A great blog gets its readers engaged. It encourages them to get involved. Unlike typical static web pages, a blog contains a dialog. It is a way to communicate directly with your customers. When you fully engage your customers and prospects, it boosts loyalty and helps them feel comfortable coming back for more. Here are some simple but powerful ways to get the interaction going:

Contests and giveaways

Run a contest on your blog and offer prizes to the winner(s). Be sure to promote your contest across all of your marketing channels such as social media pages, your business website and in offline materials or in-store. The goal is to drive maximum amount of traffic to your blog as possible. Always set the rules beforehand and post them clearly for participants to read.

Case studies

Publishing case studies can be very effective because they accomplish many things at once. They attract readers, showcase your existing clients, educate your customers and they show off the benefits of using your business. A well-written case study gives them concrete information that they can use and it also shows the results that your business gets.

Customer success stories

Like a case study, a powerful customer success story works as a strong testimonial for your business. When you get a positive review or thank you from a customer that talks about how your business help them, always ask them if they mind being featured on your blog. If your customer prefers, you can keep them anonymous. This is a very potent way to show what your business can do for people.

Lists and checklists

Lists and checklists are extremely popular and enjoyed by nearly everyone for a reason. They make it easy to read and digest the information that you’re providing. Checklists can also get a lot of reader comments, especially if you present them with a question of the end such as “what about your ideas”? Top 10 lists are always a crowdpleaser, as well as checklists that present some of the biggest mistakes to avoid.

Creative ideas for your products

One really great strategy is to write a blog post which shows people how you can use your products in creative new ways. Not only does this inform them with new ideas about using your products, but it also showcases the benefits and the versatility of what you have to offer.

Funny videos

You don’t have to write all of your blog posts. You can also create videos. Videos can be a great way to provide information to your visitors because they show them rather than just telling them. Try making videos the teacher customer something invaluable based on your business expertise. Make it fun and keep it reasonably short to increase the chances of your video being shared and going viral.

Infographics

An infographic is a visual representation of information. Infographics give your readers a different way to digest the information you offer in a visual format. You can actually make your own infographics online using free programs offered on various websites. Take the information that you want to convey and make something creative and visually stimulating with it.

The most effective business blogs mixes it up. On some days they might post infographics, on other days they would post a video. They might take the time to talk about a new product in one post or offer a simple list of tips and tricks in another. Try varying your blog post as much as possible and keep your eye on traffic analysis to determine how these posts are performing. Your statistics will tell you what’s working and what isn’t. Then in the future keep the great ideas that are functioning well for you.