Blogging for Business: Tips and Strategies to Make Your Website's Blog Work for You
If you're in business online, you probably have a blog. If you don't have a business blog yet - you need to get a business blog. Blogging for business is a crucial (and free) way to advertise yourself, your website and your products. It also helps with search engines to affiliate your business website with crucial keywords.
What makes a successful blog? This is one of those answers that's as simple as it seems. A blog is a necessary extension of your business website. Your blog is a great marketing tool, but it's a mistake to use it solely as a marketing tool. Readers don't want to return to a blog that is completely self-serving and reads like an infomercial.
Here are some great tips to help make your blogging experience more fun and more beneficial:
Offer Quality Content
Seems like it goes without saying, but you might be surprised at how often this is overlooked. In order for your blog to be successful, it needs to be engaging. Plenty of people may follow or read your blog, the key is to get the to leave comments and remember what you had to say. Comments aren't the only way to make your blog interesting and interactive. You can also make use of questions, polls, interesting facts, links, relevant videos, your favorite things, and many other things that involve human interest and touch on emotions.
Seems like it goes without saying, but you might be surprised at how often this is overlooked. In order for your blog to be successful, it needs to be engaging. Plenty of people may follow or read your blog, the key is to get the to leave comments and remember what you had to say. Comments aren't the only way to make your blog interesting and interactive. You can also make use of questions, polls, interesting facts, links, relevant videos, your favorite things, and many other things that involve human interest and touch on emotions.
Catchy Title and Opening Sentence
Your title and opening sentence are your post's first impression. You know what they say about first impressions. Make your title and opening sentence engaging and interesting and your reader is more likely to stick around and read the rest of your post. They may even share it! Also, good use of words in a blog title is more likely to be scooped up by the search engines. Ask yourself 'is this something I would want to read?' If not, there's a good chance your reader won't want to read it either.
Your title and opening sentence are your post's first impression. You know what they say about first impressions. Make your title and opening sentence engaging and interesting and your reader is more likely to stick around and read the rest of your post. They may even share it! Also, good use of words in a blog title is more likely to be scooped up by the search engines. Ask yourself 'is this something I would want to read?' If not, there's a good chance your reader won't want to read it either.
Post Regularly
If you're blogging for business, then you should get yourself on a blogging schedule. If someone is a devout follower of your blog, it won't take long for them to tire of stopping by your blog to see the same post they saw last week. With so many blogs to look at they may move on to someone who posts more frequently. Don't let that happen. Post regularly. Even if regularly is only once or twice a week, it keeps your content fresh, keeps people interested and gives them a chance to connect with you. Whether it's a favorite quote, video or picture... it's still new content. Another idea I employ is to have blog posts written in advance to post for those times when 'life happens'.
If you're blogging for business, then you should get yourself on a blogging schedule. If someone is a devout follower of your blog, it won't take long for them to tire of stopping by your blog to see the same post they saw last week. With so many blogs to look at they may move on to someone who posts more frequently. Don't let that happen. Post regularly. Even if regularly is only once or twice a week, it keeps your content fresh, keeps people interested and gives them a chance to connect with you. Whether it's a favorite quote, video or picture... it's still new content. Another idea I employ is to have blog posts written in advance to post for those times when 'life happens'.
Keep it Positive
One of the worst things you can do is to be negative. If you're in the business of complaining or trash talking your competition, chances are-you won't have many readers. If you do have readers, they're likely not the readers you want. A business blog is not the place for highly controversial topics and negativity-you alienate readers and risk coming across as unpleasant or difficult. Some may argue that controversy draws traffic, but that's not a chance worth gambling your business credibility with.
One of the worst things you can do is to be negative. If you're in the business of complaining or trash talking your competition, chances are-you won't have many readers. If you do have readers, they're likely not the readers you want. A business blog is not the place for highly controversial topics and negativity-you alienate readers and risk coming across as unpleasant or difficult. Some may argue that controversy draws traffic, but that's not a chance worth gambling your business credibility with.
It Takes a Friend to Make a Friend
Comments. Who doesn't love 'em? One of the easiest ways to bring attention to your own blog is to leave comments on other blogs. Not only is it good free publicity, it's a nice thing to do. Besides-you just might learn something or uncover some good tips or a sale. Win-Win.
Comments. Who doesn't love 'em? One of the easiest ways to bring attention to your own blog is to leave comments on other blogs. Not only is it good free publicity, it's a nice thing to do. Besides-you just might learn something or uncover some good tips or a sale. Win-Win.
Make it Personal
I can't say it enough. Take advantage of social media (Facebook, LinkedIn...) One of the best things about social media outlets is that they offer a targeted audience to share new ideas, products and information. Blogs and social media outlets allow the buyer/potential buyer to see you on a more personal level which is almost always good for business.
I can't say it enough. Take advantage of social media (Facebook, LinkedIn...) One of the best things about social media outlets is that they offer a targeted audience to share new ideas, products and information. Blogs and social media outlets allow the buyer/potential buyer to see you on a more personal level which is almost always good for business.
Guest Blogging
Guest blogging is a great way to promote other businesses. You're giving your guest the attention of your audience and at the same time, you will be introduced to a new audience of readers and gain some publicity by being a guest blogger on their site. Everyone wins: new exposure & new readers for the writers and new perspective for the readers. Nice.
Guest blogging is a great way to promote other businesses. You're giving your guest the attention of your audience and at the same time, you will be introduced to a new audience of readers and gain some publicity by being a guest blogger on their site. Everyone wins: new exposure & new readers for the writers and new perspective for the readers. Nice.
Use Links & Keywords
Your blog is one of the best places for you to take advantage of relevant links and search engine friendly keywords. Whenever possible link back to your website, your previous blog posts and/or your social media sites. When you share the other places you can be located online, it saves the reader the trouble of having to research the information. It also gives you credibility and shows your willingness to showcase your wares across several channels. Aren't you savvy and established to be all over the place!
Your blog is one of the best places for you to take advantage of relevant links and search engine friendly keywords. Whenever possible link back to your website, your previous blog posts and/or your social media sites. When you share the other places you can be located online, it saves the reader the trouble of having to research the information. It also gives you credibility and shows your willingness to showcase your wares across several channels. Aren't you savvy and established to be all over the place!
Analytics and Trackers
Take advantage of the free analytic and tracking software available out there. You can find out what sites or keywords brought visitors to your blog, where they are 'bouncing' to, the geographic demographic of your readers, how long people were on your site, what posts were most popular and so much more. Try Google analytics to get started.
Take advantage of the free analytic and tracking software available out there. You can find out what sites or keywords brought visitors to your blog, where they are 'bouncing' to, the geographic demographic of your readers, how long people were on your site, what posts were most popular and so much more. Try Google analytics to get started.
End on a High Note
Your first few sentences determine if your reader will stick around. Once they have gotten to the end, the trick becomes getting them to come back. I always suggest ending on a positive note, as well as with a call to action. Both will make the reader feel engaged and curious about what's to come. Don't you agree?
Your first few sentences determine if your reader will stick around. Once they have gotten to the end, the trick becomes getting them to come back. I always suggest ending on a positive note, as well as with a call to action. Both will make the reader feel engaged and curious about what's to come. Don't you agree?
Melissa Bolton is a freelance copywriter and internet marketing strategist specializing in women-owned small businesses. | She can be reached at melissa@designherbrands.com or online at http://designherbrands.com
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