I’m on kind of a blogging kick lately, and there’s a reason for that: The use of blogging as a primary means of marketing is on the rise. That means two things: First, it’s a golden opportunity to build a larger audience (and, ultimately, a larger customer base). Second, it’s imperative that your blog stands out.
#1 – Recognize the Purpose of Your Blog.
Why does your blog exist — to give you something to do when you don’t feel like running your business? Of course not. Your blog is a vital part of your marketing strategy. It gives your would-be customers and clients a clear idea of how you approach your business, your products/services, and your brand. Its purpose is to ultimately generate revenue. Getting there, however, can be a little tricky.
Once you realize that your blog isn’t as much about the content as it is what the content is there to accomplish, it becomes easier to focus your attention on the types of content that will get you the results you need. Specifically, you need people to click through to read an article, you need to be consistent in the messages between your ads and your articles, and you need to provide great content to keep your audience engaged.
When you think about it that way, your blog is under a lot of pressure. It has to fulfill a number of tasks, and in order to do that, it has to be readable. Understand why your blog exists, and you will start thinking about things like the right topics, the right visuals, the best way to engage, etc.
It’s not just “we have a blog because everybody says we need one.” Believe me, that attitude will come out in its presentation. It’s “we have a blog because it keeps us connected with our target demo and positions us as an authority in our niche.” When you contemplate the immensity of the responsibility that goes along with that, it makes a difference in how you approach it.
#2 – Be Purposeful in Propagating and Creating Blog Content.
Writing blog articles is the most time-consuming part of the process, but a good custom blog writing service or copywriter you trust can alleviate much of the strain, and prices for experienced copywriters’ services are typically pretty reasonable. You don’t want to skimp on the quality. Maybe you can write as well as a professional copywriter, but can you do it with the same level of quality and consistency? Be honest – the last time you got committed to keeping up your blog it lasted how long – a few days? A week? A month? Eventually, life happened, and you had to choose between running your business and maintaining your blog, didn’t you?
Working with a professional writer is an effective way to propagate and create content at the same time. It’s a one-stop shopping experience that will lead to true consistency and better readability.
#3 – Work with Good Writers.
I cannot stress for you how important it is to find and retain the best writer(s) for your blog. Ideally, you want someone with a background in your business to write for you, but let’s face it – chances are they are all currently working in that business and don’t really have any desire to help their competition.
The alternative is to find a writer who has experience writing something that either relates to your product or service or simply has a well-developed style that you think will click with your readers. Training and briefing your writers on the kind of information you want in your blog should make it easy for a professional copywriter to pick up the ball, do some quality research, and churn out some really good content for your readers.
Understand, though, that part of this process is going to be getting your writer or writing team familiar enough with your business to fly solo. That will carry an initial cost of time on your part and enough patience to fine-tune without blowing out your writers over frustration with you.
Keep in mind that you know more about your business than both your writers and your audience, so anything that comes across as well-presented and well-researched will also be widely well-received. It doesn’t have to be perfect, and it doesn’t have to make use of every little detail. As long as the details contained in the copy are accurate, your writer(s) will be able to develop more meaty content as they learn more about your business.
The Bottom Line
I’m not saying you can’t do it by yourself. I’m simply suggesting that if you hand over the reins to a competent writer or writing team, your blog has a far better chance of being read. If that’s your aim (and I hope it is), it’s a great idea to get a professional or two on the job generating content that represents you well.