Some of the advantages of your blog are enticing the search engines to come see and list you, building an audience and establishing yourself as the go-to thought leader for your niche. But did you know your blog is a perfect place to interact with your target market? You can learn about their
thoughts, feelings, and buying habits. Blogs can be a form of social media you can use to interact with your audience. If you use it well, you can find out all kinds of information through it.
Ask a Question
I prefer the direct approach. Come right out and ask the question. This is one of the best ways to learn about your target market. For example, I want to know what my audience thinks of blogging as an SEO tactic. I write a blog post about it and, at the end, ask my readers what they think. They’ll give their opinions in the comments and I’ll learn valuable qualitative data.
Always Answer Comments
Don’t make it a one way street! People like to give their opinions but they like to have them acknowledged even more. Take the time to respond to every comment. Thank them and comment on something they said, or answer their question if they’ve asked one. You can also use this opportunity to follow up on their comments and ask them for more details.
Email for More Info
You may also decide to email reader’s who comment for follow-up and more information. They may share more information privately with you. Be sure you only use the email address they provide on the blog’s comment form.
Making Your Blog a Nice Neighborhood
People won’t leave comments if they think they’ll be attacked or insulted. Make sure readers who comment on your site do not flame others. Of course, it should go without saying that you should be polite and friendly in all your responses.
Use Comments for Future Posts
I love this trick! Fodder for future posts or social media commentary. If your readers express an interest in learning more about a topic, give them what they want! Answer their questions in a future post. Keep a list of these topics and review it when you are creating your posts. It’s really a win-win situation. You get the benefit of a ready source of new blog post ideas while giving your audience what they want.
Spy on Your Competition
You don’t have to be a secret agent. Just read your competitors’ blogs. It’s very likely you share the same target audience so see what their readers have to say in the comments. You can use your competitors’ blogs for future post ideas as well.
Beyond Your Blog
Time to take it outside your blog. Ask questions on Facebook, Twitter or others forums. As I said before, people love to give their opinions. Same rule applies about acknowledging and responding to their comments.
Be sure you approach a topic not as a marketer but as a friend asking for opinions. This tactic will get comments that are honest and thoughtful.
Have you used your blog for market research? What have been the results? I’d love to hear from you in the comments.
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