Running a blog is like adding another product or service to your business in that this new endeavor will take time to set up, manage, and promote. Blogging will require time in your schedule for marketing, networking, writing and scheduling posts, and comment management. However, blogs can be very flexible: you can schedule posts to publish twice a day, or you can choose to post once a month, it’s up to you.
Whatever you do, be consistent because readers will trust new content and if they come to your site expecting new content that isn’t there, they probably won’t come back. That means your hard work to attract them to your blog is wasted. The truth is that most of your readers will be new to your blog; about 80% of them have not visited it before. It’s important to provide a reason for people to come back, leave a comment, or share your posts with their friends on social media.
Before you rush your blog post, take a few days to familiarize yourself with the platform, templates, and tools they have made available to you. Most blogging service providers will also have an admin center where you can learn a lot about how to effectively manage and promote your blog.
Take the time to browse a few blogs that reach a similar audience to the audience you hope to attract. Take a look at the types of advertisers that use your blog and try to determine who they are, what they sell, and what drew them to this blog. Take a look at the topics the blog has covered over the last year. Keep an eye on the ways they have used the tools you hope to use on your blog. Look at the chosen theme, colors and images they are using. Determine what you liked and disliked about your blog, and take notes on any thoughts you may have during this process. This information will help you refine your blog into something different and effective.
Once you’ve decided who your ideal reader will be, the theme and layout, the type of content you’ll offer, and how often you intend to post, now it’s time to determine what you hope to get out of the blog. Perhaps you hope to generate sales or gain more customers. Maybe you’re using it to create dialogue, or solidify customer relationships, or share information about your business activities, behind-the-scenes issues, and to highlight your green policies or celebrate vendor charitable giving. Maybe you will use the blog for reinforcement and networking opportunities. It’s perfectly fine to have multiple blog intents, the point is to determine what they might be. Armed with this, the process of creating content, blog policies, and assigning staff to manage the blog becomes easier.
It is very useful to create some files on the computer to keep items easily accessible. Create an archive to store future content, content ideas, and resources like EzineArticles.com, for example. Have a separate folder where you can store the images, banners, and logos to be used on the blog.
Just like your email signature, you’ll want to create a small line that will be placed at the bottom of each post. This could be a logo, a business meme, a message to your readers, or just a unique URL for your business website.
Using the multi-page option on the blog can also be very helpful. Creating an About Us page is a great way to reach those new readers by explaining who you are, links, and contact information. A second page for media appearances is also a great idea, perhaps a third that offers reviews, recommendations, or customer feedback. Perhaps a page that has a contact form to receive feedback from readers. The options are only limited by the blogging platform (Blogspot, WordPress, eCommerce site, etc.) that you have decided to use.
Once you start blogging, be sure to encourage people to use the social media buttons located at the bottom of each post. Every time someone clicks on those media buttons, their posts are shared with their social media contacts. Be sure to use those buttons yourself and encourage your staff to do so too. Connect with social media groups, forums, networks, article syndication sites, and any other outlets related to your blog. Networking with other like-minded bloggers and businesses will also help drive traffic to your new blog.