Believe it or not – blogging is a great sales tool. Some avoid blogging because coming up with content seems overwhelming. So how do you create a blog that will go to work for your business?

The internet is packed with companies that have bigger budgets than you and the ability to push out content every day. The best strategy for small companies is to specialize – find your niche, use your expertise, and rather than trying to be a solution for everyone, be the solution for the best client fit for your company – then gear your blog to that group.

Ask Questions

Think about your target client. Understanding why your clients came to you over someone else is key to identifying your niche. What are the frustrations they have working with other companies? What things do they like about your company over your competitors? When did they realize you were their best option? You likely have 2 or 3 typical “types” of clients – those who come to you for different reasons – so treat those groups separately and be prepared to write a blog post geared toward each group – don’t try to force the solution for all those types into the same post.

Types of Posts

• The basics: These are the simplest building blocks of your industry. The terminology you use that your client might not be familiar with, the everyday processes you have to get your job done that are foreign to your client, common pitfalls or hazards, all the things that you consider ordinary because they never change.

• Answers to specific questions: An enormous number of queries happen on search engines daily. What questions might be asked by your target client? Answer those questions in your blog posts and you’ll easily set yourself apart as an authority in your field.
• Trends and Cycles: Less frequently you’ll want to address any hot topics in your field. What current events, news stories, styles or trends are impacting what you do right now? Talk about those.
• Connecting: Posting content that will increase your likeability and help people relate to you can help because we buy from those we trust. These are the posts that make you real and spark conversation, but like the trendy posts you’ll want to use these sparingly because the conversion rate is lower than with posts that answer serious questions.

There are definite do’s and do not’s with blogging that can make or break you.

• Do spellcheck and make sure you sound professional. Read what you’ve written out loud and have someone else look over it. If your clients come to your blog post and find errors, you’ll lose your credibility.
• Don’t waste your content byforgetting to share what you write on your business social media platforms.
• Do write Google ads to boost results without having to wait on SEO, and to stay in front of your audience long term.
• Don’t neglect your blog. If you write a post and then your blog goes dark for a few months your clients will assume you’re not actively in business anymore.
• Do capture the attention of your audience by engaging them quickly and using simple language. Droning on and being overly technical will have visitors hitting the back button faster than you can put a cookie on their computer.

Persist

Blogging may come slowly at first, but the more you write and the more you post, the easier it will get and the faster it will go. Write regular posts and make those posts count by ensuring that you differentiate yourself from your competition. Keep your target client in mind and make sure they find you. Before long you’ll be pumping out great content that drives the right traffic to your website.

Sources

• Daisy Quaker. “Blog Topics: How to Find Your Sweet Spot (Even in a Boring Niche)”. https://moz.com/blog/how-to-find-your-blog-topic-sweet-spot
• Joshua Field Millburn. “How to Start a Successful Blog in 2020”. https://www.theminimalists.com/blog/

Nathan Thompson. “7 Proven Tips to Create Blog Posts that Convert Like Crazy”. https://optinmonster.com/7-tips-to-write-a-blog-post-that-converts/