Sometimes it feels like I’m invisible…
I’m sending this message to 14,000 Digital Upstart readers… posted it on LinkedIn and tweeted a link to it.
Trouble is, most people won’t read it.
Ok, they may look at the headline, even glance at the first few paragraphs, then they’ll go off somewhere else.
This is not necessarily a reflection on me.
It’s the same for everyone.
Over 80% of what you put on your blog is going to be completely ignored.
Your content is, for most people, totally INVISIBLE.
Yes, people might say they’ve read it… they may even share it on social media… but more than likely they’ve not paid attention or read it to the end.
Web usability expert Jakob Nielsen estimated that people read 20% of an article, newsletter or post. But in the new ever-connected social media world of constant distraction that percentage has undoubtedly dropped.
What a pointless waste of time.
And yet you hear it time and time again…
To market an online business you MUST post regular content on a blog… news updates, stories, rants, reviews and opinions.
You need to catch people’s attention, offer them something of value, and get them to take action – visit your shop, call your number, sign up for your emails, follow you on social media of buy a product….
That’s how it all works.
…Right?
So you pay for marketing advice, or scour information sites for tips.
You spend hours and hours sweating over a blog post, email newsletter or update.
You try and get the headline right.
Come up with an interesting idea.
Fill it full of personality. Make it useful and practical.
In other words, you do all the right things.
All the stuff I show you in Digital Upstart.
And what happens?
Most people will see the post and think “MEH”.
And do you know why?
They’re busy, they’re rushed and they’re easily distracted.
Every time they look at their mobile or computer screen they’re overwhelmed with the urge to look at other things – pop up ads, clickbait headlines, tweets, facebook posts and alerts on their phones.
Your prospects are like hungry sharks swimming around the internet, attracted by the faintest whiff of blood, taking bites out of anything they come across, never fully satisfied, constantly on the move.
Get them hooked with a headline and…. BAM… suddenly a bigger fish swims past and they’re off.
You’ve lost them.
No conversions, no email sign ups, no phone calls, no sales.
Like I said, most of what you’ve done has been totally and utterly useless, pointless.
A waste of time and effort?
Well, no… in fact it’s one of the greatest opportunities… once you make a shift in the way you look at things…
You see, that 5-10% who read all the way down a blog post, or finish an email… are your best prospects and customers.
They’re the lifeblood of your business… and worth every single minute you spend getting your blog posts and emails right.
Because if you can get someone to read all the way through your post – with all the other distractions out there – the likelihood of them clicking through the link at the end, taking action and following your recommendation is extremely high.
They’ve made a commitment already, so why stop at the end?
Why not click to find out more?
This is why that final click-through link at the end of an email or blog post is the hottest spot of any piece of content, even though it’s the least widely read.
That’s because the few people who are still there are totally absorbed, engaged and on your side.
Those 5% are really interested in what you have to share with them – they are highly qualified and likely to make some form of committment orf time, effort or money in exchange for gettign their desired results.
From now on, you shouldn’t worry about how many people are reading your post.
Instead, think of everything you do to promote your business online as a filter.
Let’s say 1,000 people will come across your website…
…maybe only 200 of them might check out your posts.
…and perhaps 20 of them will get to the very bottom.
And those 20 are red-hot prospects ready to follow you, sign up, read more and BUY.
They’re the ones who will come back again.
So the only reason you want those 1,000 visitors to come by is so that you can get to those 20 who actually read to the end.
Just because the internet in 2016 is a world of distraction, where people barely pay attention to anything and, your customers are like sugared-up children who can’t concentrate for more than a minute… it doesn’t mean the rules of good marketing has changed.
More than ever, “long copy” sells
Don’t listen to the naysayers who claim that nobody reads long posts or pays attention to sales pages and detailed special reports.
They still remain the best way to weed out the chancers, tyre kickers and non-interested prospects… and find the few people who will become your loyal followers, repeat reader and buyers.
I have specialised in long copy since my first days in direct mail in the mid-90s and believe this approach is MORE important in today’s world of short attention spans than it was in the old days.
The internet has changed nothing about human psychology.
So whatever you do…
- Ignore everyone but your prospect – don’t try and please the masses because they aren’t reading your blog.
- Make sure your content solves a problem or has some kind of payoff. That means a tip, a revelation, a recipe, and answer or some instructions to follow. They have to walk away feeling it was worth it.
- Always make sure that there’s a call to action at the end of a post or email. It’s a waste to get someone who is so committed they’ve taken 10 minutes out of their day to read what you have to s\y… then NOT convert that into something, it could be a link to a product, your shop, or an article of interest. It could be a request for feedback or comments.
- Finally, show them where to get MORE. The people reading the bottom of a post are hot prospects, ready for more. Send them to another article. Push them to your social media networks.
For instance, you can get more information from me throughout the week on my Digital Upstart Twitter account: www.twitter.com/nickupstart
I’ll finish with a special thanks to you, for reading all the way down.
You are truly a beautiful and very special human being! 😉
It would be great to carrying on helping you the best I can, so please do get in touch with me if you gave a questions about blogging, writing, catching attention or converting readers into customers.
This way I can make sure I deliver you the information and support you need. Please your queries or comments to me at nick@digitalupstart.co.uk
Cheers
Nick
90% Invisible Man
& Publisher Digital Upstart