Better Business Blogging (Part 1)

Blogging is an essential element of your online presence. A good blog will drive traffic to your site, connect you with your audience, provide you with shareable content, help create a strong online brand and can act as the foundation of your social media activities. It is your own publication, your own ‘online magazine’ if you like, dedicated wholly to your business or brand.

Statistics show that blogging improves the organic flow of traffic to your site. It has a knock-on effect; the more content you output, the more momentum you will build. It makes sense. The more articles you make available, the more likely you’ll have something readers want.  An updated and active blog will drive traffic to your site and will attract leads. By having a base of helpful and interesting content on your blog, those leads will be able to get to know you and you have the opportunity to build a relationship with them.

Developing trust is all-important. Nowadays, expect your blog will take six months to build up a loyal following. It’s worth the slow burn however, because you will win the trust game.

There are many platforms that can help spread your message. Facebook, Twitter, YouTube, LinkedIn, Slideshare, Instagram, Google Plus, Pinterest (and more) are all good – and necessary – methods of communication. However you’ll find they all work together more harmoniously by making a blog the foundation of your online presence. A blog allows you to fully explain your ideas and allows you to curate content themes. For example, your blog would cover this week’s topic in detail; you can then tweet snippets of it on Twitter, ask people’s opinions on Facebook, or create a filmed interview with an expert on the topic for YouTube.  People may discover you on another platform but if they investigate a little further and end up at your blog, they will receive a greater picture of who you are and what you stand for.

Blogging also helps build your brand as an expert. As your blog develops as a credible source of information, you may very well end up setting trends in your industry. It’s not about talking about yourself; it’s all about publishing helpful and interesting articles that put your expertise on display.

Blogging requires thought, dedication and creativity. You must think about your audience and write for them, carefully considering what’s important to them and what will spark conversation. It takes dedication to keep showing up and outputting a body of quality content. It takes creativity to express your brand through a blog in a new and interesting ways. It’s a rewarding process because through thoughtfulness, dedication and creativity, you will gain valuable insights about your audience and your own communication style. It can be a marvellous way to solidify your own ideas and expertise.

No longer imagine your blog as a back-of-the-website afterthought. It should be the forefront of your content output. It is so important and can bring you desired results in time. You’ll be glad you prioritised it.

Really Bright Media runs the Social Media Action Group, helping businesses and brands to get on top of their social media output and see positive results. The group is held for a full day each month, for six months. Click here to watch a short video with more information.