Let’s get started with blogging 101. Your small business blog is a valuable marketing tool that will help you position your product and build an online audience that is engaged with your brand. It will provide your small business with a voice which will be your way to communicate and connect with readers that you hope to convert into customers.
According to The Blogconomy which was put together by Ignite Spot, small businesses with blogs generate 126% more leads. Interesting content is one of the top 3 reasons people follow brands on social media. And 81% of US consumers trust advice and information from blogs.
To get you started on blogging, here are the basics:
Choose a Blogging Platform
Self-hosted platforms will allow you to run a blog on your own domain. Free platforms will own your name, and you’ll be restricted to their rules and regulations. And freemium means that you’ll start paying once your trial period had ended.
WordPress is an excellent self-hosted platform for you to use as the home base for your blog. It’s customizable which will allow you to create a look that fits with your brand. And if you’re hesitant about using a platform that already has so many users and worry about making your blog stand out in its crowd of 82 million active users, WordPress has a myriad of plugins and add-ons that mean you can design and layout your blog an infinite number of ways.
Pick a Domain Name
Yes, there are plenty of free blogging platforms out there. However, your blog name will always have the free platform’s name attached to it. And your business, no matter how small, will want to be taken seriously. Having a blog on a free platform may lead your audience to believe that your content is not of value and that your products or services are subpar.
As for WordPress, choosing self-hosted WordPress.org over WordPress.com means you get a custom domain. You’ll need to buy separately but definitely worth it as having a custom domain name will make your blog sound more professional.
Ultimately, blogging is all about marketing your brand. Having a unique address for your blog that is memorable is crucial to your branding.
Content
Whoever you choose to write your content, whether you do it yourself or hire someone, the recommendation for blog content is to follow the 80/20 rule.
Your 80% should be content focused on your customer and their challenges. The function of this content is to educate or entertain so that you can engage your audience and build a relationship. And the remaining 20% of your content should focus on your company. If your products or services need some explaining, create a blog entry to give context around your product features and benefits. Use this 20% to announce new products and promote events.
You may already have all these content ideas swirling around in your head. However, setting up a blog can be daunting for beginners who don’t know the first thing about web design or what makes a blog “SEO friendly” and attractive. You may have even paused when you read “plugins” and wondered what “add-ons” mean.
Because small business blogging has proven to be crucial to business success, opting out of it simply because you fear the process shouldn’t be an option. Exceedion can take on the task of setting up a blog for you and craft a custom WordPress website design based on your criteria. We take the time to understand your brand, your customers, your products or services and your market. Our goal is your goal, and that’s to attract, convert, close and keep your audience coming back for more.