Blogging really is becoming an essential key to any business; you need to consider starting one if you've not already done so
If you've not blogged before, don't be overwhelmed. It really is quite easy if you bear in mind the following points:
- Think about who you want to attract to your blog. Who is your ideal follower?
- Once you've identified your niche market, ask yourself what they're likely to be looking for. How can you be helpful to them? What problems can you solve for them?
- Don't blog to make money initially; concentrate on building up regular followers.
Once
you've identified these key areas, I'd recommend that you do some
background reading about blogging in general. Have a look at online
books or magazines and see what you can find.
If
there is only one book you read, I'd advise you to get your hands on a
copy of Jeff Bullas, "Blogging the Smart Way". Personally I think he's
the master blogger and his book will give you all sorts expert tips and
advice.
Consider your Content
Don't
write about subjects you're not familiar with as it will show. Also, try not to write when you don't feel inspired. I sometimes sit down to write a blog post but the ideas won't flow. I was advised not
to write on these occasions as my readers will recognise poor content
when they see it and they'll start looking elsewhere. However, try to be as
consistent as you can and aim to post once or twice a week if
you can to start with.
Be passionate about your subject; it will shine through in your writing and will make your article so much more fluid and interesting.
Stephanie Frasco, from "Convert with Content", gave some very good advice when she said, "The best way to strengthen your personal brand is through a strong
online presence backed by consistent blogging and social media ... blogging has been a key factor in growing my network and building my
authority. With more authority comes more trust. And with more trust
comes more clients. It's a simple equation".
Attention Grabbing Titles
Always try and
think of a title that will grab your readers' attention and encourage
them to read on. If you don't they'll more than likely not read the rest
of your post. It's that important.
Have a
look at titles experienced bloggers use to introduce a subject.
Often you'll find variations of the same theme, such as, "10 Must-Read
Tips to improve your Writing", "8 Days to Build a Money-Making Blog";
"How to ..."; "Tips about ..." etc.
Social Sharing to Increase your Reach
Sharing
your content on other social media platforms is really vital. There's
really no point in writing a great article if nobody is going to see it
so make sure you post your articles to as many social media platforms as you can, email them out to your clients if you have a good client list and have all the usual social media buttons available on
your blog to encourage other people to read and share your content.
Add a subscription widget to your blog and let people know that they can subscribe for regular updates, newsletters and any offers you may run. This is an excellent way of capturing new clients
and growing a client list.
And
don't forget, when you start out, blogging isn't just about you and
your business; social media is all about getting 'sociable'. So don't
blog with pound or dollar signs in your eyes; don't be tempted
to do the hard sell right from the beginning. That will follow on
naturally.
Reach out to
other bloggers, comment on their posts, answer questions for people on
social media sites. I'd really recommend that you build up a presence
on Google+ and get sharing other people's content; they might
reciprocate one day and start sharing your blog posts to people in their
circles, so your followers will grow.
Call to Action
Don't
let your readers leave your blog without giving them some sort of
instruction or "Call to Action". Ask them to do something such as
subscribe to your blog or newsletter, email you or schedule a telephone consultation. When you become more experienced,
ask your readers to sign up for a deal you're offering or a
competition. Make your CTAs really stand out so they can't be missed.
If you have a look on HubSpot and subscribe to their own newsletter,
they will often send you free images or CTA buttons you can put on your
website. When I started out I couldn't have done without these guys;
they're wonderful.
So, if I can help you any further please do get in touch with me at Virtuoso Assistant. You can call me any time on 0118 328 3018 or email me at hello@virtuosoassistant.co.uk.
If
there is a subject you would like advice about, please drop me a line
in the Comments box below and I'll sort something out for you.
If you've enjoyed reading my post please do give me a +1 in the box below and do share with your friends.
Thanks!
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