8 Tips to Better Business Blogging

Better Business Blogging

Despite the trends we’ve seen in the world of Internet marketing, one tool that’s here to stay is blogging. By creating a company blog and providing content your audience wants to read, you brand yourself as an expert in your industry and attract new potential customers to your site.

But if you’re overwhelmed and don’t know what to start, never fear. This is your quick guide to starting and running your own business blog.

1. Choose Your Niche

Your blog, naturally, should center around a topic that both relates to the industry you’re in and to what your customers care about. Because ScheduleBase appeals to business owners and those in specific industries like hospitality and restaurants, the content is centered around relevant topics.

Not sure what your customers want to read? Look at your competitors’ blogs, or ask your clients what blogs they read. This should give you some direction for your own content.

2. Decide Who Will Write the Content

You as the manager or business owner might not have the time or skills to write regular blog content, so it’s imperative that you identify another employee to take on this responsibility. You can even outsource the work to a content marketing firm that specializes in reaching your target market.

3. Determine Your Cadence

The blogs that get the most traffic are those that post regularly. When you’re not committed to regular content — at least 1-3 posts per week — you don’t see the results you want.

4. Establish Your Goals

It’s key that you decide what you’re hoping to achieve by blogging. Is it to drive traffic to your site and get people to buy from you? Brand yourself as a thought leader in your industry? Make millions in sales in the next month? (If it’s the latter, you should adjust your expectations.)

5. Start Writing

Don’t be scared! Dive in. Aim for posts that are 400-600 words in length, as that’s the ideal length to capture a reader’s attention span before it wanders away. Use engaging headlines that grab the reader and make them want to click to read your post.

6. Share Socially

Don’t be dismayed if you don’t get a ton of readers right away; it’s a snowball effect. But do be diligent in spreading your content far and wide to increase readers. Share each post on your social profiles so your followers can read and share. Also look at tools like BizSugar and Social Buzz Club to amplify your content even further.

7. Look for Guest Posting Opportunities

Your blog isn’t the only one you can contribute to. Find well-respected blogs in your industry and suggest a topic you would like to share with its readers. It’s a great way to introduce your brand to a new audience, as well as get that link back to your site.

8. Lather, Rinse, Repeat

Blogging is the long game, so don’t expect overnight results. Instead, focus on continually building up your reserve of great content and sharing it across your networks.