© Copyright 2013 Caroline M. Pointer
As a researcher, you scour the Internet looking for your ancestors. You look high. You look low.
What's the first thing you do once you land on a site?
Start reading it? If there's a lot of stuff or a lot of pages on the site {or blog}, that might take a while. And? You're in a hurry. The weekend is almost over. It's almost time to take off your Weekend Research Warrior Hat and put the Ol' Day Job Hat back on. *Big Sigh*
So then you might look for a search box. 'Cause, duh. That would be easier, but...
What's the first thing you do once you land on a site?
Start reading it? If there's a lot of stuff or a lot of pages on the site {or blog}, that might take a while. And? You're in a hurry. The weekend is almost over. It's almost time to take off your Weekend Research Warrior Hat and put the Ol' Day Job Hat back on. *Big Sigh*
So then you might look for a search box. 'Cause, duh. That would be easier, but...
...you can't find one! "Never mind then," you think. "It's time to switch the laundry and make sure I'm ready for the ol' day job tomorrow. Maybe next weekend."
That's exactly what happens when potential cousins -- the exact people you're wanting to contact you -- visit your blog and you don't have a Search Box on it.
And? You've got to think of yourself as a salesperson because you are. You're selling your blog to your readers. You're trying to get your potential cousins to stick around on your site and search it. You're selling the idea that you just might be related since they were searching for the same ancestor you've written about on your family history blog {like a gazillion times}.
The ABCs of Blogging Genealogy
So like a good salesperson, you want to Always Be Closing that sale. Don't just quietly suggest they search your blog by providing that unassuming Blog Search Box. Tell them to search your blog and suggest you might be related.
And here's how you entice your potential cousins with that carrot on your Family History Blogger Blog:
That's exactly what happens when potential cousins -- the exact people you're wanting to contact you -- visit your blog and you don't have a Search Box on it.
And? You've got to think of yourself as a salesperson because you are. You're selling your blog to your readers. You're trying to get your potential cousins to stick around on your site and search it. You're selling the idea that you just might be related since they were searching for the same ancestor you've written about on your family history blog {like a gazillion times}.
The ABCs of Blogging Genealogy
So like a good salesperson, you want to Always Be Closing that sale. Don't just quietly suggest they search your blog by providing that unassuming Blog Search Box. Tell them to search your blog and suggest you might be related.
And here's how you entice your potential cousins with that carrot on your Family History Blogger Blog:
- Log into your account on Blogger.com.
- Click on Layout in the menu on the left hand of the screen.
- And then follow these easy screenshot steps. Click on a thumbnail and the image will become bigger. They're in the order you need to do the steps.
Now? Go forth and sell, you Family History Blogging Salesperson, you. ;) Do you already have a Search Box? Are you going to add a Call-to-Action to it? Share what kind of Call-to-Action you ended up putting on your Search Box below
~Caroline
