User-generated content is a terrific way to build traffic and establish credibility for a childcare blog. Not only are user comments and contributions helpful and insightful, but they can create a sense of community. Visitors think of themselves as friends.
Generally, it is very easy to get web users to participate by offering them something they want to be part of. Inspire debate, keep it simple and respond quickly to comments, ask for photos and provide an exciting comment thread.
1. Inspire Debate
It is easy to get user-generated content when the subject matter polarizes your readers. Creative blogs are terrific places. Controversial blogs are busy places. Giving people the opportunity to contribute is simply not enough. Regardless of how many people feel a certain way about a subject, there are dozens of others who hold a different opinion.
Keep it creative, but write on topics that inspire debate. Users need to feel compelled to state their case or defend a position they believe to be right. Additionally, a healthy discourse encourages others to join in the conversation.
2. Respond Quickly to User Comments
A sure way to get more user-generated content for your child care blog is to make it a habit of responding quickly to user comments. When a response goes unanswered, users feel disconnected or worse, ignored. Responding in a timely fashion and consistently will encourage repeat visitors.
The more you engage with your users, the more they will want to comment.
3. Keep it User-Friendly
One of the easiest ways to get childcare user-generated content for your blog is to keep it simple. People tend to scan blogs quickly. The average reader is only looking for something to catch their eye. Users don’t want to read long, difficult pages of information.
A blog that consists of short, concise paragraphs easy to digest and is more likely to get users to post comments.
4. Ask Users to Contribute Photos or Stories
This is perhaps the most obvious way to get childcare user-generated content, yet the most underused. In addition to a thriving comment section, give readers the chance to post pictures or share stories. Your child care blog is the ideal place to encourage contributions of this sort.
Parents especially, love to upload photos and share stories of their little ones. Ask for silly or theme-oriented photos, provide the tools for easy upload and that’s it!
5. Develop an Active Comment Section
Provide an active forum for contributing. It sounds easy, and it really is. People do not want to talk if they think no one is listening. Give users the chance to contribute to a blog that is already thriving and exciting. Hire a few good writers to get the conversation started.
Readers enjoy giving feedback, especially if they think others are ready to respond back to them. An active comment section drives user-generated content. In addition, it encourages visitors to build friendships with others who share their interests.