That statistics about how many blogs are started each day are staggering. But, regardless of what’s popular, is a blog a social media tool that is right for you and your business? Today’s 30 Days of Social Media lesson comes from an article that business owner Bobbie Pecev contributed for a recent newsletter. [Take a look at the end of this post for how your blog can replace your website.]
Key attributes of a successful blog
There has been a lot of buzz on the “net” in relation to blogging, yet only a small number of businesses have effectively realised the benefit of this flexible and yet powerful marketing tool. Blogging offers a wide range of options and benefits for small and large business organisations alike. Some of the benefits of establishing a blog include:
- Attracting prospects and developing new business opportunities
- Positioning yourself as an expert
- Positioning your business as a leader in the field
- Lead generation
- Brand awareness
- Search Engine marketing and visibility
- Business differentiation
Establishing a blog is not rocket science, though it does require appreciation of a few simple rules that anyone can follow:
- Focus on your target. A blog needs to focus on a target and discuss topics related to that target. Know your audience.
- Write catchy headlines. Headlines are like advertisements for your posts – if they’re not good, no one will read your posts.
- Use a solid introductory paragraph. A successful introduction captures your readers’ attention and encourages them to continue reading.
- Boost readability. Many blogs are hard to read. To ensure readability you must have an appropriate font size (larger than 10 pixels) and spacing between lines is a must. Increase readability by making appropriate use of bullet points, bold text and italics to highlight key pieces of your article. Let your readers know where to focus.
- Interact with readers. A blog is really a conversation. It starts with your post, but it continues with comments from readers. Encourage readers’ interaction by posting questions, polls and contests.
- Provide more than just text. Where appropriate try to add a visual element (videos, podcast or photos) within your posts to elaborate the discussion. However, everything should be within reason – too many images can break your content flow and can be more damaging than useful.
- References. Support your posts with links to other web pages that are relevant to your content.
- Short and concise. Give the maximum amount of information with the least amount of words. Visitors like to easily find information and skim through your entries.
- RSS feeds. RSS (Really Simple Syndication) feeds are very important as they provide an alternative way to read a blog without always actually visiting the blog.
- Keep it fresh. Nothing is more discouraging to prospective readers than returning to a blog to find old or outdated material. Create a schedule and stick to it.
My three favourite blogs:
- ProBlogger – one of the most popular and successful Australian blogs with extensive information on blogging.
- Flying Solo – great resources for small businesses
- WordPress – free to use and easy to set up blogging publishing platform. To learn about WordPress and how to use it, check Getting Started with WordPress.
How to measure your blog’s success
Once you start blogging it’s important to keep track of your blog’s success. You can measure the success of your blog by the number of comments (from your readers) and the number of trackbacks (from other bloggers). Blogging success does not happen overnight. If you want a successful blog be prepared to work hard to promote your blog. Eventually, your hard work will pay off as your blog traffic increases and your business achieves significant growth and popularity. The key is not to give up!
BONUS: How your blog can replace your website
WordPress has made it simple to create a website using blog software and its extensive and adaptable web 2.0 functionality. You may have noticed that this Blog looks a lot like a website. That’s cause WordPress’s themes are fantastic and by adding a range of plugins (addons that can include your Twitter feed, analytics, widgets, SEO packs etc.) you can have a powerhouse of a website as either your main site or for a particular product or project.
TODAY’S TASK
Subscribe to Problogger’s daily posts via his website. I find that his daily tips not only add to my knowledge bank but also remind me to stay active and post regularly. Also, pick up a copy of his book Problogger – Secrets to Blogging Your Way to a Six-Figure income (Darren Rowse is a Melbournian who’s made a big name for himself internationally.)
