BLOGGING: WHY, WHEN & HOW

A Blog is an excellent way to leverage your online presence while sharing your passion and industry expertise. While it takes time to establish your blog, the results are measurable. Studies have shown that businesses that blog regularly are more than two times as likely to generate sales compared to those who don’t.

Before you start a blog, you should know your audience demographics in order to write relevant content for them. People who read blogs want to learn something new, be inspired, or simply be entertained. Whatever you write about should be meaningful to your readers. Think of your blog as a news story. You want the topic to be current, informative, accurate, and easy to read.

Now that you know the essentials of blogging, here are 6 tips to help you start, stay motivated, and increase your blog followers.

1. Create a content calendar.
Whether you are blogging once a month, once a week, or bimonthly, you should be consistent. Plan your content ahead and jot down some topics in your a calendar for the next couple of months. You might also ask your peers or customers for what they’d like to read about in your posts to generate content ideas. The more choices you have for potential topics the better. 

2. Categorize content. 
Within your calendar, define what each piece of content will be. Is it a “how-to” or a new product release? Will it be a customer interview? Listing each blog post as a genre with a reason for posting it will help you vary the content you’re posting and help you craft posts with different calls to action.

3. Start crafting your posts in advance.
Be proactive when it comes to writing your blog. Start thinking about your topic and do research at least a week before you plan to post your blog live. Remember, your content should be relevant and with the most current info. I typically write two or three blogs at a time so that I always one in my pipeline to post. It’s always quicker and easier to update a blog than to start one from scratch.

4. Think about links and mentions.
An important part of any blogging initiative is linking to relevant content (both on the website and in outside sources). This will aid with search engine optimization and your readers can delve deeper into the subject of your post, if they so desire.
You may also want to mention relevant brands or individuals by name, too. If people have set up a Google or social-media alert to tracking their name, they will pick up that you’ve been writing about them and perhaps drop by your blog to see what you’ve been saying, good or bad.

5. Set aside time to write. 
A couple of days before your post is due to go live, set a time when you can write without distractions. Since you’ve already selected your topic and done the research, writing your blog should be much easier. Remember, most consumers have short attention spans so you want to avoid overwriting, use bullet points, and include a visual element to help your readers scan your blog content. If your blog is too long, they may decide to skip it all together. Ideally, your blog should be between 500 and 700 words.
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6. Include a visual element.
The process of blogging is not limited to the written word. Be sure to feature a photo, screenshot, or infographic to help draw the reader in.

If you keep these tips in mind, blogging on a consistent basis can be a piece of cake.. If you truly don’t have the time or hate to write, hire an experienced blogger. A great blog can make the difference between growing your business or closing your doors.

As always, I welcome your comments and encourage you to contact me for a free marketing consultation. ​

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