While Web Marketing best practices change frequently, one strategy has remained supreme: managing a blog. Writing a blog is an excellent way to build your brand, drive links to your Website and improve your relevance online. However, like any tool, you get the most out of it when you use it correctly and thoughtfully…
The process of setting up a blog will vary based on how your Website was built and how it’s managed. WordPress is one of the most popular platforms for Websites, in part because of its seamless blog management platform. The real work comes in the management of the blog, however. That’s why we will be laying out some of the best tips to get the most out of your company blog ‘ see below!
It’s Not Word Quantity, It’s Word Quality
Most companies post to a blog to improve their search engine performance; when your site has lots of informative content about your industry and services, Google tends to reward you with high rankings in search engines. It’s for this reason that you shouldn’t stress about a word count when writing blogs. The most important thing is to write content that is rich with information and unique to your business.
If having a word count helps with your writing process, consider 300 words (about 2/3 of a page, single-spaced) a minimum. The content should be interesting (so it keeps readers engaged and on the page) and specific to your brand (having content that is similar or identical to other blogs won’t get you far with your online presence).
Write In Your Customer’s Language
Blogs can be a great place to answer frequently asked questions, highlight trends that customers should know, and debunk myths that get spread around too often. When you’re thinking about what to write, always consider your customers and prospects. At the end of the day, blogs are marketing tools and should be treated as such. Try not to get too technical with your writing and keep your vocabulary to a level that a beginner would understand. Your blog’s visitors are definitely reading to learn something, but they shouldn’t need to keep a dictionary with them to keep up!
One tactic we recommend is to use common customer questions as blog topics and titles. Examples include ‘Should I plant a tree in the fall in Washington, DC?’, ‘Can I replace my own garage door spring?’, and ‘How to diagnose a termite problem in Orlando FL?’ Not only do these catch the eye of interested readers, but they also help boost your search engine performance. More often than not, prospects will type questions into a search engine to learn more about their issue. Google may just serve your blog post to these searchers if your content is relevant and reliable.
Post Consistently
To really make your blog work for you, you’ll need to post regularly. You should plan to post new blogs to your site once or twice a month. Google loves to see a site that is consistently updated and maintained. Adding fresh content via a blog is an excellent way to boost your brand and show readers and search engines alike that your company is relevant.
Finish Your Blogs With a Call to Action
In keeping with the tradition of a blog as a marketing tool, make sure that your blog posts are giving your prospects something to do. There are a few ways to go about leading your readers to a desired action. If your post is about a new technology or appliance, your last paragraph should maybe highlight an area of your site with product information. If your post is about how maintenance is a necessity for something they own, you should include your company’s phone number or a link to a Contact/Scheduling page. Without being too sales-y, your blog should at the very least indicate that you are ready to help in any way you can. It’s up to you to decide what the best next step should be for them.
Maintaining a blog is a powerful marketing tool to pick up in 2021. If you have questions about blog management, or if you’d like to go over your marketing strategy for this year, Market Hardware is here to help! We offer Web Marketing consultations and can help you figure out how to up your game this year. Give us a call today or reach out to us via our contact form to learn more.
