The easiest way to ensure that users landing on your blog content takes action is to simply make sure the action you want users to take is explicitly stated within the content. This includes using specific language, linking to relevant pages, and designing CTAs.
Oftentimes, blog posts have implicit calls to action: a hyperlink within the text to key pages you want users to click on, products inserted at the bottom of the page without context, and no text personalized to the brand. This means that, after the users read the information they sought out, there is really no direct follow-up action for them to take—so they leave.
To make sure your blog content actually initiates action:
- Add big and bold CTAs
- Help them stand out from the rest of the text by stylizing them: choosing a different color, different font, including images, etc. Use assertive language, don’t be afraid to tell the user exactly what you want them to do: “Go Here!”, “Check it Out!”, “Grab the Deal!”.
- Include non-purchase calls to action
- Most of the time, users won’t buy a product or service immediately on the spot after reading a blog post. They may, however, join your mailing list, or give you a follow on social media, or join your Discord server. Think about how you can build an audience that will eventually become buyers
- Highlight where your products and services overlap with the content
- Let’s say you’re an online pet store, and you wrote an informative blog post about ways to train your cat. There is a section talking about giving your cats treats as rewards. This is the perfect opportunity to link to any treats sold at your store, as well as insert a quick USP on why they are a high-quality choice.
- Offer Next Steps Readers Likely Aren’t Considering
- For example, a user may search for “best dog food brands” and find your listicle. In that listicle, you may include a section stating that grain-free food isn’t always the best food choice, and offer a CTA to high-quality grain-containing dog food, or another piece of content talking about grains in dog food. The user may not have been thinking about grain in their dog’s food before this moment, at all, but this has made them curious to consider it.
Make sure you’re strategically inserting relevant next steps that complement the content of your blog post, and make sure they stick out from the text for users that are quickly skimming through the text. That way, your blog content is not just teaching, but inviting users to act.
If you want to learn more about creating content that is actionable and converts, check out our SEO for revenue approach:
