Business blogging sounds like an oxymoron–especially if you think blogging is just a personal web log of your personal life. I suggest business blogging is a viable (and very effective) business marketing tool.
- Using a blog site for your website simplifies content publication
- Blog software pushes new content to the search engines
- Business articles encourages your customers to participate
You’ve heard those arguments before, but the challenge is still determining what to write about. I suggest you pick up a copy of Robert’s Rules of Writing, by Robert Masello.
While Mr Masello’s book doesn’t specifically talk about blogging, the concepts he writes about are good general writing tips. The one I’ll share with you in this article is, “Write What You Read”.
While this idea may sound a little odd, especially if you like to read romance novels, give the idea a fair shake. How likely are you to be successful writing about something you don’t like? That is the easy argument…the hard side is how?
OK, you love romance novels and you sell computer software. How could those two possibly work together?
Romance novels are (usually) about a misunderstanding or missed connection. The twists and turns in the story eventually connect and make beautiful magic (even if it is a forbidden fruit). The ending of a romance novel must have an “emotionally satisfying and optimistic ending.”
While your business blog article may not involve any intimacy, concluding with an “emotionally satisfying and optimistic ending” would be a good thing. Bringing your personality into the character of the content will help you build a stronger connection with readers of similar tendencies.
Ed Bejarana
Zenith Exhibits, Inc.
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My blog started as a way to promote my husband's books about Coastal British Columbia. That is still the purpose, but has also taken on a value of it's own in sharing tips about living simply and off the grid. By giving away free information, I am hopefully attracting readers to the books that have similar topics. While our Internet marketing through blogging hasn't led to tremendous book sales, it has started a trend in that direction. – Margy (Powell River Books)
Thinking about who you want to read your blog is the key place to start. Organize content with search in mind. To Margy's point, if she is writing about living off the grid, what are the keywords that people use when searching for solutions to where her books might be helpful….that's what she should be blogging about.
Here is a great quote from Matt Cutts:
"Think about what people are going to type…and talk about that"
Matt Cutts: Google
This from Ian Laurie author of the new book: Conversation Marketing
“Burn the thesaurus. Think about the words that people use to find you.”
“Then, as a revolutionary new internet marketing strategy, actually write those words in your copy.
Chris Baggott
CEO
Compendium Blogware
http://blogging.compendiumblog.com/blog/blogging-...
Yes, it's important to remember that each use wants to know what's in it for 'me'? So even though you're promoting your own thoughts and personality, you have to keep it relevant to your audience.
A good article! Many bloggers sometimes forget about WHOM they are writing to. In my opinion this is nearly as important as the content quality itself.
You can write a very true high-quality article, but if there is no inspiration in it which includes the reader somehow – then its not really what it could be.