Blogging for Business Just Got Easier With This 3-Step Blogging Strategy

Blogging for business is something you should include in your content marketing strategy if you want to do one or more of the following…

• Rank well in search engines.
• Build your online authority.
• Provide value to your customers.

The problem is many businesses start blogs but do not consistently follow through with creating the content needed for a successful blog. I’m sure you’ve seen business blogs that haven’t been updated since 2008 … maybe it’s YOUR blog that’s begging you to update it … you just don’t know what to say … or how to say it … or where to even start.

Fret not. We’re going to help you with that. Whatever your current business blogging situation is, in this post we’re giving you an easy 3-step blogging strategy.

Let’s dive right in with step one…
 

Make Your Blogging for Business Goals S.M.A.R.T.

In 1981, a brilliant paper called There’s a S.M.A.R.T. way to write management’s goals and objectives created a mnemonic acronym for goal setting.

Here’s how the S.M.A.R.T system of goal setting can help you with your business blog:

• S means specific. Each post on your business blog should have a specific goal. Posts that do not have specific goals are unmeasurable.
• M means measurable. Your blog must link with Google Analytics or something similar, so you can track your performance.
• A means assignable. Having one or more people assigned to your blog is a good way to ensure your blog updates regularly.
• R means realistic. If you want to avoid frustration, set obtainable goals.
• T means time-related. Goals must have a date attached to them, so you can track how effective or ineffective your process is.

An example of S.M.A.R.T. goal setting for your blog means you go from saying, “I want my business blog to grow my business,” to, “By this time next month, I want Sally to work with Jim and write a series of five posts that have the main keyword XXXXXX.”

Ranking for keywords is only one type of goal. Here are several other goals you can use with the S.M.A.R.T goal setting system:

• Raising awareness for a new product or service.
• Developing customer relationships.
• Driving more foot traffic to your office or doorstep.
• Gathering leads and nurturing them with an email sequence.
• Updating your customers with an announcement.
• Educating your viewers with information related to your business.

Blogging for business goals will vary based on your current business situation. Just remember, make it S.M.A.R.T.

Now for the next step:

Understand Your Reader

Before you create your business blog’s content, you have to know your readers. If you don’t, you will make the mistake of sharing content they don’t care about … and eventually driving readers away.

The good news is, it has never been easier to get to know your readers (thanks Internet!).

Because every business is different, the best way to understand YOUR readers will vary from the other businesses.

Here are some universal ways to understand your readers, so you can create content that attracts and engages people:

1. Keyword Research. The Google AdWords Tool lets you know how people are searching for things on Google. Simply enter a term, and you will see a list of phrases people use.
2. Amazon. No matter your product or service, there is a high chance a product or book about it exists on Amazon. To understand your buyers, go to a product related to your company and view the comments (tip: the three star comments usually have both pros and cons).
3. Social Media. People are willingly sharing information about the products they use on places such as Twitter, Facebook, and Google+. All you have to do is spend an afternoon searching on these social networks. View the profiles of people who talk about your industry, and you will better understand your buyers.

The mistake many business blogs make is they forget copy is about having a conversation. Understanding your reader before posting will help the growth of your business blog.

Your blog isn’t simply a podium – it’s more like a dinner table you’re sharing with your reader who is sitting at the table because they want to, not because they have to. Treat your reader well, and deliver content they find appealing if you want them to buy from you.

Once you’ve set S.M.A.R.T. goals, and you understand the words and phrases your buyer uses, it’s time for the most exciting part: creating content.

Create Blogging for Business Content

When you’re creating content for your business blog, it’s important NOT to overthink it. Too many business bloggers fear creating the wrong type of content or writing about something their readers won’t care about.

But you’re not like them, because you’ve followed steps 1 and 2 before getting to this point. You are now ready to start making your goals a reality using the data you collected.

We’ve talked a lot about creating content for your blog here at Sūmèr. Digging through our blog archive after you read this post will show you dozens of different approaches.

Here are some additional ways to create business blog content:

• Solicit guest posts. Reach out to people-related markets, and offer them a guest post exchange. Let them know they can write something on your blog, in exchange for your writing of something on theirs. The two of you can work together, and grow awareness in each other’s audiences. Go here for more tips on guest blogging.
• Transcribe a seminar or speech. Next time you give a speech or have a webinar, record and transcribe it. Transcription services like REV will transcribe audio for a $1 a minute. Once you have the text, you can rewrite, break it down, or create additional content (like slides).
• Get your employees to blog. You do not have to only use writers. Anyone in your company who has a story or an interesting experience to share can write a post.

This is just the tip of the iceberg when it comes to creating content. If you need more ideas, check out Digital Marketer’s ultimate list of blog post ideas.

If you have any questions about blogging for business, let us know in the comments.

We will help you – let’s talk it out!

Photo credit: Daniel P. Fleming