of the time it’s the latter for me.
Great tips, very usefull. Always good to take the time and think ;-)
thanks
I don’t like anyone talking “at me”. It is most annoying. The sad part about the “at you” communication is that never really does the reader a whole lot of good…..kinda like looking at a state website or something…
It will be interesting to do some research on some of the top keywords out there and find out what kind of blogs can be created for them.
It is also great to summarize the results and provide them to the readers. People love not only to be able to present their view but also to interact with and see the views of other people with similar experiences. This is one of the reasons polls are so popular. This expands the questions into a 3-way forum: the blog writer’s view, the individual reader’s view and the broader public’s view.
Thanks for this Darren, as someone fairly new to blogging this is really useful as it’s another piece in the blogging puzzle, which has puzzled me for a while. Can’t wait to start asking questions on my blog. Marvellous
Cheers
Wendy
Aren’t these the same questions to ask on a first date?
Hmm along with What religion are you, Where do your parents live, etc.
Very interesting I’m going to tie some of the information into my website. Cheers!
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