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)
Excellent information Sir. Thank you for taking the time to share the information. Could I ask you a favor — in line with what you shared in the mpg? Would you please visit my web site — Second Chance to Live — and give me your first impressions?
Your time and kindness would be greatly appreciated Sir.
Thank you and have a great day!
Craig
Great Information. Im just starting my webpage and blog for class. Very useful tips.
Check out my new webpage and blog all on the Chicago Cubs and give me feedback! Thanks!
http://chitowncubs09.webs.com
i’m not really certain what impression i’m hoping to make.
i can no longer work, and much of my day is spent seated…indoors. so pretty much…sketching, inking, writing…is all i have to keep me occupied…to give me purpose.
my blog is definitely a personal one…one i started to give anecdotes about the little critters in my yard, and my relationship with them (me being the ‘odd’ neighbor). and with each anecdote, i hoped to include an illustration.
but then i discovered how much fun it was to read other folks’ reactions to these entries…and to read what they’d put on their blogs.
so i’m not sure…i want people to like my blog…but i also want them to think of me as someone who is good at what i’m doing there…writing and illustrating.
good points, i am a newbie..hope to learn more from here. I thinks this is a good place where people share their informations
Thumps up to this post Darren. You have given me a lot more golden nuggets to work with. You truly are a pro.
Your friend for life
David Atkinson
Daily updates aid in steady indexing of the blog website. The blog had better be clean and fresh data had better be added on a regular basis. The quality of the articles had better be good and well-kept consistently. Remember that a originative, amicable subject matter is always favored over worthless jumble by any internet searcher. Provide value to the reader if you desire your blog to be accepted as being serious material.
Great video intro. Worth noting that web browsers will spend a couple of minutes watching a video but often browse for mere seconds when reading!
Good points though. Reminded me that our home page really doesn’t get across our USP at all … back to the drawing board!
here is a question for an experienced blogger like yourself:
Why do blog posts appear in reverse chronological order (latest post on top) but the comments to the posts appear oldest first?
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The daughter of a friend designed my website for me. I knew, from the start, that the aim was to sell my latest novel, A Painful Post Mortem, and to convey to visitors that as part of my passion to bring hope to the hurting, ALL PROCEEDS FROM SALES OF THE BOOK ARE FOR CHARITY TO HELP THE WORLD’S DEPRIVED CHILDREN.
The designer found the title of my book morbid (ha ha!) so initially used quite melancholy tones of colour in the design. But, as I pointed out, there will be other books, and I prefer that my sunny personality be reflected, rather than one book. I think this has been achieved.
My problem, I think, has been my reluctance to be open about my brand. Though in real life I’m a very open sort of person, online I’m afraid of sounding too much like a ‘do-gooder’; too sentimental; too Christian; too authorial.
You once blogged, Darren, about the need to focus, to be on topic, to be true to your brand. What I find difficult, is that I want to be known as an author, covering all subjects; not solely as a teacher of Creative Writing. Hmmmm! P’raps I’ll come up with an answer eventually.
In the meantime, traffic IS growing, returning visitors *are* there, though not as prolifically as I’d like them to be, and book sales, ARE occuring, though they’re not taking off as I’d like. But I’m travelling hopefully, and hoping that that is a better thing than to arrive! (Robert Louis Stevenson)
The vedio has help me get some useful tips and information, it just great and thanks for your valuable information at no cost
I think first impression have every thing to do the loyal readership. It is tough building a loyal readerhip. It is challenging to build it. I think content is what count the most. I think content got to tight from the beginning. There is no such things as halfway beginners thing. If the content is unique and with a respectable amount of words with lots of info and useful tips. No doubt readers will return. Thank for sharing.
Thanks Darren, You have definitely done a fine job at Problogger. I am always impressed with your work and interesting articles. Great stuff!
Thanks for the expert advice. It is getting harder and harder everyday to make your blog, website or company stand out above the crowd, but it’s nice to see there are still ways to make it happen.
http://www.datexmedia.wordpress.com
Thank you Darren for this video! Just what I needed to start my day considering I’m perpetually trying to figure out what it is I’m most likely doing wrong with my blog. Perhaps nothing is particularly wrong except I should be updating more frequently. Otherwise, I do ask myself why so few comments? Is it the content? As far as images go, there’s plentiful. So perhaps it’s the subject matter and how I write. Seems visitors prefer to contact me via email rather then blog comments.
Anyway, your video has me thinking it’s time for some serious reconfiguring. New banner, conjure up more exciting content. Perhaps more simplicity. Lots to do. No excuses.
Good luck to all whom have left such great comments here. Very informative. And thanks again Darren for your continual generosity.
Cheers,
June
These are wonderful tips. This is all new to me, so your advice is helpful as I add to my new site. I’m glad I found you! Thanks much.
Thanks Darren, you are always delivering outstanding content to the blogging community. You inspire me to be a better blogger every day, I hope to one day be half as good as you are. The articles from you are always sure to provoke better thinking in the quality and ethics of your work. Thanks for all that you do.
First impressions for blogs and website are even more important because they most likely will never return if it isn’t a good first impression.
Erik
http://www.freefor15.com
Thanks Darren,
You’re always so helpful to us newbies!!
First impression takes all to continue reading your blog or quit and browse…the duration is 4 -5 secs…..that’s it
Darren,
Look at you all bossed up! That’s what I’m talkin bout baby boy :-P
First impression also has a lot to do with ‘having something in common’ People tend to like others who look and act like they do. Like attracts like. Same goes for blogging. If you blog about UFOs and alien abductions, it’s unlikely that MOST people are going to be avid readers but UFO fanatics will think you’re great.
I’m new to blogging and I found this post and video very helpful. Last night i saw your book at Barnes & Noble and that is what has brought me here. This is going to be a great resource for me as I develop my blog. Thanks!
Good post and video, congrats!
Best wishes!
Great post, useful information about not only maintaining loyal readers but also scaling out.
Thankyou for the information. Considering my Blog is still in it’s infant stages, as well as my experience with blogging, i must say that i have found your comments and suggestions to be very helpfull.
Cheers
This is a very interesting post, and all the tips are very practical. Thanks for sharing all this info.
Hi Darren:
I am just in the process of setting up my own hosted WordPress.org blog. I have been on a search for an appropriate theme(design) for the Blog and your video has given me plenty to ponder before I make a final decision. One of the most important questions for me is “What type of an impression do I want to make”.
Thanks again.
Jan
Great post! I like this video and learn how to create first impressions on readers.
Hello,
I came across your video while looking for a few blogging tips. I am going to be a foreign exchange student in France for a year. One of the guidelines of the partial scholarship I was awarded, states that I have to set up a blog. I was hoping you could help give me some tips or ideas for a blog title. I want something that will draw people in and encourage them to contribute money as sort of a fundraiser. I am going to set up PayPal so people can make donations for my trip. Any suggestions you have would be appreciated.
Thank you.
~Yvette
Great to see this on video – I’d say video ‘about’ pages are also the way forward for bloggers, though perhaps more scary a concept for a blogger to create one of those than a well-honed text-based about page with photo.
I found it interesting that your tips work equally well with advice for getting press releases noticed by journalists… it’s almost the same kind of principles: you need it to look professional, first impressions count there too, the title has to be awesome, it has to make the person want to read to the first sentence. That needs to sum everything up and make the person want to read further.
Really it’s all about how to market information and how to present written word in an engaging way, particularly with our now bird-brain attention spans – do you think that’s something that can be learned/taught, or is it a talent? Some people work better on video, some write better, some can do neither – or both.
Good point! I always strive to have good content on my site, something that when someone comes there, they feel like they have gained something when they leave.
Interesting points, but I tend to think that uniqueness of content is too highly valued by most professional bloggers. After all, even a slightly unique article might be full of completely new ideas for most readers.
Great video and I never knew Darren was funny. I just thought he is just a serious blogger but after watching this video I found out that he is leading a good life. Another great video anyway. I will use the tips.
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Mohammad Afaq
Free Website Traffic
Well It is interesting enought to get an oscar :)
Darren – Great tips in this post! I always teach that your blog is the hub for your online presence and I fully agree that first impressions here are critical. Unlike a live interaction the opportunity to build repore by adapting to the visitor doesn’t exist. Therefore what you accomplish in a fairly static environment in the first few seconds is key. There must be a hook based on attraction to keep the visitors attention.
I think the five elements categories selected by you provide the perfect formula to win engaged repeat readers. I use these elements on my blog and I would also add making sure that your the value of your content exceeds that perceived ratio of advertising that exist on your blogs. The average reader will see value in your advertisements as recommendations if they are in fair proportion and relevant to the topic of your blog.
Thank you for the great advice.
James Holmes
http://www.Twitter.com/AskJamesHolmes
Great video post. I enjoyed how you captured the feeling and emotion of fun, delivering it in the first segment, but then were able to follow with quality content and genuine teaching. I will continue to take note of the sound advice found in this blog. Cheers!
Love how you have used video in the post. Would love to see more video!
Hi Darren,
The best USP about your blog is that the content is very well formatted, no lengthy paragraphs, simple and precise text.
That makes it easy for the readers to filter the contents and grasp the major points.
Thanks!
http://talk-english.blogspot.com
Very interesting post, the are very practical.
Thanks for sharing all this.
How long does it took you to film the intro ? :-)
Darren – Great tips in this post! I always teach that your blog is the hub for your online presence and I fully agree that first impressions here are critical. Unlike a live interaction the opportunity to build repore by adapting to the visitor doesn’t exist. Therefore what you accomplish in a fairly static environment in the first few seconds is key. There must be a hook based on attraction to keep the visitors attention.
I think the five elements categories selected by you provide the perfect formula to win engaged repeat readers. I use these elements on my blog and I would also add making sure that your the value of your content exceeds that perceived ratio of advertising that exist on your blogs. The average reader will see value in your advertisements as recommendations if they are in fair proportion and relevant to the topic of your blog.
Thank you for the great advice.
http://www.4uaf.com
I have been doing this slowly better. Need to think further and learn more on making first impressions.
I think it is really impressive post which is really reflecting the aim of converting first time readers to loyal readers… Thanks for sharing
I don’t know if Darren will read this comment in this sea of comments, But I just wanted to say a big THANKS for the video.
I have changed many things in my blog after seeing this video.
1>I tried to give my blog a personal touch so that readers will feel more connected to me.
2> I removed some unnecessary widgets and javascripts, and now my blog is looking cleaner.
3>It now has a better navigation.
I hope that now the readers will have a better impression of my blog. I am waiting for the results and have my fingers crossed.. :)
Hey Darren,
Great video. I am a newer blogger struggling to get past “launch phases”. I ordered both your book (ProBlogger) and the SEO Bible off Amazon and one of them is back ordered so I don’t get my books till APRIL! Videos like this are a great quick way for me to start effectively designing/writing the impression I want myself and my blog to give off.
Thank You!
-David Tapper
Case in point – Gary Halbert’s website. When someone reaches the home page at thegaryhalbertletter.com the first few lines leave an everlasting impression on the reader.
Thanks for the post Darren. You just inspiring me.
First impressions is where it at, I know that, but I needed this reminder from Pro-Blogger! Thank you.
Most people don’t realize what they write, or how they write it, just aren’t worth reading. Some people just can’t clearly put their thoughts into words or just don’t think about anything interesting.
Darren, your information is incredibly helpful! Reminds me to go back to my communications and pr roots – haven’t created my blog yet – but you’ve given me hope – thanks for that – I can now start planning with great ammunition – you’re tops in my book – Barbara E.B.S.