We bloggers are like Hallmark, we’re always wanting to reach out and touch someone.
But with all the billions of blogs and web sites online, the competition’s enough to make you want to hide in your closet.
Waaaay in the back.
New people land on our blogs almost daily. When they come through our front door, we want them to sit down and get comfortable while we serve them a plate of posts and a glass of rss.
The trick is catching them before they take off to the blog next door.
I’ve come up with an idea that sort of puts the welcome mat out for our cherished new visitors, so that hopefully they’ll become one of our even more cherished regular guests.
At the top, you’ll notice a link to “First Time Visitors.” I created a simple little page to serve as a welcome mat – telling what Self Help Daily and I are all about. It includes an invitation to look around and take a tour and even points in the direction of the glass of rss.
A welcome page, such as this, should be short and to the point. I don’t think it should go too far into detail about the blogger or the blog (that’s what the about page is for, after all).
The words, “Welcome New Visitors!” is different from the words that we’re used to seeing on blogs: About, Contact, rss, Blogroll, etc. It stands out, so I believe it would get a newcomer’s much coveted attention. If I were on the blog for the first time and saw a welcome mat rolled out for me, I’d jump on it.
{ 2 comments… read them below or add one }
Hah, good tips. I’m going to do that on my blog.
Thanks.
Thanks Robert! – Joi