Take steps to add content and strengthen your brand
When blogging first became popular, they were more personal in nature. Those days are long gone. Today, 43 percent of B2B marketers say blogging is their most important type of content and 36 percent of Fortune 500 companies have blogs. Having a business blog is an essential marketing tool. Companies that don’t yet have a blog may be at a serious disadvantage. The good news is that it’s never too late to start. Here’s what you need to get going:
Understand why you need a blog
Yes, blogging can be time consuming, but having a business blog on your website is not a waste of your time. It is critical content and one of the most cost-effective ways to promote your business. It establishes your brand as an authority in the industry, helps broaden your reach and can lead to more sales. In fact, businesses that use a blog as part of their content marketing get 67 percent more leads than those who do not have one.
If your business has invested in a website, make it work for you. By having a business blog on the company website you have a 434 percent higher chance of being ranked highly on search engines.
Understand your audience
Your website is for your customers. Anything you put on your website should be directed at your target audience. Be relevant and write for them. Blog content should provide fresh ideas, share knowledge, be helpful and solve problems for your customers. Readers who like the content will share it and 94 percent of people who share blog posts say they do so because they think it might be helpful to others.
Have a plan
As with anything else in business, if you have a strategy in place, you will more likely succeed. Many business owners who don’t blog often say it’s because they don’t have time or ideas. If you know what matters to your customers, you can easily begin listing numerous blog topics. And with a bit of planning and an editorial calendar, it is possible to assemble blog content for weeks or even months. Consistently delivering content is important; 82 percent of marketers who blog consistently see positive ROI.
Titles matter
It’s extremely important to have great content within the blog, but because 43 percent of people admit to skimming blog posts, it’s important to have an attention grabbing title. Titles also impact on how a blog post is found. A long tail keyword headline is vital to search engine optimization (SEO). Invest time in creating catchy titles.
More valuable content, less sales pitch
Blogs are meant to be informal and are a great way to show the personality of your brand. They are also a great place to present your expertise and build a following. That said, people are less likely to stick around if they are simply being sold something. When you write, craft about 400 to 600 words and make those words count. Remember, people tend to scan blogs, so add appropriate images to enhance text. Research shows blog articles with images get 94 percent more views.
Measure your success
Any company that begins to blog must understand such a practice takes time. No business will suddenly increase revenue overnight after publishing two blog posts. That’s not the way it works. In time, however, your blog content can be extremely valuable. Provide easy ways for readers to share your posts (especially those who access it via mobile device). Weave it into your overall marketing strategy and share on social media.
Because business blogs are a great way to get feedback from customers, read comments and respond. Learn from constructive criticism and gather ideas for future posts.
It’s also vital to look at analytics. As traffic is driven to your posts, measuring metrics will help you discover what topics are popular and why. You will also get insight on ways readers convert into customers.
Get help when you need it
A business blog doesn’t have to be one person’s sole responsibility. Get other stakeholders to contribute or employ a ghostwriter; many CEO’s do. Have monthly or quarterly meetings to discuss topics and share feedback.
You can also reach out to experts to get advice and get your going. At T.E. Digital, we know how important blogging is to an overall content marketing strategy. We’ve got a team with experience in everything from topic ideas and editorial calendars to content creation and measuring analytics. If you need help with your blogging efforts, just give us a call so we can assist with any step to move you closer to success.
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