Every time you create a blog post you're creating a new/unique page online (on the internet, across search engines). This means that you're increasing your chances of ranking in search results, having other websites link to you, and your post/blog being shared on social media. All of this results in new traffic to your site.
1. Why does blogging help your business and industry?
- Helps you attract new visitors to your website
Helps you convert those visitors to prospects and leads Earns you increased pages in search results **Think about a stranger looking for information online. They have questions and problems that they need solved. They will then search out the answers. If they find your post, you've just given them an answer. You're a problem solver!
2. How can your blog convert those new visitors to leads?
- Once people have visited your site you have just opened up a door to them and you
If they are interested in your content -- they're more than likely interested in your product or serviceThe more you blog, the more that people will start to look to you as an expert in your industry and the more you blog it's inevitable you gain more subscribers (building your golden list).
You and your business will be seen as a trustworthy, reliable source of information. Blogging can turn prospects into customers on down the line.
3. How to create a successful blog!
- Pick a topic and a title -- No more than 60 characters (Remember keywords - search engine algorithms love it)
Brainstorm a list of specific topics to blog about (Do keyword research) Write educational content (What are the FAQ's) Make sure to write about your industry (Not yourself) Choose only one topic to focus on per post (Don't try to solve all answers in one post)4. How should the body of your blog post look?
- Whitespace is your friend (Short paragraphs, sections, headings, bullets/numbers, bold)
Include images to break up the text (Doesn't need to be directly related but close) Optimize for search engines (Show keywords from your title within the content of the post -- not as exact as your title but each word in the title scattered here and there) Include internal and external links (Related blog posts or your site pages -- one or two per paragraph. Don't go overboard 5. Promoting your offers on your blog!
- Feature calls-to-action on the blog sidebar (Subscribe, free e-book, 15 min. free consult.)
Show short subscribe form on top of the sidebar Show call-to-action and subscribe form at the bottom of every post Have social sharing buttons next to post (hovering or not -- encourage people to share)Of course, share your blog post on your own social media Convert your blog post into an article post to an online media publication Don't forget about social book marking (that's another post I'll write soon) Tag others (where appropriate across social media -- this encourages re-sharing)Hope these 5 steps helps you get started at blogging. It certainly isn't all that compasses blogging but a start. So, take this knowledge and get writing.
Final blogging thoughts: You will find many resources and guides to get you started. A popular platform to get started is WordPress. The back end can and cannot be tricky to maneuver depending on the level of a blog you wish to have. Making money as a blogger is real. Either for business generation or as a primary occupation. Happy Blogging!
What is in your blogging toolbox? Comment below.
Credits: Inside image: http://www.oliviascuisine.com/1-month-of-blogging-madness/
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