We won’t lie, blogging for your business isn’t easy and it certainly isn’t a quick fix for all your marketing concerns. It’s a bit of a slow burner and can take time to really take off. But the good news is, if you’re willing to put that time and effort in it will take off, and in a big way.
According to a recent study, over 77% of internet users read blogs. They may not be actively seeking a blog to read, but information comes in all shapes and sizes, and it just so happens that many of those are in blog form.
It’s also been found that ‘business blogging leads to 55% more website visitors’ and that ‘companies with blogs produce an average of 67% more monthly leads than companies that don’t.’
With statistics like that, it’s understandable that you may want to give blogging for your small business a go. But if you’re going to take the plunge, how can you ensure that it’s going to be worth your while?
Becoming a Small Business Blogging Pro
1. Know your Stuff
All good business blogs start with good research. What you can’t do is jump straight in, write a few topics on different posts that you think might be relevant, send up a wish and a prayer and hope for the best.
Instead, you’ll need to underpin your blog with target customer research. This involves immersing yourself in the world of your ideal customers. Who do you want to read your blog? What are their likes and dislikes? What are their pain points? How can your product or service resolve those pain points for them?
It may help here to create some customer personas. This will enable you to have a specific person in mind when writing, and you’ll be able to imagine yourself writing for them specifically. This ensures any messaging is clear and highly targeted, and avoids you having to play the guessing game when deciding what to write.
Once you’ve got a solid image of your target audience in mind, it’s then important to determine what they’re looking for. Conduct in-depth keyword research to discover popular topics within your niche and use this information to create content that uses those keywords. Without quality research, writing your first few blog posts will be a bit like firing an arrow at a target with your eyes closed. Knowing your stuff will allow you to perfect your aim and hit the target with each and every post.
2. Keep it Consistent
The second step in becoming a pro when it comes to blogging for your small business is recognising the importance of consistency.
Unfortunately, a few sporadic posts here and there are unlikely to help you make waves in the online world. To begin to reap the rewards a quality blog can provide, you’ll need to post consistently over an extended period of time.
The idea of a business blog is to establish your website as a reliable source of information for your customers and potential customers. You want them to recognise you as their go-to for industry specific information. You won’t be able to establish that reputation for yourself if you don’t keep your posting schedule consistent.
Now, this commitment doesn’t have to be as daunting as it first seems. Consistently doesn’t mean posting 2000 words every day. It may mean you posting two quality blog posts per month.
By deciding on and sticking to a blogging schedule, you’ll get yourself into a good routine and your customers will learn to be on the lookout for new blog posts. You’ll become that reliable source of information that you hoped your blog would be when you first started out.
3. Make it Relevant
When it comes to the actual content you’ll be producing, one way to ensure you’re on your way to becoming a business blogging pro is to focus on relevant topics.
When thinking about your business, you’ll be able to come up with a whole host of topics that you could write about. The key to blogging success is selecting the topics that will be most relevant for your target audience.
One way you can do this is to get your social listening ears on. Make sure you’re keeping up to date with industry news and feel free to give your take on it in blog posts. Creating a unique angle when discussing trending topics relevant to your business means you’re adding something valuable to a conversation that your target audience are likely already a part of.
This will ensure that the content you’re producing is relevant and will also establish you as a thought leader in your industry. You’re not just regurgitating information that is already out there, or copying what others are saying. You’re giving your own unique input that will really speak to your target customers.
4. One Big Q&A
What questions do you get asked the most about your business? These questions may come through social media or enquiry forms. They may even be general questions about your industry. Wherever they come from, it’s likely that there’s plenty of them. Your business blog is the perfect place to answer them.
Answering customer questions on your business blog first and foremost ensures that the content you’re producing is relevant. You know your target customers want the information you’re providing – they’re the ones who asked the question!
On top of that, though, it gives you a space to answer those questions in more detail, again establishing you as an expert in your field. While you may answer these questions via social media or on an FAQ page on your website, you’re likely to be limited to a couple of hundred words here. Sharing the information in a blog post allows for in-depth explanations and examples.
Your customers will appreciate being able to find all the information they need in one place. And, don’t forget, unanswered FAQs often serve as a buying barrier. Your customers may be less inclined to buy from you if they can’t find the answer to their question. Having quality, detailed answers readily available reduces the chances of buying barriers getting in the way of a purchase.
5. Raise your Voice
When we talk about voice in copywriting, we mean determining the tone of your text. This is what will make your blog posts unique and ensure your brand becomes easily recognisable.
You may want to use a humorous voice, or an eloquent one. A casual, chatty voice or a more academic one. The options are plentiful!
When it comes to choosing a tone of voice for your business blog, it’s time to turn to your target audience again. What kind of voice will they be able to relate to? What are they already consuming? Can you replicate something similar in your own blogs? What kind of language do they use?
You can then utilise all of this information in your own writing to create a voice that is not only unique to your business, but also attracts the right target customers. Your chosen voice will help convey the personality behind your business, make your copy more relatable and in turn, ensure reading your blogs is an enjoyable and engaging experience for your target customers. All of which, of course, can lead to more sales if done correctly.
6. Shout About It
While many of us aren’t particularly keen on blowing our own trumpets, it’s important for you to be your business blog’s biggest advocate. Share your articles on social media, in emails, in links on your website – the key is to shout about them as much as you can!
You may be thinking, ‘if I’ve done everything right, surely I don’t need to shout about my business blog? People will find it themselves!’
Oh, what a lovely world that would be to live in! Technically it’s true, good quality content should attract good quality customers all on its own – and it will! But that doesn’t necessarily mean they’re going to come knocking on your door with minimal effort on your part.
Getting your articles out there on social media or in emails means they’re landing in front of the right people without them even having to search for it. You may even land in front of people who didn’t even know they were looking for your product or service – but if your blog catches their eye on the Twitter feed, they might be pulled into your sphere of influence without even realising it.
The important thing to remember here is that blogging is a slow burn. Your blog might land on the social media feed of someone today who won’t become a customer for another year. But that initial blog post will stick in their mind. They may follow you on social media, sign-up to your mailing list, have a look at your website and then, before you know it, they’re making a purchase.
Business blogging will work, but you’ll need to give it a push in the right direction (aka brag about it as much as you can!) if you really want to make a go of it.
Business Blogging with The Edwards Company
If you’ve been convinced that business blogging could help catapult your small business into success, let us know. We write tailored, unique blog content for small business that really speaks to their dream customers.
Whether you want to start small with one blog post a month or want to go in all guns blazing with a larger package, we can help. Please do not hesitate to get in touch with our brilliant copywriting team for more information or to book your package.