Since the beginning of time, people have used the power of persuasion to get people to do what they want.
Sometimes – you persuade people through fear.
Other times – you persuade people through love.
Harnessing the power of persuasion in your content marketing can be a powerful tool – here’s how it’s done.
How You Can Use The Power of (Visual) Persuasion On Your Website
When someone comes to your website, have you optimized their experience with a clearly expressed UVP (Unique Value Proposition so that they can immediately answer these 3 questions?
– Where am I?
– What can I do here?
– Why should I do it?
As I’ve mentioned in other posts, you have about 5-10 seconds to capture the attention of a new visitor to your website. If you’re not immediately delivering value, and giving them a reason to stick around and engage further, they’re going to go away.
Does that sound harsh?
Yes – because it is.
There are millions of websites out there – and your customers have more choices than they’ve ever had before.
So persuade them to stay.
Tip #1: Use Headlines (H1 and H2 tags) to draw the visitors eyes to the key points of your page.
Tip #2: Don’t clutter your page with multiple choices for “what’s next”.
Tip #3: Use lots of white space – today’s reader typically scans your content and picks out the headlines, trying to decide if your page is worth saving for further investigation later. Accommodate these habits through the use of plenty of white space – short paragraphs, bullet points, etc.
Tip #4: Words vs Images vs Video:
– If you can only say it in words, use the fewest, strongest words possible
– If you can say it in images instead of words, use images
– If you can say it in video instead of images or words, use video
Tip #5: have a conversation. Using “YOU” instead of “WE” is a powerful trigger to encourage more engagement in your content.
How You can Use The Power of Persuasion In Your Email Marketing
I’m sure I’m not alone when I say that the state of my Inbox is a sorry mess. I probably get hundreds of email a week – there’s no humanly way possible to go through it all.
So how do you breakthrough the “Inbox Noise”?
Use Trigger Words In Your Subject Lines
What would you rather open?
“Today’s Health News”
or
“5 Foods That Reduce Your Heart Attack Risk”
Spend the time to create Subject Lines that will breakthrough the sea of other Subject Lines begging for attention in your readers’ inboxes.
Once you get that valued click, make sure you continue to use the Power of Persuasion in your content.
QUICK TIP: Use Trigger Words when you’re building a link in your email body. The hyperlink is already highlighted – adding Trigger Words will help it stand out more and encourage clicks.
How You Can Use The Power of Persuasion In Your Content Marketing
As I mentioned briefly in the section about using the power of persuasion on your website, it’s important to follow the STAY principle when you’re creating your content on your site.
S – Stop
T – Talking
A – About
Y – Yourself
Ideally, you should talk about solving your customers problems, empathizing, building a relationship with them about 80% of the time. The other 20% can be spend talking about your manufacturing facilities, company outings, etc.
A great way to do both is through Case Studies. But again, make sure that your Case Studies focus on the customer’s issues – their pain points, the challenges, the process – and then add in the part about how your company saved the day.
When you’re creating content to convert – Stop Talking About Yourself.
How You Can Use The Power of Persuasion In Your SEO
Let’s talk about using Persuasion OFF of your website pages.
I’m sure you’ve heard – it’s not that easy to get to the #1 slot on Google’s Search Engine Results Pages (SERPs).
Well – maybe you’re lucky – but if you’re at #1, you’re always looking behind you, working to defend your spot from the next newcomer.
To either get that #1 spot (or keep it) you need to get the clicks.
To get the clicks – you need to persuade strangers to click on your page description.
This often-overlooked on-page SEO should always be written with the “stranger” in mind.
Ask yourself – what page description can I write that would get someone to choose me over all of the other options on the SERP?
So don’t just use the default first 2-3 sentences of your page. Craft a description that fits in the guidelines for length, and also uses Trigger Words to persuade further engagement.
If you’re running an agency right now, you will be aware of the power that SEO can have on a business. Small and large companies are always seeking out help and advice with regards to content marketing and SEO strategies. With an SEO Reseller like FATJOE you can sell their services like for like, markup the price or integrate it into one of your larger SEO campaigns. This is definitely something to keep in mind if you are running a business that is aligned with this idea.
Overall – there are a number of ways you can get your Content Marketing working for you through the Power of Persuasion.
- Use the Power of Persuasion on your Website
- Use the Power of Persuasion in your Email Marketing
- Use the Power of Persuasion in your Content Marketing
- Use the Power of Persuasion in your SEO
