"How to" Guides Are Not Commercial
So, I often see a lot of confusion over understanding what stage in the buying process your reader is at.
And many people add affiliate links in what should be a purely informational post.
But your readers are not ready to buy something yet, they want to learn.
A good example of this is a "how to" guide.
If people are searching Google for how to do something, that's precisely what they want, a step by step guide, they don't want to buy anything.
So, don't be tempted to stuff a load of affiliate links in, and then wonder why you are getting no conversions.
When people are ready to purchase, they will search for "best product xyz ...", or "product xyz review" or "buy product xyz".
This is where you capture your readers in buying mode.
They are ready to purchase and you just need to persuade them of the benefits of the product you are recommending.
Ideally, you can link your how-to guides to your review posts.
In your how-to guide, "take a look at my review of product x to see how ..." and link it to your review post.
That way, you have given your reader a choice.
If they have decided to buy, they will check out your review.
But if they have achieved what they wanted by learning how to do something, and then wish to leave, they won't have had blatant attempts at trying to sell something pushed in their face.
And that could lead to returning readers, as they know you give valuable information without the sales talk.
Recent Comments
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It is tempting to stuff those links in everywhere, isn't it, especially when one has not yet studied and grasped the customer purchasing cycle? I know I just breeze by the links when I'm trying to learn something. But if the given answer is interesting, I will follow a link to get more detailed information, i.e., internal link, and then, maybe another one. Thanks for a great reminder.
This is true, but I have tested a few theories about how to guides and best recommendations.
One way is to list the top or best 5 products in a comparison table and then under the comparison table have your how to guide! These posts are doing very well for me! I think it will depend on your chosen niche!
As with your advice, it is aggravating to me when I look for how to cook a new recipe or how to treat health issues naturally to see a lot of links directing you to buy a product.
Jannette
Thanks for sharing this.
I see many websites that don't follow this advice and it really is off-putting as a reader.
At the end of the day, our posts should aim to help or solve a problem in some way, and coming across as overly salesy and stuffing links to products everywhere isn't the best look.
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So many blogs, so much information
And you're not sure where to start
But if you take a look at this one
You'll be sure to find what you're looking for
The author doesn't pitch products
But provides valuable tips and advice
So if you're looking to be informed
Then this is the blog you should read.