6 TIPS FOR BLOGGING SUCCESS

By Marsha HudsonSocial Media Coach

WHAT IS A BUSINESS BLOG?

A business blog is a marketing channel (just like social media, direct mail, email marketing, etc.) that helps support business growth. It does that by driving traffic to your website and providing opportunities for that traffic to convert in some way.

Five Benefits of Blogging?1. It helps to drive traffic to your website.2. It helps convert that traffic into leads.3. It helps establish authority.4. It increases your SEO rankings.5. It gives your company a voice.

Why should you blog?Let’s look at Stats for 2015

• B2B marketers that use blogs receive 67% more leads than those who do not.

• Marketers who have prioritized blogging are 13x more likely to enjoy more positive ROI than those that do not.

• By 2020, customers will manage 85% of their relationships without talking to a human.

• Companies who blog receive 97% more links to their website

Blogging Terminology

• Blog - short for weblog. Collection of thoughts, media, links, etc., shared with others online.

• Blogosphere - the entire network of blogs. It is like a universe that is ongoing.

• Category - it is the list of topics you create on your blog. It is like a table of contents for your blog.

• Hosting - refers to the place where your blog resides (for example like Host Gator or Blue Host).

More Blogging Terminology

• Permalink - the specific link or URL for your blog. It is the main page of your blog (for example: http://marshahudsonwrites.com)

• Platform - refers to your blogging software like: WordPress, or Blogger).

• SEO - stands for Search Engine Optimization.It is how your blog ranks when someone searches for it.

• Theme - the blogs layout, face or appearance. Some themes are free and some are for purchase.

FOUR COMMON TYPES OF BUSINESS BLOGSIf you are new to blogging, as a business or just want to get the word out on a certain business, you need to know the more common business topics. This can provide you with a starting point. There are five most common businesses that use blogs to promote their business.

Specialty BlogsThis type of business blog is usually written by two more contributors with a common interest. It is a great way for you to build an online community with people that share your interests and ideas. This type of blog can include such things like weight loss, how to stay healthy, or even golf topics among others. The possibilities are endless.

Feature Blog

In this type of blog you will be advertising creative types of businesses. These creative topics can include topics on sewing, crafting, computer programming and digital photography as well as many others. The possibilities for this type of business blog are endless. In this type of business blog you have the opportunity to show various pictures, video clips, and even sewing projects that you have been working on among others.

Industry BlogsThis blog focuses on a more narrow type of industry and usually is made by industries that sell their products to other businesses. It usually consists of a variety of different topics including trade shows, new lines of product, and materials among others. It will take a lot of careful research and you will need to know a lot of information on the industry.

Consulting BlogsUsually consulting blogs are run by one person offering their opinion, and advice on a certain topic. This is a great way to develop an online community in a topic that interests you.

Easy Steps to Setting Up a Blog

Decide on a blogging platform.• WordPress is the most widely used platform.• It is simple, east, fast and free!• Large and small companies alike prefer WordPress. • Of course, there are others.

WordPress.comPopular among business bloggers

Determine Your Business Goals• Build your customer list• Create a content library that makes your company a

thought leader• Engage customers in open dialogue• Get better organic rankings from the fresh content

WRITE YOUR FIRST POST

The Face of a Simple Blog

A Photography Blog - Sample

A Writer’s Sample Blog

Business Blog - Sample

How to Write and Find Good Content

Check out online news headlines for the scoop on industry trends, stats, studies, new products, technologies or other newsworthy topics related to your business. Simply set up Google Alerts and RSS Feeds of your favorite industry and other news sources.

Content is King

Content marketing demands attention. You need to pay attention to the latest popular trends, analyze your competitors’ strategies, and come up with new, original ideas on a constant basis so you can post regularly and build an audience that expects—and desires—your consistent material.

Content for Blogs

• Check out blogs in other industries and put your own spin on a topic.

• Your own email inbox and comments on blog posts can spark great ideas for blog posts. o What questions are your customers, clients and audience

asking the most?

o What topics have you recently discussed with colleagues?

Newsjacking for Content

Newsjacking has become a bit of a buzzword, but it’s a viable and easy strategy that anyone can use. Essentially, newsjacking involves finding a relevant trending topic and repurposing it for your own blog.

It will take a bit of effort to find the right news story that fits your niche or industry, and some more effort to brainstorm and write a good spin on it.

Sharing-Curated Content

Speaking of sharing content, don’t be afraid to do it. The best content strategies are the ones with mostly original content, true, but the key word there is “mostly.” If you see a cool infographic or an exciting video relevant to your industry, feel free to post it on your site (along with proper credit, of course).

For example: “Taken from Woman Today.”

Be creative!

You can get many ideas for blog posts from everywhere. o Magazines

o Conversations with Others

o Social Media Sites

o Conferences, lectures and presentations

At your leisure time!

How to Drive Traffic to your Blog

• Website - put a link there.

• Email - let people know about your blog.

• Newsletter - announce it on your monthly newsletter. I use Constant Contact.

• Social Media Platforms

• Speak and mention your blog

• Put the URL on your business cards

Connecting to your Social Media Sites

• You can add your social media sites to your blog page in WordPress.

• You can add your blog page to your social media sites.

• You can use sidebars in your blog to connect to social media site.

Your social sites on your Blog

Managing and Scheduling

How can you manage your blog with your busy life? How can you schedule blog posts and still have a life?

1. Pick a day for blogging

2. Develop a content calendar

3. Use an auto-scheduler like Buffer

4. Blog 1-2 times a week. Once is good.

Making Money with your Blog

• Write an E-book• Use affiliate marketing• Become a guest blogger on other sites• Sell your own products

Be a Successful Blogger

• Be creative with posts– put a twist on subjects.• Add content on a regular basis• Make your blog an interactive online community by

encouraging comments, feedback and shares.• Promote your blog in a multi-faceted way.• Keep the look and design professional

Be Consistent!