From the hippest Moms to the coolest pop shops, everyone is jumping on the blogging bandwagon. And why shouldn’t they? Blogging is a fantastic way to establish yourself or your business as an influencer and a leader of the pack.
However, before you rush in, consider this: the web and mainly the blogosphere is a crowded place. There are numerous blogs out there, clamoring for peoples’ attention, so it’s essential to stand out from the crowd if you want to be noticed.
A blog is very much like a great design portfolio, it must be attractive, creative, and clever, and it should speak to its audience. It should outline why you’re different, what you’re offering, and why they should take time to read on.
What value does a blog offer your business?
Aside from receiving much-needed attention from your audience, a business blog can complement your business website in various ways. For instance, blog content will allow you to provide more information on top of what your site already has on offer. If you need further inspiration, here are additional benefits of a well-curated blog:
- Keeps your target market updated. You can use your blog to keep customers in the loop. Blog posts allow for more flexibility in connecting with your audience. You can post updates not only about what your business does, but who your company is and what your organization stands for.
- Reinforces existing SEO strategies. A business blog does more than inform – it also increases online visibility. By making sure that articles are well-written, use relevant keywords, and include videos or images, you can boost traffic and generate more leads.
- Enhances internal linking. With blog posts, you have full control over internal linking. These links will help visitors find the most relevant content on your site. This type of linking will also help your overall SEO efforts.
- Encourages customer feedback. Even with a well-built website, information only gets shared one way. In blogs, you are promoting interaction by allowing your audience to start a conversation through comments and feedback. These conversations build trust and loyalty. It is also an opportunity for you to establish your expertise in the niche you’ve chosen.
- Get better exposure on social media. Blogging is one of the most natural ways to get social media exposure. If you post relevant and high-quality content, readers are more likely to share the post on social media platforms like Facebook and Twitter. Attracting new visitors becomes more organic because you need not put in extra effort to reach out and appeal to a broader audience.
Indeed, these reasons alone should convince any business to make blogging a priority. But as mentioned earlier, it is no easy feat. As such, let us take a closer look at several proven techniques to help you create a professional blog for your business website or personal brand, which will impress and attract the readers you’re looking for.
Determine Your Angle
Before you type any words, it is essential to decide what the focus of your blog will be. This is often referred to as your ‘blog niche’, in choosing a niche, it is best to select a topic which you are knowledgeable about and one which fits your comfort zone.
Do you have an expert subject that will inform and inspire an audience? Can you provide your readers with exciting commentary about news in your industry? Thinly disguised ad copy will not attract repeat readers, so it’s important to decide how you will add value in keeping your readers checking back for your next post.
Tone of Voice
Once you’ve chosen your niche, it is essential to add some personality to your posts. Always avoid generic posts; personalize your stories based on your own professional experience. Personal insight allows your readers to get to know you and creates reader loyalty.
Your blogging voice should be pitched to match your professional goals. For example, if your blog provides financial expertise, it is essential to limit the amount of humor in posts. Whereas, if you are a motivational coach, the tone of your blog posts should be full of inspiration.
Attention & Attention
What separates a successful blog from an average one is the ability to catch and hold the reader’s attention. Most successful bloggers know the first thing that a reader notices about a blog post is its title. An intriguing title will immediately grab a reader’s attention and should give an idea of what you will cover without giving too much away. Short, simple titles are usually the most effective as mentioned by Buildyourownblog.net.
It is also imperative to make the information you offer valuable; a lack of value will make it harder to capture a reader’s attention the second time around.
Use Social Media
Social networks like Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, and Instagram allow successful bloggers to engage with new and repeat readers. You can create profiles for your blog on social media websites and share a link each time you publish a post. This is the main reason to utilize social media while blogging, as it will guide more traffic to your site and get your content out among the masses.
Through social media platforms, you can consistently promote your blog by using your username and include standard provider icons, which will direct readers to your social media profiles.
Keep it Fresh
Your blog should inspire readers through the creation of fresh, enticing, clickable content. In keeping your blog content clean, you are least likely to fall into a blogging ‘rut’. It’s essential to stay on top of the news in your industry; Google Alerts helps you find new content for your niche.
Another critical element is deciding on a realistic posting frequency, you may decide on once or twice a week to post, but it’s important to announce it to your readers. Thus, you’re creating and managing your readers’ expectations of when new content will arrive.