[Dalya’s Note: This guest post was written by Naomi Shaw. She is a freelance writer and can be found at naomijshaw.jux.com.]
How can a blog help your business? Isn’t it just a journal on the web? Absolutely not. Blogging for your business can be an integral tool for generating income, connecting with customers, and giving your business a winning personality. Here are some tips on how to get started and, most importantly, reasons why you should start now.
WHY should you blog for your business?
Web and social media expert Barry Feldman knows the facts and the stats when it comes to successful blogging. Small businesses with blogs generate 126% more leads than businesses that don’t have a blog, while a whopping 61% of consumers have made a purchase because of a blog recommendation. Here are four good reasons why your business can reap the benefits, too.
A blog will…
1. Generate traffic: You can plan your blog strategically by using key words and phrases that pop up the most often in web searches. Strategic planning can drive more traffic to the pages you want to be seen.
2. Humanize your business: Creating a voice for your company and giving it a personality can help you create real connections with your readers. If your blogging voice is genuine, your readers’ response will follow suit.
3. Inspire productivity: Blogging is a major task. Constantly updating your site with quality content on a regular basis can encourage you to work harder and even inspire new ideas.
4. Add to your income: Blogging for your business with purpose has been shown to work wonders if used effectively. Every post is a small investment in your company, which brings us to the next question…
HOW do you blog for your business?
The major difference between blogging for pleasure and blogging for business is having a sense of purpose. Whether you’re an expert blogger or you’ve never posted a word before, the tips below can be utilized by anyone.
1. Include everyone: Invite everyone involved with your company to participate in the blog. Your blog will be more active (new posts = new views) and will have a variety of topics to engage potential customers.
2. Get to the point: A blog for a business should get down to business – without extra fluff or pointless rambling. Share a new product with purpose so readers can learn about you and your services quickly.
3. Include customers: Be real. Cite the experiences of actual customers, including the challenges and the solutions. This will help promote your business as a trustworthy operation.
4. Be consistent: Feldman says that the number one reason blogs fail is because they’re neglected. Make a posting schedule and commit to it fully. The less time you spend on your blog the less readers you’ll attract.
Lastly…
Having a business blog can be a wonderful tool, but you have to use it often and on a regular basis. A high percentage of businesses in today’s tech world have blogs that are rarely updated and are therefore pointless for the company. Don’t let your blog drown in this marketing ocean, because someone somewhere is updating theirs and getting more traffic.
Get the conversation rolling with future readers today. But first, check out this enlightening infographic by Feldman. Happy blogging!
