How to Build a Converting Community Using Content with Gini Dietrich – Ep 35

One of the best ways to build a converting community by using content is still blogging. Our guest today talks about how she has used the Spin Sucks blog and the Slack App to build a vibrant community that converts into customers.

As part of our series on how to grow and monetize your business by providing huge value to your online community, we invited Gini Dietrich on the podcast to share her insights on using content to grow a community. 

Question: Why do you still like Blogging as a marketing tool? 

Answer: It’s two things- it’s a creative outlet for me and it’s become its own brand and people expect it. 

Question: How has blogging changed over the years?

Answer: Blogging is a huge undertaking. I spend about 25 hours a week of my time with a team of four supporting the blog. But you don’t have to blog. You need to weigh it against the results you are looking to obtain.

There are other ways to build your brand awareness and credibility that you can use in addition to blogging, or even instead of it, like video, Facebook Live or Instagram Stories. You can embed these on your website or even on a blog-like news site.

Question: How do you build a converting community using content?

Answer: Think PESO, starting with O for owned. Create content that answers the questions your audience has? What are competitors doing? What things do your sudience pay attention to? 

The PESO (paid, earned, shared, owned) model was developed by Gini Dietrich and is now used widely by the Public Relations industry to describe the mix of communication that businesses should consider creating (see the links for more about the PESO model).

Question: What are some tips you have for someone who wants to start a blog?

Answer: Consistency, consistency, consistency. If you decide to blog, choose a day or days of the week or month that you’re going to do it and be consistent. 

Question: What would you say is the biggest advantage of blogging with all of the other channels available to us out there?

Answer: It’s easy to optimize search results, but it allows you to think through issues and solutions and provide your best thinking which puts a human behind the brand and establishes credibility. 

Question: How are you using Slack with your blog to drive conversions and engagement?

Answer: I was looking for a way to engage the community and introduced Slack to test it and see if engagement and community could be built there.

The conversations on Slack are deeper, more thoughtful and respectful than on other social platforms. It has taken about a year to grow the engagement, but the conversion from the free community to the paid membership is 40%. 

Question: What are you working on that you would like to share?

Answer: The Slack community is free, growing and has great conversations happening. To join, go to https://spinsucks.com/spin-sucks-community/.

How to reach Gini Dietrich:

Gini Dietrch is the Chief Executive Officer at Arment Dietrich, Inc., a virtual PR firm headquartered in Chicago. Inventors of the PESO Model, the agency educates PR pros and evolves the industry. She is also the author of Spin Sucks, a popular PR company.

Tools, apps and links mentioned:

Take Action

Figure out what your audience is searching for, what questions they have and what their issues are and create content like a video, or guest post on someone else’s blog. Share what you are doing with us in the Communities That Convert Facebook group (request access with the password, Action). 

How to reach Kami:

If you’d like to learn more about Kami Huyse, visit her website at www.zoeticamedia.com. You can contact her by email at kami@zoeticamedia.com or tweet to @kamichat.

How to reach Madalyn:

If you’d like to learn more about Madalyn Sklar, visit her website at www.madalynsklar.com. You can contact her by email at madalyn@madalynsklar.com or tweet to @MadalynSklar.

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