I’ll let you in on a little Internet secret:
Content matters, but it's only half the battle.
English: Internet Cafe and Library on the . (Photo credit: Wikipedia)
After two years of work at Greatist, our team has learned some basic techniques that have helped us grow our audience (we’ve been the web’s fastest-growing health and wellness site for 18 months) and show readers we care about their personal relationships with our content. Most importantly, we’ve been able to build a base of followers who believe our articles, infographics, and guides are simply a cut above the rest.
Building that trust requires making readers feel valued on several levels, and that means doing more than just writing articles they enjoy. Engaging readers beyond content is a big reason we’ve been able to grow from an unknown blog to a thriving resource with millions of monthly visitors.
What follows are some of the biggest lessons for going the extra mile I’ve gleaned from two years at a growing content startup. As with all growth spurts, the learning hasn’t always come easy. We’ve messed up time and time again, and it’s often a process of learning what not to do that yields the best results.
1. Respond. Twitter,
2. Follow Up. Let readers and commenters from previous pieces know you've put out something new on a related subject. It might seem a bit tedious to send out personalized notifications, but creating a Rolodex of readers is especially beneficial to early stage sites hoping to boost traffic. In a world where social media defines online traffic patterns, a hyper-engaged reader is among the best promoters imaginable.
3. Mine Your Data. Go beyond the basic analytics and become a student of your site’s traffic. Writing quality content is no longer sufficient to gain traction, and tools like Chartbeat and SimpleReach have become necessary parts of the content producer’s arsenal. And there's more to to be had than figuring out search-optimized pitches. Simple actions like updating homepage articles at the right intervals can convey a sense of quality, especially if readers are returning multiple times a day. Knowing when and how readers are engaging with your content — especially when it comes to social — gives you the info to curate a better user experience.
4. Ask Tough Questions. When used too often, pop-up questionnaires can make telemarketers look like Santa Claus. Sometimes, though, they’re a necessary nuisance to get a critical mass of reader feedback. Fortunately, there are also less intrusive methods to get quality data, including optional polls at the end of articles (Greatist has had a ton of success getting reader opinions on everything from the NYC soda ban to a donut sandwich) and queries on social media. Ask the questions you've always wondered about how readers experience your site.
5. Admit Your Mistakes. A few months ago, Greatist published a piece that caused a bit of controversy in the fitness space. In an effort to clarify some points, we partnered with several physical therapists and other fitness professionals who first wrote about the issue on their personal blogs. Fast forward three months, and two of those authors have joined our Expert Network, helping our writers make sure the content we produce is as accurate and accessible as humanly possible.
Even the most robust editorial processes crack from time to time. It’s often tempting to simply update an old article without calling any new attention to a past misstep. But admitting mistakes and making the necessary corrections is almost always well received by readers. In our case, that meant bringing some new people and perspectives into the fold. Communicating those efforts to readers signals you’re willing to go above and beyond the call of duty for today’s content producers.
What steps do you think content producers should take to keep readers engaged? Sound off below and tweet the author @d_tao.
