Why Business Blogging Should Be Part of Your Marketing Plan
Marketing plans come in all shapes and sizes. The right marketing plan for your business depends on many different factors. But one thing all businesses have in common is that they can benefit a great deal from business blogging.
Blogging is a tactic used in content marketing. When you write a blog, you publish a steady stream of fresh content. This content draws traffic to your site and earns new readers, while also building a relationship with the readers you have.
1. Business Blogging Is Simple but Effective
Many small businesses don’t want to blog because it’s ‘writing’ and you’re not a ‘writer.’ But blogging is extremely simple. This is why it makes a perfect element in an online marketing plan.
Blog posts can be as short as 300 words or even less, but generally I recommend going for 500 words if you can. They can include videos images, slide shows, and infographics. Each post can cover one simple topic and the writing doesn’t have to be magazine-grade. Write in a conversational tone like you’re talking to a friend and proofread so that there aren’t any grammar or spelling mistakes.
The way to blog headache-free is to set aside a little time each week to write and post. Carve out an hour or so to write something and post it. If you have a team member who can write well, delegate the task to them.
2. How to Get Ideas — LISTEN
The other trouble many people have when they start blogging is where to get ideas. Here are some simple places to get ideas for your blog posts:
- Listen to what people are asking
- Answer questions customers often ask
- Teach readers how to do something simple step by step
- Discuss news, current events or hot topics on other blogs
- Answer questions from forums, Q&A sites like Yahoo Answers, social media or blog comments
- Start by looking at popular keywords and write blog posts around them.
Keep an idea file. Spend some time brainstorming topics at first and then add to it whenever you get an idea. Whenever you need an idea, refer to this file and start writing.
3. Getting Your Idea onto “Paper”
There are many ways to share your idea on your blog. Writing is of course the first. Keep it simple. Create an outline of your major points. Write one paragraph about each point, add a few bullet points where appropriate and then add your intro and exit.
You can also create a video of your idea. Especially good for HOW TO type posts. Embed the video right on your site. Creating a video can be simple. You can do a “talking head” video — you talking into the camera, or a simple screen capture video of you showing people HOW TO do something; or a screen capture of a slide show. There are many possibilities.
Don’t let yourself get bogged down with the writing. It is simpler than you think.
4. Working a Blog into Your Marketing Plan
Decide what topics your blog will cover and at what frequency you’ll write and post. If you add a blog to your website, you’ll boost your site’s SEO and give visitors more to do there. You can also use your blog’s analytics and its reader comments to learn more about your target market and its tastes.
5. You Can Also Add a Call to Action
You can offer more information via an e-book or video series or some other more extensive piece of content. Then you have the opportunity to further engage with the visitor and share more valuable information.
What’s so special about Google+? Here’s a hint: it’s probably the most powerful networking tool in your arsenal, if you take the time to learn it’s features.
