How to Actually Convert First Time Visitors into Returning Readers

Isn’t it an extremely frustrating feeling when you’ve written some good blog posts, SEO optimized them and started getting a good number of visitors daily, but can’t make them stick around and can’t convince them to subscribe?

I know it is.

In this article, I’ll tell you exactly the same methods I use to convert new visitors into returning readers that act, and subscribe. Hopefully, you’ll be able to start growing a community on your blog a lot quicker.

By taking the steps below, you’ll learn to:

• Convert first time visitors into returning readers (and subscribers)
• Make people love your blog
• Find your target audience
• Make your blog sticky
• Get more comments to your post
• Redirect your comments to a custom “Thank you” page
• And more.

Why returning readers matter:

I had a quick look on my Google Analytics account this morning to check the blog stats. What I noticed is that 60% of the visitors are newcomers who arrive at the blog through Google or other referral sites.

And 40% of other visitors are returning readers which means that they have visited the blog more than ones in their cookie period.

Repeat and returning readers are the ones who become loyal subscribers of your blog, links to you from their blogs, leave comments on your posts and share your posts on their network.

That’s the main reason why I place a lot of importance on capturing email subscribers and growing a community of loyal readers on my blog. Those are the ones who will help you grow your blog a lot quicker.

So, How to Convert New Visitors into Returning Readers?

In this 1300 words post, I’ll show you the steps you can take to convert first time visitors into returning and loyal readers of your blog.

1. Serve the needs of your readers

Your blog is all about your readers, It’s not about you. You need to focus on the benefits to your readers.

In order to impress and make the first time visitors love your blog, you need to provide VALUE to them. Give them what they’ve come for, even more than they expect from your blog.

Be clear with your goals, ask them about their problems and solve them. Remember, the first impression is the last impression and you have only a few seconds to grab a first time visitor’s attention. So you must have a clear call to action.

Focus on the benefits to your readers on the menu bar of your blog, the sidebar, footer, everywhere. Ever wonder why I placed the subscribe form & subscribe button on the sidebar of my blog with the text “JOIN VIP MEMBERS LIST”? Because It’s a clear call to action to those who’re new to blogging and want to begin.

Don’t just try to place too many ads and struggle to get clicks, instead make it simple and highlight the best things about your blog on your sidebar that you think can make your blog sticky, just like I do here. (be it your best posts, features, or testimonials).

2. A blog for a particular group of people

One of the common reason on why people forget your blog after their first visit is that they’ve got confused after landing on your blog and aren’t sure If the blog is for them

Make it clear who the blog is for, say to a particular group of people, and target the specific audience.

For instance, let’s say you’re passionate about blogging and your blog about it. That is my passion actually. Now, If you don’t make it absolutely clear that you’re writing for those you want to start blogging, or for newbie bloggers, you’re just confusing your readers.

Same goes with other niches. Let’s say you’re a Tennis lover and you blog about it, make it clear that your blog is all about those people who love Tennis game.

How to make it happen?

One of the best ways to make it clear who the is for is to say that in your blog’s tag line. Make sure that the title of your blog’s homepage describes your blog clearly.

Another way to make it happen is to say that in a mini author bio and display it on the sidebar of your blog, just like I do here.

3. Engage with your readers through comments

Something that I’ve been really working hard for here on Anantvijaysoni.in is to engage with my readers through comments and make the first time commentators comeback, and I see most of my commentators coming back to engage through comments.

Here’s what I do:

• I respond to every comment on my blog: It’s my #1 strategy of building a relationship and increasing the number of comments on my blog. It also adds a human aspect on my blog and encourages people to come back.
• I redirect first-time commentators to a “thank you” page. One of the best strategies to develop a relationship with the first time visitors and convert them to returning readers is to redirect them to a custom “thank you” page when they leave their first comment on your blog. If you don’t know how to do it, read my easy guide to redirecting first time commentators to a THANK YOU page.
• I send a reply notification email to my commentators: Sending a reply notification email to your commentators is like reminding them of your blog ones again, and another chance to get them back to your blog. I used CommentLuv (which is 8 in one plugin) ReplyMe plugin for it.

Hopefully, you’ll be able to make your blog more sticky and make your readers stick with your blog by using my commenting strategies.

4. Be yourself and show your real face

You might have heard before the term before “You’re the most unique thing about your blog”.

That is the thing. If you want to convert first time visitors into returning readers, you need to be yourself and show your real face into the everything you do on your blog.

If you’re providing solutions to people’s problem that thousands of others are doing, then what makes you different? Your voice, your human side, and your personality.

The more highlight and accept it, the more chances you’ll have to make your readers love your blog.

5. Don’t let your blog get caught with Its Pants down

If you want to build a loyal readership on your blog, and convert first time visitors into returning readers, then don’t ever let your blog get caught with Its pants down.

What I mean by don’t let your blog get caught with Its pants down is that make sure your blog is ready and deserves to get huge traffic and to convert first time visitors into loyal readers.

Does your blog has enough quality content, unique design, and good first impression to convert new visitors to returning readers and subscribers?

If not, then you might get caught with your pants down. Ohh I mean not you, your blog!

I turn it to you now:

I’d really love to hear your thoughts and experiences. Guide to the blogging community is not all about my ideas and tips, but also ideas and tips of a cool community of bloggers who interact and help each other.