Sure, you want comments.
And subscribers, and shares, and likes.
But you don't really care about any of these things. You want what they will eventually lead to …
Money.
Yes, traffic is good, and so is reader engagement. But if you're reading this, chances are you’re running a blog with the intention of marketing a business and making some money.
Now, that could be a bit distressing, because most bloggers are broke.
Some bloggers don't have traffic or reader engagement, and some bloggers have lots of both. But most bloggers aren't making any money.
Here's why …
The chain of conversion is everything
We tend to think of conversion as a single event, but it's really more like a chain of events.
If you market a business online, several conversions need to take place:
- A stranger has to convert into a lead by being exposed to your message for the first time (in the online world, we call this traffic)
- A lead has to convert into a prospect by liking what you have to say (this is often done by opting in to your email subscriber list)
- A prospect has to convert into a customer by buying something from you
- A customer has to convert into a repeat customer by turning a single purchase into an ongoing buying relationship
This entire process is called the chain of conversion.
Does that sound like a tall order?
It should, because it is — for your blog to make money, you need not one, but many people to smoothly move through this entire process.
And if your blog is like most, then that probably isn't happening.
Let's explore all the reasons why that might be, and what you can do to fix it.
Problem #1: You're a billboard in the desert
The most common problem that...
