Summary

Justiss Goode emphasizes the importance of showing appreciation to readers through various engagement strategies to foster loyalty, improve visibility, and enhance earnings.

Abstract

The article by Justiss Goode underscores the significance of reader appreciation in the writing profession. Goode, a proponent of innovative marketing and promotion, suggests that writers should prioritize their audience to ensure their continued support and engagement. The piece outlines seven reasons for expressing gratitude to readers, including the competitive nature of content platforms, the desire to maintain a loyal audience, and the benefits of positive word-of-mouth. Additionally, Goode presents seven practical ways to demonstrate this appreciation, such as responding to comments, featuring readers in stories, and organizing contests and giveaways. The author's personal experiences and the success of these strategies are reflected in their interactions with followers on Medium, where they have actively engaged with the community through responses, mentions, and supportive actions. The article encourages writers to reflect on their current interactions with readers and to seek out opportunities for improvement, reinforcing the idea that reader satisfaction is paramount to a writer's success.

Opinions

The author believes in the power of creative marketing and promotion to enhance a writer's career.
Goode values the role of readers in a writer's success and emphasizes the importance of standing out in a competitive market.
The article suggests that investing time, energy, and resources into reader engagement is a crucial aspect of self-investment for writers.
The author advocates for the necessity of building a strong rapport with readers, considering it non-negotiable for long-term success.
Goode's approach to reader appreciation includes both direct interaction, such as responding to comments, and broader promotional activities like contests and giveaways.
The author is committed to providing practical help to readers, aiming to assist them in improving their writing and earnings.
Goode's past stories are cited as evidence of their dedication to supporting and engaging with their audience.

7 Reasons and 7 Ways to Show Readers Your Appreciation

What can you do to show readers you don’t take them for granted?

No matter what writing platform you create content for, a writer’s biggest concern, besides their writing, should be their readers.

There’s no better writing advice a new writer can receive than the above statement. This is true, whether you’re exclusively a Medium writer, you write on multiple writing sites, or your primary focus is your own website or blog.

Since readers are the not so secret sauce that’s required for a writer’s success, it makes total sense to do all you can, to make sure you keep your readers happy.

What are my reasons for showing readers my appreciation?

My particular reasons for showing readers appreciation have a lot to do with the kind of person I am.

I’m a big fan of marketing and promotion, and I believe in thinking outside the box. That is why I’m always coming up with different ideas to help accomplish my objectives, like I mentioned in this story a while ago:

Why I Thought I Wanted to Be a Publication Editor But Now I Definitely Don’t

My ideas about holding contests, or giving free things away, are all rooted in trying to find ways to keep readers happy. Even though some activities don’t always work out the way I plan, I continue trying to find ways to improve the rapport I have with my readers.

Here are my reasons for doing what I do:

I truly appreciate my readers because I know there is a lot of competition out there and they could be spending their time elsewhere.
Since they can find good content equal to mine in other places, I want to improve the rapport so they continue to come back again and again.
I want to keep readers happy because the more they read, the more my stats improve and my earnings continue to increase.
When readers are happy with a writer, they tend to spread the news and help us gain even more followers.
I love thinking of creative ways to make my readers see me as unique.
I love using my marketing and promotion skills, to help in elevating my writing and making it more visible online.
I believe in investing in myself and my career as a writer, and that includes my time, my energy, and my funds.

All these things continually motivate me to keep engaging with my readers in meaningful ways. Whether I’m writing, publishing, or performing promotional activities, I always have the readers in mind.

How can you show readers you don’t take them for granted?

Not every person is the same, nor is every writer. That means there is no one right way to do things, so you may have different ideas about how to show your readers you don’t take them for granted.

If you truly want to build a good rapport with your existing readers and keep them around, then the following items mentioned below should not be viewed as optional.

But whether you take your cue from me and implement all seven of these suggestions or not, do not underestimate their value.

7 ways to show readers you appreciate them:

Respond to the comments they leave
Mention them in stories
See who they are and Follow those you like
Highlight passages in their stories
Quote them in your stories
Offer give-a-ways
Hold contests

I have personally engaged in everything on the above list, and I continue to perform various activities today.

Since I started on the Medium platform in May (2021), I have proudly posted 803 responses to comments from 823 followers.

I follow them, applaud them in a meaningful way, mention them in my stories, highlight and quote statements from their stories, and do my best to provide them my support.

I also try to write the type of stories that offer help with practical problems, and try to help them earn more with their writing.

All my actions are mentioned and evident in previous stories I’ve written, just like these:

Final Thoughts

Now that you’ve considered the above information, take some time to think about how you’ve been treating your readers in the past.

Are there some areas where you could stand to improve? If so, there’s no better time like the present.

Start thinking about realistic ways you can begin to show more appreciation for your readers and those who continue to follow you.

Remember:

Always keep in mind what the secret sauce to a writer’s success is.
Keep in mind the benefits of having a reader who is happy with a writer.
Even if you already show appreciation for your readers, there is always room for improvement.

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