We are all, always, trying to think of ways to get new visitors to our blog.

But, how often do we think about what happens once they’ve gotten there?

A mistake I made for years was assuming that a visitor would automatically do what I wanted them to do once they’d found me. I assumed (okay, hoped!) they would do at least one of these things:

1. Stay there.
2. Sign up for my newsletter list.
3. Maybe read more of my articles.
4. Go to my shop and BUY something.

But most of my readers weren’t doing any of those things. In fact, most of them were just leaving right after they read or saw whatever it was that had brought them there in the first place.

So, what’s a girl to do to fix this?

Well, first we need to consider why they arrived there in the first place. Then, we can use that information to entice them to do the next thing that we want them to do.

They might have been searching for information:

If they were seeking out some kind of information, and your site provided it to them, that means that they will be VERY likely to leave as soon as their need has (or has not) been satisfied.

So, in my case for example, I write a lot of simple handmade ornament tutorials on my blog. If someone has done a search for “how to make glitter ornaments,” and Monster Google leads them to my blog, they might read the tutorial…but then be on their merry way.

However, since I know that people tend to work that way, I can counteract. 😉

In this particular case, I can assume that this person is probably not in a buying kind of mood. They are there because they were looking for information. They are most likely not going to seek out my shop.

But, I also know that someone interested in Christmas crafts might later be interested in the other things I offer. This is why I wrote the post in the first place… to attract the right, targeted, people! So instead of letting them flit away, never to be heard from again, my goal is to entice them to sign up for my newsletter. A sign up box right at the bottom of that post, letting them know that they can get more good stuff in the future, will grab that person before they’re long gone.

(You might already have a sign up box in your sidebar or somewhere else, and that’s great. But, the chances that your visitor will take the time to scroll back up to the top of your site once they’ve gotten what they came for, are pretty slim. So, make it easy for them, and put another sign up box at the bottom of your posts. Especially your information posts.)

They might have been searching for a product:

If you occasionally write blog posts about your products, and they are well optimized so that people who are searching for that type of product are able to find it, then you my friend, are in a great place. (By the way, I’ve got some good SEO articles coming soon, so you should definitely sign up for my newsletter if you’d like to know when they’re published.)(<– See what I did there?)

Your goal for this visitor is, of course, for them to go to your shop and buy from you. However, don’t get over-zealous here. Your post will still need to convey 1.) that you can be trusted, 2.) that your product is awesome, and 3.) that you can be trusted.

And these things need to be conveyed to your potential customer before you say “visit my shop!”

Pretty obvious, right? And yet, it seems like hardly anyone takes the time to do this.

Whenever you write a product post, keep these things in mind:

Explain the benefits. No used-car salesman pitch here. Just tell them how wonderful this product will make their life. It’s really that simple.

Commit this to memory: Benefits, not features. Benefits, not features. Benefits, not features.

Include a testimonial. Right below your explanation of why their life can’t continue without your item, add a short testimonial. Look in your Etsy feedback, or in an email that a past customer has sent you. Don’t you think something like this would make your product look even more amazing (than it already is) to a potential customer?:

“I knew I’d love this necklace, but I was blown away when I opened the package. It’s exquisite! I can’t wait to wear it to my sister’s wedding this weekend. And it arrived in only 3 days, too!”

It only takes a couple of minutes to find one of your testimonials and add it to your post… but it adds an absolute goldmine of worth and social proof.

Now, tell them where to buy. Make it big, bold, and clear. Make it a direct link to your product.

Side note: Something I used to do was link to my entire store rather than the specific product, so the person could see everything else I had, too. I thought I was being so sly. The only thing that it accomplished was to make it more difficult for my potential customer to get to the thing they actually wanted.

Make it easy for them.

The bottom line, no matter what:

Never assume that someone will automatically do the thing you want them to do. They are going to do what they want to do, always.

They don’t even know what you want them to do. They are not emotionally invested in your blog and business like you are.

So, if want a certain outcome from your visitor…consider your blog post… why you wrote it, what you hoped it would accomplish, and then, why a visitor may have come across it. And then, serve their next step to them right up on a silver platter. 🙂