If you’re serious about gaining great leads and making record-breaking sales this year, then you need to get serious about your business blog.
Search engines absolutely love sites that add fresh content on regular basis, and graciously reward those sites with higher rankings. High rankings attract new visitors and leads, and in turn more opportunities to make a sale. One of the easiest ways to add fresh content to your site is with a blog.
Businesses that blog create resource for customers and prospects that is always being recharged with new information. Just as brochures and sales flyers can promote a brand and value, so can a business blog. One big difference: a blog is a more powerful marketing tool because it can be updated frequently (monthly, weekly, even daily). It’s always current! Plus, each new blog post is feeding search engines the fresh content they like, creating a powerful marketing magnet for the web site.
To create and publish a blog with content that truly deserves its place at the top of the search engine results page, you’ll need to put a few things into place.
First: Make the decision, and get buy-in from your team. If you’re a one- or two-person business this part is easy. If your company is a bit larger or has several levels of management, this could be a challenge. The amount of management buy-in and involvement has a direct correlation to a blog’s success. When everyone is onboard and invested, producing that timely, relevant content that search engines love will be a much easier task.
Second: Put your business, products and services under a spotlight. Time you invest now in the short term will save precious time and money in the long term. Get a clear, more defined vision of how your prospects think. It’s easier to find content ideas when you know “who” your audience is. Brainstorm with your team about things like: Who are your most profitable customers? What information do prospects want to know about, and what can you give them? How long is the buying cycle for your business? Might we need different information for early, mid-cycle and “ready to buy” shoppers?
Third: Create an editorial calendar. Make sure blogging is part of your action plan, not just an initiative you hope to get started. Focus on the quarter, month or week, depending on what fits your team best. Consider things like seasonal promotions or events relevant to your industry. Keep topics organized and assigned to the right people to stay on track.
Uncovering subjects to write about can be a daunting task. Here are some simple tactics we at Orion have found useful. Remember, investing the time now saves time and money in the long run.
- Inventory and repurpose what you already have.Start with what is published on your web site, then look at your brochures and sales presentations. What are the topics? What could you expand upon, or update and re-introduce in a blog post?
- Itemize your FAQ’s. Make a list of the questions that you hear the most from current and potential clients. A list of 15 questions and the answers will give you 15 potential blog post ideas.
- Follow industry news, and share. As a professional, you probably already follow the top trade publications and web sites in your industry to stay ahead of the curve. Why not share current trends and developments with your audience? Create a prime opportunity to present yourself as the expert that you are!
- Pay attention to social chatter. Connect with and follow companies in your industry on LinkedIn, Facebook and Twitter. A quick scan of their posts and comments can provide new insight, and topics to discuss on your own blog.
One last thing: Orion is here to help. Serious about a business blog but still not sure how to get started? Give us a call, or send an email to bill@orionweb.net. Here at Orion we’re happy to answer your questions and help determine what options are best for you.