I hear it all the time, “No, I don’t like to write; Why is blogging such a big deal?; Can’t you just post stuff on social media?” My answer, “Just do it!”
Blogging is one of most effective ways to spread your message. Not only do you have an open platform to share your wisdom and experience, but you can also get real-time feedback from your posts. Unlike a traditional print format where the only interaction you may receive is from an editor.
If you are blogging, you often wonder…
What makes a blog more enticing?
How do you reach a wider audience base?
Why should you invest the time in writing articles?
With all of the bloggers out there, calling themselves experts – some widely popular, others ignored, how do you stand out in the crowd?
It’s simple; it’s all about building credibility and your social platform. Anyone using the internet has free space to develop and create their platform. Blogging and sharing it with your audience creates credibility and allows you to share your expertise.
It may seem that you’re staring into ‘The Wild Blue Yonder’, and you are. However, when you’re consistently blogging good quality content and sharing via social media, you’ll start gaining traction. People will begin to notice. That can add value to the products and services you offer.
Don’t be afraid to give away free information; no one can duplicate you. You’re unique, and that’s why people look up to you and your expertise.
Here are 7 Tips to Get You Started:
- Define your Target Audience Before you Create Content.
- Think about your audience rather than a customer. What kind of content attracts your best customer, and your most engaged visitor? The goal is to provide content that is compelling and aligned with your brand.
- Write Copy that Drives Conversions.
- Conversion copywriting is clear. It focuses on a single topic and being human. It’s not boring and uses catchy phrases and selling points to achieve a single action. It’s the power of persuasion.
- Always have a Call to Action
- Have a Clear, Consistent Voice. You are an Expert!
- Clarity is critical, you only have a few moments to grab the attention of the reader – and with so much “fluff” out there, you have to be smart about catching attention.
- Be sure to stay on top of what’s going on in your industry and put out content that is different, fresh and new. Feel free to refer back, linkback, to previous blog posts, if applicable. It’ll help with your SEO and allows you to repurpose your content.
- That doesn’t necessarily mean that you know how to format or structure your blog post, and that’s OK. There’re plenty of ways to learn what interests you and your audience. It may take you a few tries, but once you develop your voice, stick to it.
- Write in plain language. If you must use industry terms that others may not understand, be sure to include definitions or link to the description.
- Use Keywords in your Blog Copy.
- It’s important to remember that the goal of your blog is to be informational, helpful and answer questions.
- Keywords help your blog content come up in a search. While it’s important to use keywords, make sure that you are authentic and not plaster the keywords all over the place, so you no longer seem human.If you use them correctly, you’ll get more readers because your content is optimized so more people can find you.
- Your Blog Should be Easy on the Eyes.
- The most successful blogs are short, sweet and to the point, with an intriguing imagery. Blogging is a little different than most writing. Sometimes you may split paragraphs where you usually wouldn’t, capitalize to bring attention to something, add bullets and number things so that it’s easier to read.
- Ad images and video.
- Getting a Great Editor is Invaluable.
- Everyone should have a second set of eyes to read your content to make sure it makes sense, and your punctuation and grammar are intact.
- Your editor is more than a markup person – they are going to help you get your point across and keep you from falling into your bad habits.
- Get Your Message Out.
- Distribute and then distribute again. Redistribute often. I would say monthly at a minimum. Change your lead and images to create interest.
- Share your blog by post on all of your social channels. You can share your posts via automated scheduling tool. Or you can schedule your blog post through whatever social media dashboard you use.
- Review and update your blogs so that the information is current. There’s nothing worse than someone clicking on your blog and seeing outdated content.
- Blogging is like an underground pop-up restaurant for readers; you need to let them know where you will be and they will come.
Contact Savvy for a one-hour training session on blogging with a purpose or we can blog for you.
For more detailed information on developing and publishing your blog, check out https://michaelhyatt.com/anatomy-of-an-effective-blog-post.html.
Marcia King | Co-Founder of Savvy Outsourcing | Content Marketing Expert
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