I have a question for you. Does your blog inspire people to come back on a regular basis to consume more content?Last weekend, while on the way to see the new Spiderman movie with my son, I turned on the radio just in time to hear "Car Talk" on NPR. You may be familiar with this popular talk show.  Callers dial in from all over the country to have Tom and Ray Magliozzi diagnose their car problems on the air.Their collective knowledge is impressive. They can seemingly diagnose any automotive anomaly without even seeing the car. But that's not the reason the show is successful. And when you understand their secrets, you can make your blog more successful too.

This guy doesn't understand.

Tom and Ray were sharing a letter from a listener who complained about the amount of time they spend joking around or chatting with callers about what town they are calling from, the correct spelling of the caller's name or going off on tangents about things like hair care.The author said that time could be better used to solve more problems "with relevant calls and information" and insisted they get back to "automotive pertinence".It was clear that the author of that letter doesn't understand 2 things:

1. The Car Talk brand
2. The reason most listeners tune in (see reason 1)

Let me explain.Tom and Ray may take five or six calls in the course of the show. Of all the people listening, what fraction might be having the same problem as any of the callers? There can't be that many that even have the same car!So why do we listen if most of us are NEVER going to hear something that fixes a problem for us.We listen for two reasons; both are important for your blog.

It's the journey, not the destination.

Sure, the callers want answers, but it isn't about the answers. The rest of us listen because every call presents a story: protagonists with problems, a quest for a solution, heroes and a resolution.Even if you are not at all interested in cars, you probably use one. And for most us, we are blissfully ignorant of the fine engineering details that make them work. When there is a problem, we have no idea how to figure out what it is, let alone fix it. What is fascinating is to listen to how a mechanic goes through the problem solving process.Much like reading a mystery novel, it's the journey, not the destination.

You need a likeable hero for your story.

Listeners tune in to Car Talk because Tom and Ray are extremely likeable heroes. Listeners enjoy their personalities and interaction with callers. They make what could be dry, technical content come to life. A likeable hero would do the same for your blog.Instead of a scripted corporate voice, you should strive to infuse your blog with personality.What has made Car Talk successful for a very long time is this: They have turned a typically painful experience (getting car problems resolved) into an experience people seek out. Listeners know that if they have a car problem and are so inclined, they can call the show and expect to get a knowledgeable answer while being educated and entertained at the same time.And the rest of us are happy to share that experience.That's the beauty of content marketing. When you give valuable insights through stories told with personality, customers don't simply consume your content, they experience it. Your blog can become a powerful magnet to draw people to your website over and over again.Please do me (and your readers) a favor. Take 15 minutes at lunch today to find one thing you could change on your life science marketing blog that will inspire readers to keep coming back.