This article is contributed by Jason Dirkham.
You read them daily, have your favorites and the ones where you find out about the latest on your particular sport or hobby, but write a blog yourself? How might that help your business out? You’d be surprised at how effective blogging for business can be, even your business. In this blog we take a look at how and why you should start a blog, where to begin and how to make it work. Follow our guidelines and begin your journey towards blogging greatness.
Why Blog For Business?
Quite simply because it’s a great way of getting your customers to hear your voice. By setting up a blog spot on your website, you add a little interest, a personal touch and a level of intimacy with your customer that wasn’t there before. By offering blog posts that show off your expertise in a conversational, non-sales kind of way you’ll better connect with your sales base and provide them with some great advice that keeps them coming back for more. If you’re a gardening supplies website, then offer a weekly gardening column packed full of tips and tricks for the season. Yes, it’s free advice but combine that with some images from your own garden and you’ve presented the human face of your company.
The second reason for a blog is that of searchability. Include your keywords (the words your customers type into Google that link to your products) and you’ll soon be up there in the searchability ranks. Your site will be picked up and featured higher up the pages and that will drive customers to you.
Blog Creation
If you worry about getting it right or are not sure where to start then you can outsource your blog to an agency or freelancer. Get in contact with a Blogger Outreach service that will not only create content for you but create links to your site from other blogs, helping to establish your business as a trusted source on Google and driving traffic to you.
If you are happy to write your own blog then start by planning your content. You want to update your blog weekly (if not more frequently) so you’ll need to plan what you’re going to write about in advance. Will you start a feature or have one-off pieces each week. Get some inspiration from the blog sites of your competitors but be sure not to plagiarize their work. Write to length and for weekly blogs this can be anywhere between 800 to around 1,500 words. Shorter if you’re writing daily or a couple of times a week.Use keywords but make them part of the natural flow of your work, avoid using them in an unnatural way, your readers will spot it and won’t thank you for it.
Enjoy your new found creative outlet and know that with consistency and given time, your blog will help drive traffic to your site and increase customer confidence as you become the voice of authority in your industry.
This article is contributed by Jason Dirkham.
