Perhaps one of the most well known methods of Pull is to be featured as a blogger or guest blogger. These methods are ideal for pulling traffic, especially thanks to SEO context within blogs that aid search engines like Google to search for specific words to highlight articles, phrases, and products mentioned. With these methods, the more you write (daily articles for example), the more chances to be picked up within the search. The most successful blogs, however, stil focus on living within a specific niche.
Besides blogging, growth hackers can also focus on podcasting, or guest podcasting. Much like a blog, podcasts spread information on a regular basis to specific audiences who enjoy that category of information.
Unlike blogs, podcasts have the ability to open new realms in terms of hearing versus reading. With podcasts, guest podcasters are able to reach a specific audience, assuming the crowd listens to each and every podcast.
One drawback from guest podcasting, however, is that the podcasts are not typically indexed like that from SEO and links or businesses mentioned are harder to find, versus clicking on text within a written article.
Next, there are guides, whitepapers and ebooks, which can be sold or given away for free. While it’s easy to skip over a blog post, it’s more difficult to skip over a beautifully crafted, well-written book on a niche subject.
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Offering a free book wil often entice visitors to sign up for a site that interests them in hopes of downloading the book. Users wil feel a fair trade when giving up an email in exchange for a free ebook. In addition, these are easily spreadable through outlets of social media, inviting online authors to spread their work to those interested in similar subjects.
Infographics are another form of pull method that are often highly effective among new users. These beautifully designed visualizations are able to highlight information along with design and invite users to spread them through social media.
When developing an infographic, consider finding a great topic with current data. Build the narrative and come up with a style of design that highlights the concept and make sure to polish the design and information before spreading the information. Infographics are popular on sites like Pinterest that feature an image and invite users back to the initial site of publication.
Webinars are an online source of seminar that invites users from all over the world to learn more about a subject in somewhat of a classroom setting. Usually live, webinars are scheduled to be hosted like an event that users can look forward to, and invite their friends via simulcast. In order to make it more like an event, these types of pulls are usually invite-only with limited seating, asking those who are serious to join. Because these methods are educational, they act as a win-win link between businesses and users.
Using social media has been sprinkled throughout the text, but it’s important to remember that it’s more than just an ingredient. While there are many things to avoid, other methods to focus on, include engaging with 42
those within your product’s demographic and providing value as frequently as possible.
Always answer questions and give advice to curious consumers. This wil not only build relationships but it wil let your company know what customers want to see next. Let your creative juices shine in social media and make sure to view it as a distance run rather than a sprint.
In addition to social media, consider using contests to bring in traffic.
Contests are good for small and large companies. The key when trying a contest is to give away something worthy and consequential to your growing audience.
Not every type of blog should be giving away the newest gadget, especially if they are hoping to sell something that exists without technology. In addition to picking the ideal grand prize, make sure to include something for first, second, and third, so users feel they have a better shot to win.
Finally, when choosing a winner, make it a big deal and let everyone know the prize is legitimate.
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Understanding Push Tactics After mastering pull tactics, consider moving on to push tactics. With push tactics, some type of interruption is involved, unlike within pull tactics, where an enticement is being offered.
Think of an advertisement on YouTube when thinking of a push tactic.
While the ad is not what the user was searching, they wil have to watch the video before the watching the video they had to set out to watch. Pull invites users in while push seeks users by going out to look for them.
Before diving into push tactics, it’s important to understand the lifetime value of a customer. Known as LTV, this encompasses all of the profit that can be made on a customer over a lifetime. LTV is why Starbucks justifies placing a location on every corner—each location represents a specific number of lifetime customers.
Within the formula, certain products wil make a certain number of income per year, but may exists within a product that customers change every five years, meaning their entire LTV exists within those five years.