How many reasons do you need to write a blog? One: it's just good business!
That being said, no one should write a blog for the sake of writing a blog. Each topic and entry should be written with a goal in mind that contributes to the overall company goals. So even if you have already started your blog, pause and define what you are trying to accomplish such as increasing web traffic, generating new leads, positioning yourself as an industry authority, or generating revenue. Your blog may serve more than one goal, but it must serve a goal!
Define Your Audience
One of the most common mistakes beginning bloggers make is writing for themselves. Writing about topics that interest you makes the process easier, but are your interests the readers’ interests? Put together a profile of your audience: their interests, the problems they need to solve, the information that they find valuable. Create your content to answer their questions and provide value to them so they have a reason to keep coming back!
Do Your Research
Having a clever title may seem like a desirable trait of a good blog, but not at the expense of your goals. Does your audience know what to expect when they click on your title? Better yet, does the title contain any proven keywords? Keyword research is vital and the tools are right at your fingertips. Google Trends and Google's Keyword Planner are all free and easy to use. Once you find the right words, don't try to stuff every word into the blog. Use them wisely and consistently.
Promote Yourself
‘If you build it, they will come.’ This may have worked for the Field of Dreams, but it is not a good approach for a blog. Some sources recommend spending at least as much time promoting the blogs as it takes to write them! Try staggering social media posts across the channels and promoting your content more than once. If someone follows you on multiple channels, this will give them several opportunities at different times to engage with your content if they don’t have time to read it right away! But don’t just rely on social media. It may be a great way to reach a large audience, but eNewsletters are a great way to personalize and target your message to people who have already said they want to read what you have to say.
Ready to get started? Whether you are a small business or a larger B2B business, step out on the right foot with further reading on writing blogs. If you would like help creating your strategy or creating content, please Contact Us.
