Blogging is useful and fun to do. But not everyone is convinced of that!
While you are sitting at the table with a group of specialists in marketing and communication, the meaning of blogging is often still a question mark for many. We often hear that companies find it difficult to blog and don’t believe in the effect of having a business blog. Still, it’s an indispensable part of your content marketing. Our job is to make blogging easy and fun for the business owner we work with. Let’s first take a look at what a blog is, and why your company needs to have one.
WHAT DOES BUSINESS BLOGGING MEAN?
1. What exactly is a blog?
A blog = a long article full of trivia? It can be, but it doesn’t all have to be long novels. Short scannable articles, infographics or vlogs, it’s all possible. The word ‘blog’ comes from ‘weblog’ – it originated from having some kind of online diary where you ‘log’ your stories. Mind you, a business blog is not a diary. You write the articles you post to attract your desired target groups. The articles must be of value to them.
2. MARKET STALL OF YOUR EXPERTISE
See your blog as a market stall of your expertise, where you display all your knowledge. That’s right! By regularly sharing blog articles (text, image, video) about what you’re doing, your passion, your profession, your knowledge, you show that you’re a real expert in this field. Good subjects, interesting for your target group, that is essential.
3. WITH SOCIAL MEDIA YOU DON’T NEED A BLOG ANYMORE?
There is so much to do on social media, blogging is no longer necessary, some people think. Nonsense! Each channel has its characteristics. It’s a mix of media that ensures that your target group finds your information and – your company. A blog is part of your website. Share your blog article on various channels to attract people with information that is of value to them (less commercially) to your website. People click through a well-written blog article! Make sure they continue reading on your site. The blog belongs to your company, your canvas where you can talk extensively about what you have to offer and how you can solve the problem of your target group.
4. SHARE KNOWLEDGE WITH BLOG ARTICLES
Sharing knowledge to help people move forward is a good starting point for your blog. You probably don’t think about how much knowledge you’ve gained in the years you’ve had your company, or have worked in it. Your expertise can solve a specific problem of your target group. Why not help others with this online? This way, people can find answers to questions and see you as an expert. If you have a good blog strategy on that, it becomes a win-win situation. Always.
5. HOW MUCH TIME DOES BLOGGING TAKE?
“Keeping a blog up to date takes an enormous amount of time. At least, that’s what many people think. But is that really the case? For many companies, it is often difficult to find a quiet moment to write a blog. And when you sit down, well, what are you going to blog about? Of course, it takes time to write and rewrite your articles. But technically a blog article can be uploaded to your website in no time. Especially when you work with WordPress. (On shoutmeloud you can read more about why WordPress is the top platform for your company blog). Even more important is that you work with a preconceived blog strategy. When you know what you are going to do, you can write a blog article within a few hours. Because you already know what you’re going to talk about. And what your goal is, is what you want to achieve.
6. WORK ON YOUR KNOWLEDGE WHILE YOU’RE BLOGGING
Your expertise also grows by blogging. After all, in a blog article, you will not only incorporate what you already know, but you will also do research, read relevant blogs and sites, read magazines. Therefore, every blog article you write is a small ‘learning moment’ for yourself.
EVERYONE CAN BLOG!
The good news: anyone can blog. You don’t have to be a writer in the making to write an article that is of value to your target groups. It’s not for nothing that the fashion and make-up bloggers and vloggers are so successful. Take a look at this list, made by ‘Influo’, of the top 15 fashion bloggers in the Netherlands in 2018 (for inspiration!). These people share their passion for what they do, their love for fashion. They take you on an adventure, an experience, give their opinion. And that’s in a very personal way. Free. And without barriers. Sounds appealing!
First of all, think of a good title. It is the foundation of your blog. Be sure to include a keyword that you are going to focus on. Then start with an introduction that invites the reader to read on. Enumerations and bullets also work very well in a blog, that keeps it legible. Don’t forget to include enough images, the eye wants something too. Make sure you have both H1, H2, and H3 classifications. And don’t make paragraphs longer than 300 words. And for the rest, just write, and off you go!
KEEP AN EYE ON THESE THINGS WHEN YOU START:
- Don’t be too commercial, your blog is not a direct sales channel
- Blog according to 10 (approximately) defined blog categories
- What is your specific knowledge?
- What else can you tell us about your products: where do they come from, how are they developed, tell us more about the process
- Tell the story of satisfied customers
- What’s going on behind the scenes?
- Who are the people behind your company?
- Do you convince your prospects with your blog content? What content convinces them?
- Write your blog content around a content theme (to give your SEO an extra boost).
- Start by doing (or better still have done) thorough keyword research, always take your keyword list with you when you’re blogging.
- Blog regularly.
THE USEFULNESS OF A BUSINESS BLOG
For businesses, it is very useful to have a blog. A blog contributes to the findability of your site. You can also use a blog to generate online leads. A good converting website needs a minimum of 99 pages. If you blog consistently, you’ll get right to it. While blogging, you gradually gain the trust of your desired customers. Give them a glimpse of your company.
Now that you’ve read this, are you going to blog locally as well? Blogging for optimal visibility in your niche?
But maybe you don’t know if you’re doing the right thing?
We are happy to help you on your way. This is what we do with our blog training, for example. In addition, we can also help you with a well-thought-out blog strategy, blog management or writing blogs. We work with a large team of experienced bloggers and are happy to work for your company. Just send us a message!