Readers want a genuine experience these days. They don’t care if you use their first name in an email any more. Today’s readers want raw, genuine content that cuts through the clutter. Bloggers have to be a tad more imaginative in our world of authentic marketing.
But wait–that sounds like a lot of work! Bloggers hardly have the time to write content for their own site; nobody wants to write 150 personalized emails. What’s a busy blogger to do?
Bloggers already have great personalization tools at their disposal. It’s a matter of integrating them into your workflow. Here’s how bloggers can personalize their marketing without losing their soul.
Data is your BFF
Serious bloggers already use analytics to track reader behavior. But there’s so much more to these analytics tools than bounce rates and daily views. Leverage the power of analytics to segment your content for better marketing.
For example, let’s say my blog is popular with women ages 24 – 40. I drill down the analytics and see that some readers are interested in frugal living, while others are interested in investing. I can even find out their device preferences, language, and location. Boom! That’s marketing gold, y’all. Use your data to segment email lists, determine CPC bid timing, content topics, and more.
Dynamic advertising
Dynamic advertising is a must-have for personalized blog marketing. It’s already built into popular advertising platforms that many of us already use, like Facebook Ads and Google Adsense. Dynamic advertising delivers targeted, relevant ads to new readers thanks to the smart built-in algorithms. You can show your readers exactly what they want to see, which helps you cut through the fluff and get conversions.
Be real
When you’re worried with site visits, income, and backlinks, it’s hard to be real with your readers. The best way to personalize your blog marketing is to be real. No more of the kitschy “guru” talk or clickbait titles–just talk like, y’know, a normal human being.
It’s no secret that video marketing is all the rage. In a TL;DR world, readers don’t always read blogs. But they do love videos! Use videos to promote product, offer training, answer questions, or show behind-the-scenes action. Drop the script and have fun with it! Your readers want to know what you have to offer and who you are.
Deepen Relationships
Blog marketing isn’t always about acquiring new readers. It’s also about deepening relationships with current readers. It’s the engaged readers that will regularly consume content, after all.
Reply to all reader comments, emails, and messages when you can. When you talk to your readers, you put a face to your blog’s brand. Ask questions on your blog to encourage reader responses. Better yet, create a Facebook Group for your readers to discuss and share with you and among themselves.
Never underestimate the power of building a relationship with the readers you already have.
The bottom line
At the end of the day, good marketing boils down to one simple rule: market the way you want to be marketed to. Readers want to see relevant, interesting, and timely marketing. No more form letters or copy-pasted responses. Try a couple of these tips to personalize your blog’s marketing without losing the soul behind your brand.