You could be ignoring your community!
What if you didn’t know your community, who they are, what they want, and what they need from you?
Remember the reason they joined your community…
- They saw a spark of hope that you shined as you were telling them you were the one able to help.
And now. just maybe, your ignoring your community.
Why would you want to ignore your community when you’ve worked so hard to attract them?
The people in your community are your most important targeted group that is…
- Visiting and reading your blog,
- Jumping onto your list,
- Making some purchases?
They have already shown an interest in what you have to offer.
==> Your community wouldn’t be paying attention to you at all, if they didn’t want more of your ideas and your way of sharing.
How can you position yourself to get noticed as you pay attention to and get more involved with your targeted audience, and stop ignoring your community?
When you understand your targeted audience, your community, you’ll also get more responses and engagement with them.
Here are some of my thoughts about how NOT to be ignoring your community…
- Ask them questions online and offline.
- Especially on Social Media.
- Helping you understand how to give them more of what they want.
- Use your analytics to help you determine what they are most interested in.
- What pages are they reading, or staying on longer, within your blog?
- What are they ‘liking’, sharing, and engaging with more on your Social Media Platforms?
- Ask them targeted questions.
- I could ask – ‘How will you be using your blog and Social Media for building your list?’
- Craft questions to ask that are specific to your content and community.
- Listen and respond.
- Developing your credibility to establish your content as valuable.
- Building reader loyalty, trust, and rapport.
Now you’re engaging with your community.
No more ignoring your community as you can have a series of questions to help them make the decision to interact and read your content more.
You’re giving your prospective blog visitors and your current community the ability to search, learn, and find out more about you.
You’ll be able to have personalized content just for your community. Supporting their real interests as to why they are even a part of your online community.
Then, you’ll discover the benefits of NOT ignoring your community.
#1 Your interaction with your audience increases and you’re community grows.
Joining in with your community is about taking the longer view of participation – that’s relationship-building.
And, it’s a proven formula for accelerating your community.
If you’re you ready to take your blog to a bigger audience, promoting with Social Media planning, getting more traffic, and building your list from your community, then join our Blogging Mastermind Community.
You can do as you get more coaching, training, and support for your own Blogging Mastermind, learning more focused Social Media, technology, and promotion as part of the Blogging Mastermind Community <== Click on the words. And, ==> click and ask me how you might be helped with this training!
“In the last hour I was doing some follow up calls and one of the ladies I had met at recent Skincare class that seemed interested in the business said she was very interested and has been reading my emails and is blown away by my products and business opportunity. We set up a follow up date to chat more. But without Coach Donna L. Ward’s tips and training I may have not implemented these practices of emailing and setting time to do what I needed to do. I get so excited when I see it working! Just had to share! Thanks so much, Coach Donna! My business just went BOOM with the activity I have added to my calendar.” Marsha Landeros Benefit with Arbonne
Certified Business Coach, Intuitive Strategist ~ As a Social Media Manager and Coach, I do the work for you and/or train corporations and small businesses how to set up their blog and a Social Media Marketing Plan around their blog/website as their business hub. As a Social Media Marketing Expert, I teach Relationship Marketing and Social Media Mastery, consulting and speaking services for corporate, business owners, and conscious entrepreneurs around the globe!
- Are You Making These Social Networking Mistakes? - May 5, 2023
- How to Use These Facebook Goals in Your Marketing Plan - March 14, 2023
- How To Bring Life To Your Content Marketing Strategy - February 26, 2023
Thanks for this great information! I love the tip about asking questions.
Trish recently posted..Friday Faves – Podcasts: Beyond Serial
So glad, Trish and thank you! 🙂
I’m still new to the world of blogging, this was extremely helpful. Thank you!
Thanks for your comment, Cassandra – and glad you found this post helpful – you are so welcome!!
You get what you reap. This is what I always believed when engaging in social media. So I really appreciate your post because it reinforces this message. By being thoughtful to those who follow you there will certainly some positive reciprocation. I learned this slowly when I started blogging a few years ago. Glad there is a post like yours that reminds all of us of that! 🙂
Cara (@StylishGeek) recently posted..Paper-Wrapped Book Cover
Thanks, Cara – and of course, I write to also teach and remind myself – I am glad you enjoyed this!
I’m trying to become more engaging with my audience. I ask random questions on my Facebook page often but today I even asked a question in my monthly newsletter and encouraged my readers to respond to my newsletter in an email to me. I hope they start to notice that I want them as a community and to stay in contact no matter how they prefer, email or social media networks.
MommaDJane recently posted..Win Tickets to The Marvel Experience Tour in Dallas
Excellent DJane! That’s always inspiring for others to hear that you are doing the great efforts to keep engaged with your community!
I love the vitality of your writing! Sometimes when you are writing on your blog, it is easy to forget to ask your readers questions. It is a great way to get feedback and give you ideas of what your community may like more of. I am going to have to do more questions as I’ve been a bit off.
Dawn recently posted..Online Brand Protection – Vigilance And Responsiveness Are Crucial
I am always happy to see your name pop up on my “to read” list… I know I’ll learn something. I’m starting to build an email list but am still trying to figure out what to DO with it! LOL… I really need to start sending out mailings of good, informative articles.
Elisabeth recently posted..Why I Don’t Take the Flu Shot (And It’s Wrong to Mandate It)
Thanks so much, Elisabeth – every blogger likes hearing that a reader is looking forward to their posts! You’ve already inspired my next couple of subjects to write about. And, I am off to send an email to my list community right now – then back to writing! 🙂
Donna,
I love investing in my community, because . . . I love my community! My readers (and commenters) are just some of the sweetest and most interesting folks. I sometimes get into trouble of not getting my writing done, because I’m conversing with my readers. *sigh* This post makes me feel a little less guilty about indulging in getting to know my community better. Lots of great ideas for how to connect. Thank you, Donna!
Amy recently posted..Raspberry Walnut Scones, and a book teaser
Thank you, Amy – I understand the balance between writing and visiting (engaging) – I have to rearrange my routine every so often to include the extras I want in 🙂
That is a very interesting point you make there. I am going to start asking my FB fans questions which, hopefully, will start to generate some feedback. I will make sure to tell you how it goes in about 1/2 year, when we’ve enough examples to consider.
Thanks, Milosz – it will be great for you to your own progress and the changes within yourself as you learn better questions and responses, also! 🙂 So glad you shared your goal 🙂
What a really great and informative post! I try not to ignore but often I get too many comments to really sit and reply, so I will be trying some of these other ideas. This is really great and helpful!
Jeanine recently posted..11 Of My Favorite {FREE} Fonts!
Thank you, Jeanine – I can understand keeping up with comments is a great thing to do – and a good problem to have! Glad you found some ideas!
Thanks for your points! I may be ignoring my own community now. I have been blogging about my sister’s life and now, her death, for the most part. It was my method of coping. But during at least two of the posts, I’ve been getting back on target to vision impairment.
I would love to have an engaged community!
Thanks,
AMy
Amy Bovaird recently posted..Not so fast
Hi Amy – thank you for sharing, I am so sorry about losing your sister from your life. Blogging must have worked a bit like journaling for you and that was probably very helpful – you’ve shared this with your community and now you are more authentic to them – asking them about their experiences in this area would be wonderful now.
These are great tips!! It can be so easy to get caught up in life and forget to respond especially on Social media!! Interacting with the community is very important in continuing to grow and maintaining your growth
tammileetips recently posted..Skywalker Ranch Photo Tour during the #strangemagicevent
Thanks so much, Tammilee – I know just what you’re talking about! Right after the Holidays I came down sick, and my Internet wasn’t working properly – so yep, my community didn’t get as much attention as I wanted and needed to be giving out!
Thank you so much for the tips. I try to engage in my community online and off. Online, I’m starting to ask more questions. Offline, I try to set up play dates and have booth tables at fairs; to let my community know, that I’m here when they need me. Great tips and I bookmark to share with others as well.
Tamika recently posted..My BFF aka Blog Failure Friday
Thank you! Tamika 🙂 And, you are right on target with online and offline engagement – it’s time consuming, but so well worth it – and love to hear that you’ve bookmarked this and sharing – I so appreciate that 🙂
Great article and well made points! I like the one where you said to engage with you fans, don’t just collect them like baseball cards. It’s true, we sometimes get so hung up with numbers that there are times we miss that they represent real people behind them. Thanks for the share! 🙂
Michel Snook recently posted..Missing Stats from Dark Social Media
Thank you, Michel – I know right? It’s like going out networking (offline) and collecting business cards – but never connecting again – not very good work on our parts – been there and done that 🙂
OUTSTANDING Post! Keeping our audience engaged in so important and just doing the little things goes a very long way. 🙂
Dr. Lisa
Lisa Thompson recently posted..How to Setup Profitable Google Helpouts
Thanks so much, Lisa – what an honor to hear that – yep the little things are very important – and time consuming – routines, systems and focus, oh my 🙂
What a wonderful post! I definitely don’t engage my community as much as I would like to. Thank you for the reminder to keep on replying and to stay connected. That is one of my main downfalls. I will definitely try to stay focused on it. Have a wonderful year!
Thank you, Michelle – so happy you enjoyed this post 🙂 And, staying focused also means getting a system that works and feels comfortable – trying to keep that up for myself – lol
Great lesson here. If you start ignoring your community, they’ll stop being your community! 😉
I like your tips to make sure it doesn’t happen too – asking questions is always a good one.
The Great Gordino recently posted..NFL Moment Of The Week – Playoffs Week 2
Thanks so much, Gordon – It is a continual routine we need to have in place to help our blog/business grow – and give us the insights we need to be more helpful and also to know what to write more about!
I admit I have been ignoring my readers’ needs. It’s not intentional though. It’s just I’ve been concentrating too much on content. Thanks for the suggestions. I will be implementing them very soon.
Tami @ This Mom’s Delight recently posted..Faithful Finish Lines â Week 2 #faithfulfinishlines
Well, that is fabulous to hear, Tami – thank you for letting me know! 🙂
Excellent post my friend on the importance of a community and how NOT to ignore this very important aspect to our success 🙂 I find that the more I engage with my community, the more people I resonate with and I get to mastermind with other like-minded people, which is so important for a successful online business 🙂
Thank you for ALWAYS sharing so much value! LOVE YOUR POSTS!
Big Hugs, Donna 🙂
Joan Harrington recently posted..How To Write More Persuasive Emails That Get Opened
So very cool, Joan – thank you for your great comment and always coming over to read my info – Big hugs!
Thank you Donna for the kind reminder to engage more. I’m finding the more time I spend commenting and interacting the more my blog and social media grows. I’ve been blogging less than a year and I’m finding this to be more important in my personal and business relationships and how my business grows. Also, I love that you used the word community to describe social media. We may not be face to face, but we still need to feel that we belong in order to grow.
Joyful Gifts by Julie recently posted..The Ergo Chef 2015 Cutlery Celebration Giveaway Pinterest Follows Page 1
Thank you so much, Julie – so glad that you saw something here that could help you 🙂
Of course you are right about the importance of the community and these tips are very valuable to get more engaged.
But I also see the danger of engaging too much. Don’t get me wrong there is nothing wrong with engaging a lot. But there is the danger of spending ages in conversations and social networks – and in the evening I realize I did not get any work done (besides engaging). Especially if I have a task on my plate that I do not like, it is very easy to rather spend hours with the community 😉
Susanna
Susanna Gebauer recently posted..9 Ways to Keep Prospects Interested and Eventually Convert
Yes you are right, Susanna – We do need to schedule our time for a purpose – is it fun or promotion – or it can be both. Just set limits and routines. Thx so much for your thoughts.
I need to work on my community involvement more. I’ve found myself not as engaged as U usually am. And I can’t expect interaction if I’m not engaged myself. So much work to do in this new year.
Melanie recently posted..Focus On Gratitude: 45 Things That Make Me Grateful
Thank you for sharing Melanie – and it’s exciting to think about organizing your work to help bring you more successes! 🙂
Pingback: Feeling Better Connected On Social Media? - Intuitive Business Coach
Pingback: Got Blog Personality? -