How to write the blog your business needs
Blogging is brilliant. It’s not only a great way to connect with potential customers and show them why you’re the best at what you do — it’s also key to driving traffic to your website and increasing your social media presence. That’s something we all want more of!
You don’t have to be a brilliant wordsmith to blog like a pro, but there are some things you should consider. Here are my top tips on how to make the most of this wonderful marketing tool.
Have a purpose
Before you start, think about what you want to achieve from your blog. Is it to promote your products, to demonstrate your expertise and knowledge, or to relate to your customers? It could be a mixture of reasons.
Whatever you decide, keep it in mind when formulating your blogging strategy and when writing each post. This will help you keep your blog consistent, and you’ll be less likely to waste time creating something that won’t be of interest to your readers.
Create a blogging strategy
The main concerns I hear when talking to business owners about writing a blog often centre around coming up with ideas for posts and finding the time to write. Planning ahead can overcome both of these concerns.
Create a schedule for when you will post and plan out some titles. I keep a list of blog ideas in my phone that I add to as and when something comes to me. Use websites such as StoryBase or AnswerThePublic.com to generate idea for topics and content if you need inspiration.
Regularly setting aside a block of time to write a handful of posts admittedly won’t help you find any more time in your day, but it’s much more manageable than trying to write them as you go. It also means you won’t end up slipping behind schedule, which can make it feel like an even bigger task!
Ensure your content is top notch
You need to make sure your posts are easy to read. An effective way to do this is by using concise sentences, short paragraphs, and headings to break up the text. If it looks like it’ll take a long time to read, most people probably won’t even start it!
They’ll also probably stop reading straight away — and won’t even look at any further posts — if they find your blog littered with spelling mistakes or poor grammar. Use spell check, read it through slowly, or get someone else to proof it for you.
As with any marketing activity, you need to have your ideal customer in mind when blogging. Write as though you are speaking to them, using language and terminology that they will understand. Remember they may not have the same level of knowledge or expertise as you.
Don't forget a call to action
Whilst you have your reader's attention, remind them of what you do and try to sell your products or services.
A combination of soft and hard call-to-actions work best. Include subtle reminders about what you do in the body of the text, coupled with a direct suggestion of how they can solve a need or problem (using your services or products!).
It’s also a good idea to include links to other posts you have written to keep your readers moving around your site. The more they get to know your brand, the more they will trust it and be happy to spend money with you.
Remember to keep an eye on your analytics to check what’s working and where people go after they read your blog. There’s no harm in changing things around or adding links once you’ve published a post.
If you don't fancy writing one yourself, or you’re interested in finding out how I could get your business blog to make you stand out from the crowd, get in touch today.
I’m going to share my top tips on how to make sure your blog gets seen by your potential customers soon. Sign up to my newsletter using the box below to make sure you don’t miss it.
If you’re still not sure that a business blog is the right thing for your business, check out my blog post on why I think they are one of the best things you do can for your business.
www.nattercomms.com/blog/2017/7/28/why-you-should-have-a-business-blog