Blogging has become a huge phenomenon and because of that everyone seems to have one. This means that you are competing with millions of other blogs.
However, a blog can still be a powerful way for businesses to reach a wider audience and stay connected with customers. The following are a few key blogging tips and tricks that can help transform an ordinary blog into a 5-star blog.
You may have started your blog to promote your business. However, a blog has to be created for the benefit of your audience. Remembering this is one of the most crucial tips for having a successful and engaging blog. It also helps you create the kind of content that your prospects and customers are likely to share.
Even if your ultimate goal is to use your blog to sell products or get people to sign up for your service, you should always be thinking of ways to serve their needs. You already have a general idea of what interests your audience — this will be related to the main topic of your blog. However, you have to constantly take steps to find out some of the specific concerns your readers have.
There are several ways to do this. One is to request feedback. End blog posts with open-ended questions that invite people to give their opinions. You might conduct polls or surveys. These can inform you about exactly who is reading your blog as well as what they want and need. You need to be sure that your blog is written with your ideal prospect and customer in mind.
Sometimes, it's easier to find out what your readers, and potential readers, are thinking by asking them on social media rather than directly on your blog.
This is, of course, assuming that you have an email list and social media accounts set up in the same niche as your blog. You could then ask questions on your Facebook page or on Twitter to gauge interest in a certain topic. You should also keep track of which blog posts get the best response. You can use all of this as a clue to plan future posts.
While providing great content is always the first rule of blogging, this by itself isn't always enough to ensure that people return. People are busy and distracted; left to their own devices, they may not remember to visit your site again.
One way to get people to return regularly is to connect with them on multiple platforms. Both an email list and social media can work very well in conjunction with your blog. You can promote your blog with social media and your list — and vice versa.
You should also have some kind of call-to-action at the end of a blog post. This could be a reminder to follow you on Twitter or an enticement to sign up for your email list. Your chances of getting people to take action are much better if you offer them something in return. Giving away an eBook, online course, or report on a topic that interests your audience is a proven way to do this.
Another possibility is to hold contests that people enter by signing up for your list or engaging with you on Facebook. Incentives will provide you with more ways to reach people. You can then use these other platforms to promote your blog. Put links to your latest blog post in your email newsletter, Facebook page, Twitter and anywhere else you are active. When you connect with people on multiple platforms, you are more than just another website to them: You become part of their online social network. This enhances the impact of all your efforts and makes you more credible in their eyes.
To make your blog more interesting, present your audience with a variety of media and formats. In addition to text-based posts, include images, videos, podcasts or infographics. Images are always good to add to a post. This can catch the reader's eye and make them more likely to read an article. For people who prefer absorbing information visually, infographics can be more engaging than plain text. If you want to get more adventurous, you might present some of your information in the form of videos or podcasts.
Videos and podcasts allow you to connect with people who are more inclined to absorb what they hear and see rather than what they read. You don't always have to create your own content to do this. You can, for example, use relevant videos from YouTube and insert them into your blog posts. It's best to include some of your own text along with it. This is good for SEO purposes and keeps your own voice in the post. If you want to make your own videos or podcasts, you can present topics yourself or perhaps interview experts in your industry.
The three tips above are a great start to a successful blog. If you need a boost getting started, let’s talk. Our Inbound Marketers can help you create a 5-star blog that makes you stand out from the competition and impacts your businesses’ bottom line. Contact us to transform your blog.