Write it and They Will Come

Compared to billboards, radio spots, and television ads, blog are one of the newer ways to attract new business. Unlike the older, more traditional forms of advertising, they’re also cost-effective, easy to update, and can target specific audiences. But just writing about a topic doesn’t automatically translate into more money in your bank account. Blogging requires careful strategy and thoughtful writing to be effective.

Why Blog

Weblogs are powerhouses for marketing purposes. You can use them to cover a variety of topics, which offers a fantastic way to promote a particular product or service and speak specifically to a group of potential customers at the same time. For instance, you might want to run a last-minute flash deal on a product you have too much of. You can focus on the benefits of that item and gear the writing toward those most likely to buy it. This helps attract attention to your website as well as the product, all because you wrote something specific and positioned it properly.

But these written features do more than sell. They position you as an expert. You can share information about the history of a particular product or service, the multiple types that exist, how to use it, and who it’s designed for. Beyond saying, “Buy this,” you’re really saying, “Buy this from me because I know my stuff,” which builds trust.

As the old saying goes, “People don’t buy products, they buy people.” Use a blog post to share wisdom, create trust, and watch your sales go up.

What’s in a Blog

There are some important things to know about writing a blog. First of all, let’s talk about word count. You want your blog to be long enough to really cover the topic or showcase the product. A two paragraph blurb won’t do the trick. Remember, this is your chance to show off your knowledge. Make sure your post is robust enough to include all the pertinent facts. Try to shoot for 500-750 words: long enough to cover it all but short enough that your reader isn’t overwhelmed by too much information.

It’s also key to include subheads in your blog. A wall of text is off-putting. Intimidating. And your audience may give up versus reading through to the end. But if you can give them breadcrumbs throughout, by telling them what’s coming next, it gives the eye a visual break and guides the brain to stay engaged. Subheads do exactly that. It’s providing bite-sized pieces for the reader to consume a bit at a time.

Images are also key. Whether they’re photos or videos, gifs or cartoons, adding visual elements makes your blog more readable. They’re little gems that keep the reader’s attention.

But here’s the key: Beyond what’s included, the post itself has to have a payoff. If your readers don’t get something out of it, you’ve wasted your energy and their time. Once your blog is done, go back and read it to make sure that the title and the content are aligned, interesting, and give the audience what you promised. I really enjoyed this writeup, in which the writer analyzes some of their past blogs and what they could have included to make the post better.

Content is King

No matter how many words you use, or how many subheads or images you include, your blog can’t be effective without the right content. That includes the topic, of course, but it also includes messaging (or positioning, as some people call it). It’s not enough to put the words out there; there has to be a *reason* you’re putting those particular words out there. Think through what you want people to know, and how it relates to what you’re selling, and how to tie the two together so that readers can’t miss how you can help them.

And I can’t stress this enough: SEO has to be at the forefront of each and every post. I wrote this piece about the dynamics of SEO and I cover a lot of information there, so I don’t want to duplicate too much here. Suffice it to say, if you spend the time and energy to write a really good blog post and you don’t keep SEO in mind, you’re wasting a valuable opportunity. ‘Nuff said.

Help is Here

And I do mean here, as in right here.

Unless you’re a writer or marketer, this whole blogging thing can be really intimidating. My advice? Hire someone (ahem, me) to take this on for you. We can work together on strong topics, content, and messaging to make sure that your audience gets the right takeaway every time — and that you get the reader engagement you need to drive interest and sales. Get in touch.