Running a blog is a wonderful way to impart all the bits of knowledge and information that you wish to share. Everyone has some opinions, information, or advice that they want to share with the world.
The same is true for businesses. Business blogs are a great way to communicate information and expertise. And they help your business be more visible to your prospects too!
The problem is that many people are not quite sure what it takes to make a blog work. This article will give you a brief introduction.
The first consideration (once you’ve decided to have a blog) is to decide to make your blog stand out. Readers are more attracted by original content than by the same old thing rehashed again. You can also keep readers coming back if you are delivering hard to find information.
So, make your blog posts about unique experiences and current trends in your industry. You can provide detailed and very specific information that readers of your topic would long for. The whole idea, once you get them to your blog, is to motivate readers to click on whatever topics interest them most.
You will want to consider carefully whether to include advertising on your blog. OK, this is your business blog, so you might not be advertising for other companies unless they are tracking your sales. But even promoting your own products or services might appear to the reader as advertising, especially if you are including banner type graphics.
The problem is that blatant advertisements can turn off many readers. On the other hand, you’ve got a business to run and you want to promote it. I think you just need the right balance. If you are publishing an article that ties in well to one of your products or services, then by all means advertise it at the same time. There’s no point getting the reader interested in something you offer without providing them the means to acquire!
However, relative to the tip you just read, refrain from updating your blog just to meet a self-imposed posting quota. Do not attempt to fill up your blog by adding uninteresting information. Your readers will have a fine sense for the difference between useful and pointless content; too much of the latter will drive them away from your blog. So you should post only as often as you can add good information.
The problem for you will likely be what to add? Most people get stuck at this point from time to time or frequently. One way to beat writer’s block is to add videos. Even if they’re not your own, you can probably find something at YouTube that works. Add audio elements at other times. If you’ve got press releases for your business or industry or even from your vendors, those can be turned into interesting articles.
One of the best sources of good blog material is your own customer service department. What questions and problems are your customers having? Write about these and include answers. Or what objections do your sales people encounter? Here’s your chance to educate your prospects around those objections. Just by talking to others in your business you can probably find more than enough useful information.
Keep in mind that you ought to write more informally for a blog than you would for a business report. Writing in a casual tone allows you to create a more personal connection with your audience. The point of the blog is to connect with your readers. So do it in a natural and fun way so they keep coming back.
Each blog post you publish should focus on a single topic. Writing about several different topics in a single post will make your writing appear cluttered and difficult to follow. Assuming your business has more than one useful subject matter, you can create separate categories and put each post into the appropriate category. This allows your readers to stay focused if they want to.
Again, pertaining to the tip, take advantage of various social media outlets to bring attention to your blog, but don’t overdo it. If everything you put on Facebook is just a link to your blog, or every tweet you post on Twitter contains a link to your blog, followers will learn to quickly ignore you. Combine your links with other interesting content.
To make sure your have a successful blog, you just need this little bit of preparation. Then write and publish. It doesn’t have to be perfect. Your message will get out and you’ll see more interest generated for your business. That interest translates into leads and sales. That’s more for your bottom line!
