Susan Gilbert — July 17, 2017 — July 17, 2017
Make the Right Blog Work for You
Next to your subscriber list building and social media marketing efforts only one thing rivals in importance – a well thought out content strategy.
You will attract more prospects when you establish a trusted source of information. The best way to accomplish this is through a regular posting of articles that best reach the needs of your community.
According to an infographic by Right Mix Marketing, social influence is enhanced by 41.67 percent when blog posts are shared:
A blog has the ability to answer the most pressing questions. Some other benefits pointed out by Hubspot:
- Increased traffic and subscribers
- Builds social proof
- Increase sales through a strong call-to-action
- Establishes a recognizable brand
- Higher search engine ranking
Personal or Business?
But what type of blog is the best fit for your business – personal or business?
The right focus and message delivers the image and essence of your business whether you have a personal blog which is focused on you as the Expert; or, a specific company website which is focused on your business. Which format is right for your brand? Neil Patel, content marketing expert, writes it this way:
The main difference between a company blog and a personal blog is the subject matter and level of flexibility you have.
If, for example, you are building your persona as a public speaker like Brian Fanzo of iSocialFanz or Bryan Kramer of Purematter, then writing from your own expertise can greatly enhance your following and opportunities to sell your services.
A personally branded blog builds trust. It gives you the chance to connect with your audience in a way that goes beyond your offline meet and greets. Your blog can reach out in a way that is similar to face to face interaction by adding your personality and flair that makes you, YOU.
On the other hand, a company can also benefit from a business blog if when providing valuable and helpful information or insights that draw people into your products our services. This can be seen from large brands like CoSchedule and PostPlanner who share regular articles covering topics like social media marketing and content planning:
Providing Value
An increasingly savvy online audience is searching beyond the standard sales approach and may avoid blatant advertising. When you provide high value information you become a trusted resource your audience wants to visit – especially when you provide a perspective that caters directly toward your visitor’s personal needs and desires. This will lead to your content being shared which in turn grows your business.
Whether you decide to build your personal brand or a company name there are a few things to consider first before you start blogging:
- Create ideas with the reader in mind with less focus about you
- Discover the top trends and questions your industry is asking
- Be the go-to source or authority in your niche
- Point out how your brand can solve your readers’ problems
The next phase after building content is to attract thought leaders in your industry. This will come naturally if you provide both the quality and uniqueness of what you have to offer. This process also helps to build relationships with other high-level blogs. Additionally, with good content, your blog could become syndicated like this blog has at Business 2 Community, Yahoo and Entrepreneur.com and increase your visibility many fold.
Bringing Your Blog into High Visibility
It goes without saying that a self-hosted WordPress website is the best choice when building a blog — there are thousands of free and paid templates to choose from. A unique domain name will also help you become more easily recognized by your community.
A prominent opt-in box will also help you capture new subscribers who can be nurtured with tips, videos, special invitations exclusive to them, ect.
As you publish quality content frequently you’ll be able to see more activity on your social networks — be sure to include sharing buttons and let your visitors know right away where they can find your business online.
A blog is a powerful marketing tool that helps establish a recognizable name and opens the doors to connect with other leaders in your niche. For the most part your content should be focused on your target market with a mix of videos, slideshows, and infographics to keep your audience interested and engaged.
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