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The Beginner’s Guide to Business Blogging

by | Mar 24, 2014 | Content Marketing | 0 comments

small-business-blogs

It’s easy to assume, at this point in time, that pretty much all companies have their own blogs—simply because articles about the importance of business blogging are so numerous. (And yes: We’ve contributed a few of those articles ourselves!) In reality, though, there remain a good many companies that have yet to get on board with the merits of a sound, regularly updated business blog.

A recent NASDAQ.com article, which we love, puts the situation into simple terms: “At this point in The Age of the Customer, many people would think that defining a blog is an elementary task tantamount to explaining the wheel. But here in the real world, where Main Street small businesses live, some folks actually still have un-Tweeted thoughts. Consequently, since a blog for most small businesses is at once a powerful yet under-used customer connection tool, perhaps a little background and illumination would be beneficial.”

Yes, some illumination would be beneficial: A business blog is an ideal way of educating your customers, proving your industry know-how and authority, building trust, fueling your content marketing and social media efforts, and populating Google with strong, positive material. If your business has yet to make blogging a true marketing priority, then, we invite you to start today—and we’re happy to explain how.

The Business Blogging Bible

For those who’ve never blogged for their business before, and need a quick crash course on the best strategies, the Grammar Chic, Inc. team presents a few of the basics:

  • Your job, as a blogger, is not to be a salesman, but rather to be your customers’ mentor and advisor. In other words, your goal is to educate and inform—not to advertise. Readers don’t like blogs that just seem like non-stop product promotions—and frankly, they don’t care much about your business. What they want is to receive some kind of value—knowledge or tips that will help them solve problems or make their own lives better. Your role is to blog in a way that communicates value—underscoring your trustworthiness and industry authority, but ultimately putting the reader first.
  • Your blog may represent your business, but that doesn’t mean you should write it in stiff, robotic corporate-speak. Instead, get rid of corporate jargon and buzzwords (like cutting edge or forward-thinking) and instead write in a way that is human and relatable—grammatically flawless and professional, but also conversational.
  • If you don’t have strong, gripping headlines then you frankly don’t have much of a blog. The headline is what seduces the reader into reading the rest of the article, so a good blog needs headlines that convey value and/or attract attention with strong sensory and emotional language.
  • The same goes for the opening paragraph. Make sure that you summarize your main point, and promise specific value, early in the blog, or else readers will click on to the next thing.
  • As for the ending of your articles, make sure to offer something inspiring and actionable. If you’re offering useful tips in the blog, use your conclusion to emphasize how and why those tips should be implemented.
  • Finally, a blog that isn’t publicized via social media and email lists isn’t going to get much traction. Make sure your blog is not a stand-alone endeavor, but rather one component in your broader content marketing plan.

With these tips in mind, you’ve got a strong foundation for an effective business blog. For further assistance, including professional blogging services, contact our team today! Visit www.grammarchic.net, or else call 803-831-7444803-831-7444.