Are you looking to build a successful blog, but don’t know how to get started? You’ve got to think of yourself not necessarily as a blogger, but as a marketer.
I know, I know…one more thing you didn’t want to worry about. Marketing a blog is hard work, no doubt, but if you set yourself up for success it can build on itself and become much easier than you might think.
How do you build a blog that markets itself? It stems from having a thorough micro marketing targeting strategy. But what the hell is that and how can a solo blogger like you do one? Let’s dive in.
What is a micro marketing targeting strategy?
A micro marketing targeting strategy is a way to specifically target the needs of a specific customer segment or market. In other words, if you have a blog about travel, to be successful you wouldn’t write about generic travel, instead, you would target people who are looking to book hotel reservations and write posts about that. If you wanted to go even further you could write about hotels in your town and tips for getting the best deals, or which hotels are great for romantic getaways in your city, etc.
You can also target people who are looking for destination information or reviews, people who are interested in buying specific products, or anyone else who might be interested in what you have to say.
Why is this so important for bloggers?
Blogs are always targeted at an audience of one. That’s right, no matter what type of blog it is (news, lifestyle, etc.), the blogger is writing to themselves as their sole audience. This can be great if you’re a personal blogger and want to write about things that interest you, but it can also be a challenge when you want to write about topics that other people might find interesting too.
For example, if you’re a travel blogger and want to write about a new destination, it’s hard to do so without also mentioning the prices of hotels or other places to stay. If you’re not targeting your readers specifically, they may be wondering why you’re writing about a place they can’t actually visit.
Another problem is when bloggers write for the sake of writing. This isn’t always bad, but if your blog is focused on fashion, cooking, or any other hobbyist interest, it can be tough to find topics that are both interesting and relevant to your audience.
The bottom line is that if you want your blog to be successful and continue running for a long time, you need to develop a targeted micro marketing strategy. This will help you target your readers with posts that match their interests and will keep them coming back for more.
The unfair competitive advantage of micro niches for blogs
The reason micro niches are so powerful is that they allow you to connect with your readers on an individual level. This means that they feel like you’re talking directly to them, which creates a much stronger connection and leads to more sales.
In addition to being more effective, micro-marketing strategies are also cheaper than targeting a wider audience. This is why it’s important to think about what your readers want and need before starting your blog.
Micro niches give you a better chance for lucrative paid sponsorships
Gone are the days when companies looking for bloggers to partner with looked at the blog’s number of followers as their only metric for deciding whether the partnership would be profitable. Thanks to having the ability to artificially inflate those numbers, companies have gotten privy to that and instead want metrics that show loyalty and a blogger’s ability to target highly-motivated readers.
This is where micro niches come in handy. By targeting readers who are already interested in what you have to say about a very specific topic, you can get sponsorship deals that are much larger than those that would be available to you if you were targeting a wider audience.
How to create a micro marketing strategy for your blog
Step 1: Narrow down your niche
If you’re not sure what type of blog you want to start, it’s a good idea to narrow down your focus. Once you’ve determined your niche, drill down a little bit further until you’re at the point where you think “Nah, that’s too small.” It’s NOT too small. Believe me, the more you can drill down, the better.
Step 2: Identify your target market
Once you’ve narrowed down your focus, it’s time to identify your target market. This will involve studying your readers’ backgrounds and interests. Once you have this information, it’ll be easier to write posts that will appeal to them.
Step 3: Plan a content calendar
Once you have a general idea of what topics are going to be covered on your blog, it’s important to plan out a content calendar. This will outline the specific dates and times that new posts will be published. This way, readers can always expect something new from your blog.
Step 4: Research your competition
One of the best ways to improve your blog’s success is to study your competition. This will give you a better understanding of what works for them and what could be improved.
Step 5: Develop an effective advertising strategy
Once you have a good understanding of your target market and content, it’s time to develop an effective advertising strategy. This will involve finding the right sponsorships, creating Google Adsense ads, and more. You don’t necessarily need to advertise, especially not right away while you’re still building content, but it’s a good thing to keep in the back of your head, nonetheless.
Troubleshooting: What to do when your micro marketing targeting strategy isn’t working
If you’re not driving readers to your blog in the way that you’d hoped, don’t panic! There are a few things that you can do to troubleshoot your marketing targeting strategy before it becomes completely ineffective. Here are a few things to try:
1. Give it three months
If you’re planning on using a micro marketing targeting strategy, give it enough time to see if it’s really working. You may need to adjust your strategy or switch to a different one if it’s not producing the desired results.
2. Try different methods
If you’re using Instagram for your marketing and aren’t gaining any traction, try Pinterest or another social media platform.
3. Check your keyword research
Make sure that you’re targeting the right keywords and that your content is appropriate for those keywords. If it’s not, you may need to adjust your strategy.
4. Review your analytics
If you’re not seeing any gains in your traffic or conversions, it may be time to review your analytics and see if there are any issues with your blog’s design or content.
5. Check out competitor blogs
See what other blogs are doing for marketing targeting and try to emulate their strategies.
Things to add to your micro marketing targeting strategy
Remember that your goal should always be to develop a loyal following of readers that helps grow your blog. Don’t forget to include these parts in your marketing to help nurture those relationships:
- Lead magnets for an email list
- Coupons and discounts for readers
- Contests and sweepstakes
- Guest posts from expert bloggers
- Products you can affiliate with that your readers are looking for
- Products you can make on your own that give you 100% of the profits – ebooks, print-on-demand, etc.
Final thoughts
A well-thought-out micro marketing targeting strategy can help you generate more leads and convert more visitors into customers. By following these tips, you’ll be on your way to success.
