Are visitors clicking on your web pages only to quickly leave the site? One possible explanation could be that the content on your pages is just, well, boring.
Driving traffic is only part of the equation when it comes to successful internet marketing. The other part involves getting visitors to stay for a while, take a look around, and ultimately make a purchase. This is unlikely to occur unless they are enticed by interesting and informative content.
It may be time to take that boring online content and jazz it up some. Consider these tips for developing content that effectively markets your e-commerce website.
Before You Write
Before you start writing content for your website, think about what you yourself would like to read. Undoubtedly it is not a full page of spammy-sounding advertisement for some product that is touted as being great but gives no reasons for making you believe this. Unfortunately, too many e-commerce sites use this tactic.
Presumably you started your internet business because it was related in some way to something you feel passionate about, whether it be a hobby, an interest, a particular topic or activity. You may need to rekindle that passion; it is reasonable to expect that after some time of selling online products or services the initial excitement has worn off.
Use that renewed enthusiasm to create content appealing to your visitors. If the content really wasn’t all that appealing to you, or you didn’t give yourself a chance to get really knowledgeable about the topic, taking time to do it could help you jazz up your content.
Visit the websites of several of your competitors. What is it makes their pages different? Look at it as a consumer would and decide what would make you want to stay and read the content. If you can’t come up with anything, use this information as a good example of what not to do.
Write To Your Audience
Market research is important. You should have a good grasp on what makes your customers tick: what they are interested in, why they would want to buy your offerings, where and how they live, their median age and income level, etc. Use this information to your advantage.
For example, if your e-commerce business offers online sports game betting, your average customer is most likely male, in his mid 30s, has a good income, and is extremely interested in sports. Consider writing articles for your website that focus on news in the world of sports, from player acquisitions to interesting trivia or statistics. You may want to offer some helpful betting tips or an overview of current odds for upcoming games.
Use industry-specific jargon only if your clients will easily understand it. Yes, it can make your text sound more authoritative, but it could also turn away visitors who are newly interested in the topic and seeking further information. In fact, if your business revolves around a subject matter that typically uses a lot of specific terminology, consider adding a glossary of terms.
The more types of content available on your website, the more likely it is that visitors will spend some time surfing through the pages. Get creative and try to offer something that your competitors do not, such as a tip guide, a gallery of photos, an interactive forum, a weekly question and answer column…the possibilities are endless.
Remember that in the world of online business, content is king. If you have an opportunity, try to grab a visitor’s interest and keep them coming back for more. When your content goes from boring to interesting, you’ve won half the battle in converting the visitor to a customer.
About Sean Rasmussen
Great “content” to think about before you write to your target audience, who just like you haven’t got the time to read stuff they don’t like or is gasp Boring!
You are totally right there Alex. People only have so much time to dedicate to reading and learning from online articles. If people find your articles boring, the little red “x” button in the top right of their screen will look pretty appealing to them
. Content is king online!
Regards – Sean
Hi Sean,
Unfortunately my blog posts do fall into the ‘boring’ category and I’ve been looking for some ways to make them more appealing.
Thank-you for writing such a great post on the topic. I really needed it and it’s given me some great ideas.
I’ll let you know how they work out.
Have a great day,
Jazz
Hi Jazz
. Anyway, if they are boring, no one would be better at Jazzing them up than you Jazz!!
It’s not always easy to tell if your articles are boring from your own point of view. Get opinions from other people and keep track of your blog comments and you will soon see what other people think
Regards – Sean
Jazz
How about we check each others posts?
Would help us both
Hi Gee,
This is an excellent suggestion. I’d really value your advice and it would be awesome if you looked over my SEO efforts while you were there. We might both learn something new.
Jazz
I have read some of your articles and they are definitely not boring. You write in such a way it is as if you are speaking to me which I find very engaging.
I am sure many people will tell you how much we enjoy reading your comments too.
One thing that I have seen on many established sites is the use of a video blog every so often. I like this, as it changes things up a little from the usual written content.
Using a question to get the ball rolling with comments also makes your blog interactive in a way.
Video content is certainly a great way to change up your content and provide your reader with a bit of variety Cemil. Getting your videos out there via social media and the top video sites also gives you a great chance of having your content go viral. Thanks for bringing up the topic mate
Regards – Sean
This is an area we can never get complacent about. Many IM’ers would say that “boring” is worse than being offensive. At least being offensive will bring controversy and attention. And that works well, for some kinds of blogs/sites.
Well Lina that is one way of positively looking at the negative.
I think that if you have even a little sense of humour it can go a long way to catch a persons attention. Most people like to have a good laugh and we all have our own unique type of humour.
It certainly is important to have content that people want to read. I think your hints and suggestions are terrific.
I would like to add a couple of my own. I find that I really have a genuine interest in several things and areas of life. So, I feel it is essential in order not to be boring to have a certain passion in what you write about.
Also I think that your commenting about a target audience is right on the spot. We are never going to be able to attract everyone to our site and get them reading. However, if we target the people who have the same passion and constantly try to entice them in the way that we would be enticed it works wonders.
I think that honesty in writing is the essential bottom line. If you really say what you believe and believe what you say those who are interested will be taken in and those who aren’t won’t. There is no sin in not being able to attract the entire universe. The only sin is trying to.
So my credo really is write with passion and write with knowledge and try not to take yourself overly seriously.
Hi Sean
I have really enjoyed reading this post as you have come up with some really good and resourceful ideas.
I am not a seasoned writer like you but my approach is to ask myself a question that someone reading it would ask and I attempt to answer it. That way it can be a bit interesting.
I also like to use humour as it comes naturally, but sometimes I have to turn the tap off!
Jazz It Up! Hey, does that mean Jazz Salinger will do it for us?? LOL
Part of writing appealing content I believe is to not just say something interesting, but to say it in an interesting manner – like using a conversational tone and even use humour if appropriate.
Using simple terminology is also important – obscuring what you are saying by using too many acronyms and obscure (sic) terms and phrases will quickly lose the visitor.
Hi sean,
Interesting article that addresses why we fail to retain visitors to our sites. One thing that contributes to interest is the participation of visitors by commenting on posts.