Stop Asking Your Audience Questions
This is a follow up on a previous post of mine ....
https://my.wealthyaffiliate.com/kylemanning/blog/7...
... where I gave 7 of my tips to keeping reader retention.
You may not believe this, but it really does negatively influence me when authors ask questions to the readers.
Especially, when it's the heading.
So, a few minutes ago, I was reading a sales page that I found from my twitter followers - the title of the sales page was -
=====================================
How Can Your Site Produce Results With No Visitors?
The Fact is - it Can't!
Your Site Needs Visitors
Period
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The page even went out of the way to turn that headline into a graphic image.
I highly advise all of you to NOT follow that style.
Questions are LAME
I hope that guy doesn't think that people clicked over to that page to be asked a question.
What I'm about to tell you is the truth, I'm not here to blow smoke up your -----
I did NOT read past the headline. Even though I had an inclination as to what the article or sales page was about - it stunk !
Instead - Tell Your Readers - Don't Ask them
I'm going to suppose that the above headline was trying to introduce some internet traffic product. But, instead of doing that, they asked me a question.
If I were to rewrite the above headline without using a question - and this is just off the cuff - I might write something like this -
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We Help Your Site Get More Visitors
to Increase Your Sales!
=====================================
The end!
Finished!
Tell me Which Road I'm About to Walk Down.
Don't ask me a trivia question. Tell me the answer to the question that I was asking myself just before I clicked the link to land on your page hoping to find the answer to the the question I had.
Argh.
Recent Comments
15
I do agree with you Kyle. We want to solve a problem, not adding one.
Have a wonderful weekend.
@KyleManning Actually we should be in the position to give solutions rather than otherwise! Everyone has got his own way of doing things and have enough challenges and problems; so provide solutions then you are the right person to go for.
I see your point.
On the other hand, if you ask a question in your heading, and the reader has asked himself the same question, wouldn't that make him more inclined to carry on reading?
It probably has important SEO implications if that question is the author's keyword.
I can understand your perspective going from a customer to a provider. But, you have to look at it strictly from a customer point of view.
If you can choose only one of the following two headlines which would you choose. Choose exactly one!
1* Do you love brown dogs?
2* I have a brown dog that you will love!
The example you give is clear that the statement is better. Maybe it depends on the subject matter.
For example, I have a review template that I use and the headers are nearly all questions, such as "What is XXX?", "Who is XXX for?", "What does XXX cost?". The section after those headings then answers the questions.
Interesting discussion.
Well, thanks Derek for your response. I'm going to stick to my position though and say -
Don't ask questions.
Make statements.
..and beyond that -
Give information
Don't hide.
All of those "Wh" questions have a huge subconscious impact on (at least) me and cause me to lose trust in the author.
It smells of "I have never written an article before."
Just pour the information. Hold back from all Questions.
I am not saying 100% questions. But, I *AM* saying to *MOST* people to completely *STOP* using them because they are killing opportunity.
So - I would change the title "What is a YYY?" title to
"A YYY is - "
This will keep my attention far better. Of course that is if you are following a few other writing rules.
Thanks for the engagement!
I actually enjoy the use of questions when I am searching for answers. So, I tend to use them in my posts. I would be interested in hearing from others on this topic as well. Sure hope I am not completely off track.
Thanks Steve for your participation. I don't think you are off track. However, I think a lot of writers are off track when they try to fill their content with questions instead of content.
In the case of the above article I referenced., I didn't read it and never went back to read it.
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Great information! Give me a new outlook.
Thank you