Today, everyone is talking about blogging and the fact that if you don’t blog consistently, you’re behind the times and missing out. They are correct.
Blogs provide another opportunity to reach your customers as they travel through the sales funnel. You can demonstrate that you care about their business and their lives and serve as a thought-leader, bringing them additional information that helps them make more informed decisions about your product and industry. This is not always easy, so when writing blog posts, it may help to remember that you must always provide V-A-L-U-E.
.jpg?width=405&height=270&name=476994179_(2).jpg)
Valuable keywords: Consider them carefully in every blog post you write. This not only works to improve your search engine position, but it also helps readers find your post when they’re looking for assistance or information on that topic.
Anything worth doing is worth doing well. Don’t simply throw a bunch of keywords together and call it a blog. Like everything else you do, your blog represents your company and brand, so research thoroughly, hire professional writers and ensure that everything you post is free of errors.
Learn about your target customers and what they want to hear from you, and then tailor your blogs to meet those needs. Social media platforms provide the perfect opportunity to encourage conversations and request helpful feedback.
Utilize every possible tool to retain the reader’s interest, such as embedded links, sidebars and a great call to action. Once you have customers reading your content, you not only want to keep them connected, but you should also strive to maintain the relationship. Offering additional resources and further proof of your company’s usefulness is a critical component.
Engage with your readers; don’t just talk at them, talk to them. Use conversational language instead of technical jargon. You may also want to give them the chance to contribute to the discussion by sharing their own experiences with the subject matter, such as asking questions like “What other methods does your company use to provide value?” The comments section is an ideal place to begin this reciprocal association.
In addition to the actual writing content of your blog, there are other ways you can give readers something extra, and hopefully keep them coming back for more.
-
Use your blog to introduce and increase subscriptions for your newsletter, if you have one.
-
Offer something free, such as an e-book or webinar transcript.
-
Make it easy for readers to find or subscribe to past and future blog posts.
-
Remarket your blog posts, in case people didn’t see them the first time. This can serve to breathe new life into your posts, and you never know how many readers you can pick up the second time around.
Finding ideas for your blog
Now that you have the makings of a good blog, all you have to do is write it. We know, we know: easier said than done. Developing a list of topics in order to blog regularly can be challenging. Here are a few tips:
Keep abreast of trends and happenings in your industry and write about them.
Collect feedback from key stakeholders and current clients. Ask what topics are on their minds.
Give advice on how to succeed in your industry.
Get help on everything from PR. Axia PR has all the expertise, writers and specialized services to make your blog the best it can be and to use it to help position your company or CEO as a thought-leader in your field. Contact us today and let’s get it done.
Lisa Goldsberry is a writer for Axia Public Relations with more than 15 years of public relations experience. She specializes in business, higher education and technology PR. Connect with Axia Public Relations on Twitter at @axiapr.
Photo credit: www.thingstockphotos.com
Topics: public relations, inbound marketing
Comment on This Article