Blogging to Get the Most for Your Business

Blogging for beginners can be tough. That is why we have constructed the perfect how-to to get you started! Whether you are starting for a school project, picking up a new hobby or looking to take your business to the next level, there are a few things you’ll want to know before launching your new blog.

As is anything new, this can be an intimidating fleet. What a large project to take on and with so many different parts, where does one begin? Well, let’s start by clarifying what exactly a blog is – 

            A blog is a website where an author, or authors, will post content to regularly in order to accomplish the goals they have set for themselves dependent on the type of blog they have chosen to pursue. 

 

Now with that being said, one of the very first things you will want to do is decide what kind of blog you are going to be publishing. There are a multitude of directions you could run with, but lucky for you, we’ve narrowed it down to the top six.

1. Personal blogs are fun! Imagine no rules, no regulations, no genre to abide by. Just free writing about whatever you choose at that given time. 
2. A niche blog is where you will identify your chosen master trait and write solely on that. It is a place for your audience to come for all the answers on that one given subject. 
3. Collaborative blogs can be something you highlight on within your blog or something you chase alone. This would mean that you have invited a guest writer to speak on your blog. 
4. A blog for your business provides more exposure for your brand in turn helping to expand your audience. Depending on your area of expertise, this is a great way to provide your readers with insights and educate them on your industry. Check out our blog here to learn more. 
5. Whether you are a rockstar at building boats or are better than the PTA mom herself at home-made EVERYTHING, the educational blog may be for you. Think of Kate Hudson’s “How-To” column in How to Lose a Guy in Ten Days. 
6. With technology on the never ending rise and our social realm consistently growing, communication has more outlets than ever before. News is being delivered in more ways than one and news blogs are becoming increasingly more popular.                                                           

 

 

In this read, we’ll be talking more on the business side of blogging, broken down by: Designing your blog, research involved, keyword strategy and finally the goals of your blog.

 

Designing your blog

Now onto the fun stuff – design. We won’t touch too much on this because this is where you will primarily take the reigns. With that being said, a few things to keep in mind –

1. Keep the blog name simple. Anything too long will be difficult for your audience to remember and even harder for them to talk about to their friends. It can literally just be ‘blog’ or ‘news.’
2. Decide on a blog theme and STICK TO IT. Aesthetic continuity is important and creates a sense of professionalism for the readers’ eye. When or if you are ever ready to change the theme of your blog, this is when you re-brand. Hello, LBMG here!??
3. Organize, organize, organize. Plan ahead on how you will categorize your blog to ensure it is as user friendly as possible. If it is difficult for your audience to locate content the interest will be gone quick.

 

Why research is important (and OK)

Research is possibly one of the most important things you’ll want to do when writing a blog. It helps to clearly define your goals and pin-point strategy. If you are a parent writing a personal blog on having your first child, then your target audience should be new mothers and fathers. If you are writing a blog for your business then the target audience here should be the same demographics as your business goals.

Taking a look into your competitors strategies is also a great idea. This allows you the opportunity to see what is and is not working for them. It also highlights some of the industry trends that may be taking place. Yes, you want your blog to stand out. However, you don’t want to stand out so much that you have navigated away from what the audience wants. And if you find some great insights online or through other blogs, feel free to reference their work! Just be sure to give credit where credit is due. Otherwise this could become a major issue and compromise the integrity of your blog.

Don’t forget about SEO

It may seem like we are beating a dead horse by continuing to talk about SEO – but let’s be honest, that horse isn’t dead and SEO will always, ALWAYS be relevant. Be sure to do some basic research on how to SEO optimize your blog so that when people are searching for what you’re writing about, you show up first. 

Tip: You can use a tool like Yoast if your website is through WordPress, but there are plenty of other tools to help you make sure your blog is SEO optimized. 

 

Putting it all together 

Now that we have defined what a blog is and how to choose the type of blog you want you want to write, you now can begin designing and strategizing for the launch of your new blog. One key element that is absolutely necessary for success is an editorial calendar. The holy grail of your marketing campaign. This is where you will organize the planning of social posts, eblasts, and other platforms you are looking to utilize to spread the word about your new blog. You will want to schedule content regularly so as not to have a lull in posting. Having too much time between posts can provide an opportunity for your audience to forget about you and your brand.

While we can’t stress content, content, content enough, be realistic with yourself about what you have within your capacity to create at that time. Quality over quantity is always the goal. This is where, again, your editorial calendar can be handy. If creating videos, graphics or eblasts in advance (which we highly encourage) can help, do it! And lastly, always be sure your blog post is hitting these three objectives – Does it serve your blog goals? Does it serve your audience’s needs? Is it packed with SEO keywords to help increase your blog’s exposure?

 

Blogs are a fantastic way to get yourself and your brand out into the social world. Whether it is an outlet to utilize that creative energy or a new addition to your business’s marketing strategies, a blog can create endless exposure for whatever goals you have at bay. After reading this post, you should have a strong idea of where you need to start and what you need to do to ensure the success of this new crusade. And if you ever find yourself at a halt and can’t seem to kick that writer’s block to the curb, give us a call. We are always here with a helping hand (and an editorial calendar) to get you and your business to the very top.