This video has been around for over a year now (I made it just after ProBlogger was last redesigned) but I think it’s particularly relevant for this time of year when many bloggers are looking at refreshing the look and feel of their blog.
First impressions matter both in real life face to face interactions with new people that you meet AND the first interactions you have with new readers. In this video I examine 5 ways you can improve the impression that you leave on first time readers and give three questions to ask when thinking about how to leave good impressions on readers.
Of course overarching all of what I mention is that your content needs to be of the highest quality to create a good first impression. Your design, titles, tag lines etc can all be amazing but unless you’ve got something useful and unique to say – the first impression will not be as good as it could be.
Further Reading:
- Run a First Time Reader Audit on Your Blog – mentioned in the video.
- How to Craft a Blog Post – a series that covers how to create content that makes good first impressions and that particularly focuses upon crafting titles and opening lines as mentioned in this video.
- 21 Ways to Make Your Blog or Website Sticky – once you’ve made a good first impression it then comes down to ‘hooking’ new readers and making them loyal to your blog. This post shows you how to do it.
![How to Get Dreams Out of Your Head [And a Video of Me Wearing Tights]](https://problogger.com/wp-content/themes/problogger-redesign/build/placeholder.png)
Hi Darren,good first impression,good content,being true to yourself,being consistent,all of this stuff is important.
As you explain,first impression reflects “you” and what do you want the real “you” to look like.
I look at sites a lot to get ideas and I am often amazed at the great content, if I take the time to get in and look at it.
I set a period of the day aside to do just that,I get to see great stuff but as you say so well,most first impressions I get from the blog is unclear and not representative of the content.
That is a shame because their are a lot of great “potential” bloggers out there.
Darren,a lot of people out their need your help.I am just one of those.Thanks for all you help.Pierre
Content will always be King and part of having great content has to do with your unique writing style/the attitude you write with ;)
Video blogging is the future. You articulate extremely well, Darren – you should post more videos.
Darren, loved this video, love your accent! Great tips, I’m going to put some to use right away!
Wow…I love that video. First impressions do count.
yes you right,first impression is very important to grow our business
Great video.
On my fitness blog I have a free survey collector installed. It’s very useful and it’s free.
I think to create a good impression you need to overwhelm the reader with value. I immediately offer quality videos, reports, and articles and keep the blatant advertising to a minimum
I have avoided getting into the world of blogs for years. Most of my IT education came from ‘net new groups. But.. I think this post has finally dragged me into the current age! Thanks :)
omg you people help so much with bloging :|
As you note at the beginning of your video, first impressions applies to in person presentation as well – as this tongue-in-cheek post may (or may not) underscore: http://tinyurl.com/a3m6dq
I like reading blogs, especially those, you understand the blog is for reader, not blogger :)
Great video. First impressions do count. thanks
Great blog dude, but you’re a little too in love with this video.
It’s true first impressions will do the impressing if you are marketer or try to build first time relationship with person you just met, to be honest if you hold on to that thing for extent of time you will be disappointed, what really matter to me is character….impressions can be made up by good acting…it’s the inside that really counts
thanks, good learning for me…..nice video
As a newbie to blogging I find these articles absolutely fascinating and really practically helpful! It’s a whole new world out there for a humble parent coach who just wants to help millions…… one parent at a time !!
Do you think it’s worth getting the video professionally made as it can be quite expensive – what do you do?
Thank you for these excellent tips – love receiving your info!
Sue Atkins
Author of “Raising Happy Children for Dummies”
http://www.positive-parents.com
It is true that first impression is really needed.I mean first impression is last impression.This saying is too good.
If someone want to attract his/her users,readers OR clients he/she should be very loyal with uniqueness. Otherwise who want to go to there and why?
Loyalty is master key of the writer.
Loved your video on first impressions of your blog. You shared some really great tips. This is a topic I’m revisiting every so often as I continue to tweak my own blog.
One of the things that you didn’t mention was to provide valuable content. People want content and are willing to stick around if you give them what they want. And if they are getting great content, they’ll grab your RSS feed and consume your content in a form of their choosing, be it via your blog, their homepage, podcasts, etc.
Delivering great content will make your blog stand out and you’ll build a loyal following or as Seth Godin refers to as “your Tribe.”
Looking forward to more great posts, Darrin!
Glenn
http://glennandrew.com
Great post. this blog rocks.
great information. As the saying goes, you don’t get a second chance at making a first inpression so make it count. Good content is also what keeps a reader coming back.
Getting a first good impression is all around us. This is why most retail stores, restaurants, and others do there best to give us a “First Good Impression” in hopes of getting that sale or coming back again and again.
One of the most helpful things to me has been to e-mail with other bloggers and trade first impressions – like no. 2 of the 3 questions segment at the end of your video. I ask them if they will tell me what they thought and offer to do the same for them. I find it really hard to form an opinion on my own blog, but of course I can easily have a first impression of someone else’s blog! Usually I can think of some easy, quick change to suggest that I think would have helped me as a first visitor. Of course that’s just my personal opinion, but I’m willing to give it for free and anything for free is nice :-)
First Impressions are every thing, In person and online. Great Video!
I am new comer in blogging. I saw to your video. Its really good guidance about blogging. You have set a standard for all the people like me. Thanks.
Thanks for the video. I’m going to reappraise my site on the basis of what you said. Nice one – thanks!
Thanks for some great ideas.
I really enjoy when you post short videos like this one. Your tone allows me to key on things I may have glanced over by reading alone. I’m in the process of starting my first blog, so I’m glad I watched your video before making unknown impressions.
Would love to see more short video posts like this in 2009.
Thanks for all that you do. :)
Kostandinos
http://www.twitter.com/suedecrush
Someone already said that First impression is your last impression so its better to leave a very good impression on your visitors and if they turn loyal you have won the first battle.
wow, nice blog and $$$mile 4 u, and don’t forget dropping my chitika yach friend, thanks
After following you for a month or so on Twitter Darren and reading problogger it is becoming bleedingly obviously why your blog is so successful!
** You’re approachable & you’re a nice guy
People watch your video blogs, read your articles and come to the conclusion – “This guy, is a nice guy and he is genuinely interested in helping us make a dollar!”
You; unlike a lot of bloggers out there – your main goal is NOT to try and sell us anything, you’re goal is to share your success stories, with fellow entrepreneur’s who have the same drive to succeed, that you quite clearly do.
… Now getting back to your article title…
If each and everyone of us, ‘as bloggers’ can build the respect that Darren has, our blogs will be a hit, just like Darren’s.
Best of luck to each and everyone of Darren’s readers, follow his lead, and you’ll do well!
Sincerely,
Paul Warren.
nb: If you’re ever up Roxburgh Park way Darren, swing in for a coffee!
Towards the very top of the comment log, Martin@TF made a comment about how it’s vitally important to get your first time visitors into regular readers. I am still trying to do this.
The only way you can do this is by implementing a number of those strategies that Darren suggested.
I decided to take the full advantage of your advice in my new blog.
Darren i have one more question, when i submit my articles to the editor of a blog they usually advice me to use a usual keywords of course i use usual keywords that people used to search but what i am actuallly doing is that i insert some new word at the very first of the title thinking that it would be like a unique content from the eyes of search engine. what do you say will i have to use normal title words or rare ones?
Hi Darren,
Nice to ‘meet’ you via the video. I’ve been following your posts for just a few weeks. Thanks for the tips.
I find myself in two roles:
a) as a new blogger (http://www.herbusinessblog.com) and
b) as an educator, sharing information and resources with a community of 20,000 business women across Australia through my role with the Australian Businesswomen’s Network (http://www/abn.org.au).
Your tips work add value to me in fulfilling both these roles.
Cheers and thanks again.
Suzi
Hey Darren,
dont like it mate! you look like that church paster that you listened to as a kid :) – keep the casual look as your not selling anything. You words sell. And yes first impressions count always. People make their own impression on a people within the first few seconds of meeting and then spent the next few minutes underpinning their impression of you
I have been reading your blog for ages and I thought it was about time that I comment.
Your blog has helped me out alot and given me ideas, I have been blogging for around 2 years, I have gone through a patch where I couldn’t be bothered anymore but I stuck with it and I have my enthusiasm back.
Thanks for all the tips and keep up the good work because it really does help smaller blogs like mine.
Mate thanks so much for this. I’ve been trying to get a good bank of readers going for a while, and have had a bit of success…but now i’ll hopefully get loads more thanks to your post. Keep up the great work!
Very good ideas!
I have, in my opinion, a blog with so much potential that it should be very well known. But it is not.
Hopefully this will help!
that’s true Darren,
what are you writing is completely true because when I visited your blog I directly subscribe to your blog feeds,
it’s about the content in that blog….
Abdessamad
http://www.laptop-tracker.co.cc
Great Ideas and Information. This post pulled me in, and after all the great information, I started checking out some of the other posts. What a great find!
Michael
http://ez-toyz.com
I just did a MAJOR overhaul of my blog back in November of last year. I spent an entire month looking at all these aspects and it’s still a work in progress some three months later.
My former blog had not changed in almost three years and I agonized over every little detail to make sure it was just the way I wanted it to be.
Almost 4 months later, I can’t tell you how pleased I am with the outcome. Far more traffic, much higher page views, longer times remaining and reading, and far fewer bounces.
First impressions DO count and it makes all the difference in the world!
I would agree, designs truly attracts but loyalty depends on content and uniqueness… I believe every website owner should focus more on content rather than design.
Thanks for the reminder that we need to take eye candy into account as well and not just concentrate on content. This really is crucial.
Good points. Thanks for the tips.
Great Video and great points. I am going to go back and review my blog now and maybe start my own focus group on my blog and try to get some good feedback. Thank you sir.
It would be interesting to know that converting to sales there is no firm formula, only the quality content and how you propose your blog, one way to find out whether your visitors is serious or not is check the status of time length visit, if around 4 – 5 minutes that means visitors are serious, if 2 minutes and less, I believe it’s only viewers and just lookers.You must be firm and specific with your keywords and niche as to sharpen the pencil.
Hi Darren,
Just discovered your blog and am glad I did. You video is right on point. Watching it I looked at my blog and immediately saw changes I will make,
Thanks for your insights.
Jim Sniechowski
http://www.bridgingheartandmarketing.com/blog
I suppose it really comes down to who your intended audience is. No sense moaning about readers if you are blogging about the Lessor Know Red Backed Onion Toad.
But it seems that blogs about personal lives get more hits and more comments because people can identify from all walks of life.
I’ll have to see if the video make a difference, ummm, over time.
Great stuff! And I love the idea to trade feedback with your peers.
Thanks a lot for this Darren, very helpful. I reckon I’m already part way along the journey you speak of toward successful blogging. It’s interesting to see what titles work and don’t work and the readers that do or do not come back. Very helpful, thanks
Excellent video, makes you think a bit harder and realize what you need to do to make your blog that much more effective.
Thanks for the great post!