A Minnowmentor Explains....Want to get more upvotes on your posts?

in #writing7 years ago (edited)

As a @Minnowmentor, one of the things that's been coming up in the last week or so has been a discussion with some of my mentees about how to get people to upvote and engage with you, so I'm going to talk about a bit of advice I've been giving out recently.

Unless you are already a multi-millionaire Steemit whale, with a wallet the size of Donald Trumps ego, it's probably likely that when you make a post, you like the idea of getting a bit of attention and some upvotes.

But then, so is everyone else. If you're not @jeffberwick, or @jerrybanfield, or @sweetsssj or one of the other big hitters with an almost messianic following, how on earth do you get people to follow you?

So here's a thought for you. Think back to the days when you were on facebook (yes I know doesn't it seem like such a long time ago now!)

Back then you were just another punter. Similar to here. Your friends would read your posts, your auntie Jean would comment on that picture of you about to demolish that burger which gave you Angina.

And every now and again, your feed would pop up something that was actually really interesting, even though you knew it was a sponsored post. But you couldn't help yourself could you? No.

  • Because you really need to know how Chunk (the truffle shuffle guy from Goonies) is now knocking the women dead with his incredible good looks and suave sophisticated panache.

  • Because you are desperate to know what crypto @dan larimer is putting all his portfolio into this year (hint, it probably starts with an E and ends with an OS).

  • Because you are desperate to get to drive a supercar for free or go to the MOBO awards with Halle Berry as a date.

  • Because my friends, you got clickbaited. And you know it.

clickbait.jpg

Yep, You fell for it again and again and again.

And clickbait is one of those things that happens over and over again...Why? Because it bloody well works.

And would you like to know WHY it works? Ok, here's the answer, and it's going in BIG assed letters.

IT WORKS BECAUSE THE ANSWER TO THE QUESTION IS ALWAYS YES

Of course you do. You're saying YES to yourself inside.

Yep, I want the money, the upvotes, the car, the night with that fit celebrity. Of course I want to be rich, healthier, live longer etc etc...

And the clickbaiters know this. So they drop psychological bombshells on you constantly...to get you to agree with the statement they make in the first place.

It doesn't matter if your blog is the best piece of writing on the planet. It makes absolutely fuck all difference if nobody actually reads it in the first place!

Because when you're looking at a hundred different stories, and choosing the one to read and comment on, you're going to choose the one that psychologically fulfils an immediate need.

But clickbait is basically shit right? Yes. It is basically shit. It's a shitty shitty thing to do. But you can use the same principle without being a shit to encourage people to read your posts.

Here it is folks...the bombshell: The key to getting upvoted isn't just in your content. It's in your title too.

Because your title is so important, it just cannot be ignored. If your title is as boring as a day in with Norma Major, then you're probably not going to connect with people well.

Your title has to jump out. It has to grab by the balls. It has to be a peacock and show its feathers off. And is has to do it with less characters that a tweet on twatter.


So how can this work for you as a Steemer?

Well, it's not rocket science. If you're a strugging minnow, putting out your best work, only to find nobody ever viewed it, let alone upvoted or commented on it, it can be pretty disheartening.

But put something out there which actually gets people going "yep...i'll have some of that" and internally nodding before they even read the post, well you're onto a winner right?

You can frame just about everything in this way. The more subtle you are, the better, but this could give you a fighting chance of having someone stopping and clicking, then reading and upvoting, as opposed to them just scrolling right past you.

So this is tip number one: Use titles that don't just grab attention, they get the reader agreeing with it right from the outset. And make them part of your own persona. If you like to write comically, be funny in them. If you are dead serious about something, drop the bombshell.


I'm not saying this is going to attract whales every time, but slowly slowly, it will help build your following, which is the way to make Steemit work for you.


Next time, I'll talk about the biggest mistake I see posters making when they are trying to get a new idea or concept across!

With steemy-love to you all.

The @anarcotech


@anarcotech is the project coordinator for the @minnowmentor project, and an active member of #promo-steem and #promo-uk, as well as local @promo-huddersfield Ambassador. He likes to write in the third person and thinks it makes him look big.

Sort:  

This was actually very helpful! Thanks :)

Glad you liked it @askaran.

Great Post anarcotech!

Thanks @ashleypeat. Looking forward to seeing you real soon. I'll be over in Leeds next week, maybe if you're free we could grab a coffee somewhere?

Hey @anarcotech Yeah im looking forward to it!

Yeah Id be more than happy to meet up for a chat. My mobile is 07464601549, just give me a msg when your in Leeds, I work from home so can escape whenever!

Got to agree with you on this one @anarcotech - it's all about the clickbait. We're in a paradise for creative writers. I remember the days of seeing on Facebook the most obscure titles that lured me in to read their articles...and then what, they were a pile of garbage. But it made no difference as it worked!

Thanks @antonburton. It's hard to get really great followers if you have boring titles....

clickbait is one thing and yes it might work in a neon flashy flash sort of way but your content ultimately is what will grow your audience, if you clickbait and your content is not up to par you are unlikely to grow in any sig. sort of way, to grow your channel, yes a good banner draws people in but your content has to be engaging, and for your content to be engaging it has to be about something that you are passionate about

Yes, I couldn't agree more. The point I was making is NOT to be clickbait, but recognise WHY clickbait works. When there are millions of posts flying about steemit, your title is the elevator pitch. And the content has to be great too of course...but if people don't click on the post, they will never see the content, and that's just too bad.

So many times I have clicked on a post and really truly engaged with a minnow because their title drew me in...I was attracted from the second I saw it.

And conversely, I'm sure I've missed hundreds of posts I would really have enjoyed simply because I skimmed past the title.

I'm not at all saying be clickbaity...I'm saying recognise the psychological impact of your title, and utilise it. People deserve to see your great writing. So let them know in the first 5 seconds why they should stop and click....

Love it, I agree you have to stand out ...but no you won't have to click 19 pages to get to the topic...and no you won't end up with 7 viruses, and you won't believe what happens next ....tada clickbait lol

lol. yes. do you work for a marketing agency?

haha the title is the part I struggle with the most! Precisely because it has to grab attention... should it be a question, something that makes you wonder, a description of a cool thing.... ugh

Or it could just be something completely idiotic like "urgle burgle meep...Now do you want to hear something really cool...?"

I DO!!! Tell me!! oh wait.. I fell for it..

Thank you so much, I think I am lacking of this technique. I will learn it and applied to my post.

nothing to learn really...just sit back, close your eyes, and get creative. Think to yourself "what the heck would I click on?". However, I do not recommend putting "Click here to watch two dwarves bare knuckle boxing in the nude". It just gets downvotes.

Spot on, @anarcotevh. You need the hook to get them to walk through the door... This is why circuses had the barkers out front enticing people to come in and have a look. (Don't cha wanna balloon?)

Your title is the enticement to click on the link to see what's inside. With no fire, there's no desire...

Followed you and looking forward to your next post!

Thanks @braveboat, appreciate the comment. I'm a big believer in the message is delivered in the first few seconds. Im very excited to get the next post out, because it's one of my favourite messages that I deliver when I speak.

well you sucked me in there ! so I'm giving you an upvote and I might even follow.. must work this Clickbobby thing :) yeah, I'm following too.. ( this guy is good)

So right. I do childrens parties also....

who doesn't these days ? .. Crypto for kids, what a treat !

Jimmy Saville?

not sure how we got here but that's not a good phrase to use and one I don't care to hear repeate.. I always thought he was a f*cking oddball even when I was a kid and that was just from watching the TV

Coin Marketplace

STEEM 0.21
TRX 0.24
JST 0.038
BTC 94514.58
ETH 3259.44
USDT 1.00
SBD 3.16