How to Turn Blog Reads into Leads

By Jenny Ragatz, Former Content Manager

While a blog is intrinsically an educational marketing tool, your job is also to use it to tempt your readers – though not strong-arm them – to make the next move in their journey toward becoming a customer. Here are a few tips to help fuel your blog writing strategy and bottom line:

• Summon action
• Bare your personality
• Deliver the goods
• Present proof

Keep reading for more on these content marketing lead generation tips for your blog.

We’re starting here at the holy grail because encouraging visitors to take action is the single most critical factor in turning your blog reads into leads. You must let your readers know exactly what you want them to do after reading your content. Whether it’s registering for a webinar, downloading a guide, or signing up for a service, your blog posts generate leads through smart calls-to-action (CTAs) that spark the next click. While experts agree that bold, end-of-post CTA buttons perform best, you can also place them elsewhere in the text or on page banners.

Here are a few other blog CTA dos and don’ts to follow:

• Don’t have too many
• Don’t require too much commitment
• Don’t make it too small or hidden
• Don’t be vague
• Do consider graphics
• Do respect the buying journey
• Do use action words
• Do keep it brief

Writing for a blog is much different than drafting formal business content for white papers, presentations, and some web pages. It’s a place where you can – and should – infuse style and personality into your writing voice to help readers get a sense of what it might be like to work with your company. The goal here is to be brave enough to ditch dry or technical language in favor of an authentic voice that your target audience would find appealing enough to click on the CTA button. As fellow content creator

Brittany Berger said it best: “There’s no excuse, no matter the topic, for dry content with no emotion or enthusiasm. You can’t convert without getting your readers excited. Instead, throw in personality and stories, create a voice, and be human. “

DELIVER THE GOODS

A surefire way to destroy any chance that your reader will click on your CTA is to write a post that doesn’t deliver what they’re seeking. Turning your blog reads into leads requires an in-depth understanding of your audience and their stressors so you can serve them the practical benefits-driven solutions they came to your blog to find. The ‘walk-away-satisfied’ test outlines criteria that you can use to assess whether your post fits the bill. Focusing your content marketing lead generation strategy on helping your visitor overcome a problem or satiate a curiosity are foundational for seeding trusting relationships that can amplify your bottom line.

PRESENT PROOF

Even when you have a clear CTA, an engaging personality, and deliver valuable content to your reader, you still must prove yourself to effectively earn leads on your blog. Weaving in case studies, success stories, and personal victories that attest to your abilities can make the difference between a visitor just stopping by for wisdom and one who’s ready to hire you.

As we’ve done with our case studies, keep them brief. Cover the basics like the goal of a project, the services you provided, and the result of your performance to give your reader a snapshot they can grasp in just a few seconds.

These are just a few tips on how to turn blog reads into leads. You can also play with imagery like photos, infographics, and slideshows for more page interactivity.

Some marketers believe they help ensure your visitor reads or scrolls the entire length of your post – thereby seeing all your CTAs and priming them to click. Our advice is to give it a try and see how it goes.

For more on our writing services or content marketing lead generation strategies, contact our Madison-area digital marketing professionals today.