Welcome to the Official ReachLocal Australia Blog which will equip you with everything you need to know about online marketing and reaching more of your customers online.
If first impressions count, you ought to write a compelling blog post title that draws in the attention of your reader. It doesn't matter how newsworthy or amazing the topic that you're writing about is. In reality, whatever you choose to name your new post is going to determine whether it gets read or not because you must motivate your reader to want to actually read it and click through.
Let's take a look at several effective blog post title formulas you can make use of to grab the interest of your readers:
How To Guides
One of the core reasons people blog and read blogs is to learn something. So it's extremely beneficial to publish 'how to' style posts with titles such as 'How to take care of your window shutters' or 'How to get the best holiday deals'. This formula paints your business as an educational leader. If you can post a ‘how to’ guide covering an area that nobody in your industry has thought of yet, that's even better. Just make sure you always deliver what you are promising to teach.
Lists
People adore lists. They're an easy way to digest information; which makes it even easier for you as the blog writer to set out and present your post content in a reader-friendly way. Lists can be anything from 'Top 10' lists to '6 reasons to...' or '3 ways to...' and are proven to really entice a reader. Why not enhance a reader's interest by adding an attention-grabbing adjective within your list? For example, '6 hot reasons to...' or '3 killer ways to improve your...'
Trigger Words
Choose your words carefully, as certain trigger words can instigate profound effects on your readers. Essentially, certain words and expressions are known to be so powerful because they trigger emotions in a reader's mind when read. Just a few examples include amazing, secrets, free, rewards, benefits, boost, overcome, energise, reclaim, hot and limited. Try implementing one of these words into your blog post titles and see if it makes a difference in readership.
Keywords
Don't ignore SEO. Since search engines regularly make use of blog titles to determine a website's page ranking, it's so crucial to add in a dynamic keyword to your blog post title where possible. On the plus side, if your reader is using a specific keyword to search for content, your blog has a better chance of being read if it is appearing within their search results, thanks to cleverly using keywords in your blog post title.
Ask a Question
Asking a question may be old-fashioned and simple, but it definitely works in the blogosphere. Whether you're asking a question or providing an answer to your question within your blog post, you're bound to generate reader interest. An effective blog title name such as 'Do you want to...' can beef up your readership if you're attracting more traffic. And by asking questions, you're more inclined to get readers involved by posting comments and their opinions in your discussion post.
In due course, writing blog post titles will no longer be a headache if you learn to master these variables. Remember, your blog post titles are just as important as what you write within the blog itself. Without a creative blog title, you're not going to be able to draw in people to read your great content in the first place! So don't ignore the power of a clever, magnetic blog post title by continuing to write underwhelming titles that exude boring.
UP NEXT: Finding a new way to angle hot issues. Discover how to set your business apart in your industry by thinking outside of the square.
At ReachLocal, we know online marketing. As a pioneer in online marketing, we help businesses across the globe acquire, manage and retain more local customers over the internet. Through a combination of our powerful technology and online marketing experts, we have the services local businesses need to increase awareness, build their brand, and get more leads. And we do it for them so they can focus on what they do best – running their business.
But don’t just take our word for it – just listen to what our customers across Australia have to say below. These videos illustrate the great lengths our ReachLocal consultants will go to, to make our customers happy, and the extent to which our ReachLocal products can contribute to the rapid growth of a local business.
Adelaide Ink Plus in SA
"ReachLocal has brought an increased traffic flow of potential and existing customers to the door… I think of my ReachLocal rep as a business partner because he helps our business and is a valuable part to our business growth" Leighton Hurrell – Partner in Adelaide Ink Plus
Adelaide Ink Plus spend about $600 a month on ReachSearch – Search Engine Marketing, and have receive an average of 8,000 impressions, 250 website visits, 40 calls/leads and 150 web events per month.
Clayfield Jewellery in QLD
"This has been by far the most cost-effective way to get more qualified inquiries.. Using Search & Cast has enabled us to speak to so much more potential and existing clients and grow our business!" Ingrid Maclean – Manager at Clayfield Jewellery.
Clayfield Jewellery spend about $1,100 on ReachSearch – Search Engine Marketing and have received an average of 150,000 impressions, 1,130 website visits, 30 calls and 10 web events.
Yesloans Pty Ltd in WA
"Since using ReachLocal our internet presence is more cost-effective and has increased the number of phone calls and leads we receive…our business has grown so much over the past few months and ReachLocal is a big part of that!" Steve Sell – Director at YesLoans Pty Ltd
YesLoans spend about $5,000 per month on ReachSearch – Search Engine Marketing, and have received an average of 80,000 impressions, 2,200 website visits, 150 calls/leads and 200 web events.
Want to hear more? Then visit our Success Stories on our website.
We've been working with Reach Local since December 2011 and have been rapt with the results. Chris Clerke has been looking after us and has helped us in an area that we were not very experienced in. We were heavily reliant on working with someone who was experienced with 'adwords' who understood what we required, even if we didn't. Our number...
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So you've just started business blogging - or having been trucking along with no luck. You have a minimal following and want to increase your readership base and popularity. Of course you're going to need to learn how to blog more effectively if you want to reach more people and do better!
Let's take a look at how implementing these tips can enhance your blogging strategy:
Purpose Why are you blogging? It's imperative that you define your purpose and write content that appeals to your consumers; publish content that they actually want to read. There's no point wasting people's time and blogging for the sake of blogging. Why not post about new products, special deals and promotions, events, and interesting news in your industry you wish to comment on.
Design The overall look of your blogging page is just as important as the content itself. So ensure that the design and navigation system is visually pleasing and easy to get your head around it. Content and layout should be easy to read and digest, without distractions.
Personalise Don't just portray yourself as an anonymous person or out-of-touch business sitting behind a screen. Of course you're blogging on behalf of your business, but it's savvy to use your name and position title so your audience know who you are. This generates credibility. Aim to post about things your business is doing to build rapport with your readers so they can relate to who you are and what products and services you're selling.
References If you're making any claims regarding your products and services, always back them up with authoritative citations and online links. Nobody wants to be lied to and tricked into buying your product if you're claiming it's scientifically proven to have a certain effect. References also creates credibility.
Consistency Establish a blogging schedule and stick to it. You may aim to post one blog a week, or two a month. Regardless what time-frame you follow, it's essential that you keep posting so your readers are engaged. This will keep content on your blog fresh and lively.
Clarity Write tight, sharp and concise so your content is easy to digest. Get to the point and keep it simple, because nobody wants to invest time into reading a novel that could have been cut down and told in three paragraphs.
Proofread Ensure that you edit your content before publishing, so your copy isn't littered with spelling mistakes, poor punctuation or any derogative remarks. Verify everything you've written. After all, this is your business and the last thing you want is to appear unprofessional or incur a defamation case.
Promote Make it easier for your readers to know you've written a new blog. An RSS feed will alert readers who sign up to follow your list. Additionally, promote new posts by linking to them in a Twitter status update, on Facebook, in email newsletters and on LinkedIn.
At the end of the day, the more you blog, the better you're going to get at it. Feel free to share your blogging tips by leaving a comment below.
UP NEXT: Capturing the attention of your readers. Are you putting thought into your blog titles?
Negative customer reviews and comments posted about your business online can really feel like a kick in the gut. Naturally, they may propel business owners and employees to respond by writing a heated reply - or even ignore the comment altogether. This isn't an ideal way to handle the situation.
You see, consumers like to do their homework online before buying a product or service. And if they don't like what they read, you could lose a sale. According to a recent study by Cone Communications, four out of five consumers will reverse their decision to purchase if they read negative online reviews.
So don't let negative reviews showing up in search engine results tarnish your business image. Instead, address them appropriately using these golden tips:
#1. Have a Game Plan: If you're well prepared long before a negative remark appears online, chances are you can respond to the issue more efficiently. You will already have a plan outlining how to respond and what your company policy is which employees should abide by when addressing issues on behalf of your business.
#2. Don't Be Dismayed: Some business owners look at negative reviews as a failure. The reality is, you can't please everybody. Secondly, when was the last time you saw a customer satisfaction survey that scored 100 per cent? People in general rarely give a product full marks. So don't take it personally, as complete satisfaction is hard to achieve and maintain. By all means, do respond to any negative issues. They're not going to go away, so show responsibility.
#3. Do Unto Others: When your business gets slammed, never reply back with hate or overreact, as it will only get you in hot water and confirm an already negatively painted picture of your company to the public. Instead, keep your cool and make things right. Apologise if you're in the wrong and put the mistake in the past.
#4. Offer a Solution: Everybody makes mistakes. If your business stuffed up by sending out the wrong order to a customer, then own the issue. Go beyond saying sorry. Instead, apologise and offer a solution. Offer a freebie product, a discount or some sort of incentive to demonstrate that your business acknowledges the mistake. This shows your potential customer base that you take customer service seriously.
#5. Regularly Monitor Comments: If a consumer writes a negative review online and you don't know about it, that's a lot worse than the comment itself. So it's critical that you stay on ball because ignorance is bad business.
Has your business been subject to negative customer feedback? Feel free to share your advice on how you dealt with the issue by leaving a comment below.
Don’t know where to start? Why don’t you hire the services of a professional organisation that monitor what’s being said about your business, and help you manage your online reputation. ReachLocal’s ReachCast service not only develops a ReachCast page for your site and amplify your web presence, but they will set-up an online radar to ensure that you are aware of everything that’s being said about your business online.
