Your small business is looking to gain more notoriety and increase its return on investment (ROI). With that in mind, are you doing all you can to do just that?
One of the best ways to promote your business, be it a retail shop, self-storage company, floral business or whatever it may be, is to promote it through a blog, press releases and social media.
While you may be familiar with your typical company press releases, and you may have some experience or spend a number of hours on social media, your blog can be a great tool to spread the word about your business.
According to Nielsen Research Group, 30 percent of the global population is equipped with an active Internet connection. As a result, the typical Internet users can be found online some 16 hours a month, with 20 percent of that time devoted to reading content, much of which is located on blogs. With that being the case, why would you not want your business blog to go to work for you?
So, what do you need to know about your business blog and why it is important to your company’s existence?
Among the things to keep in mind:
* Why do I have a business blog to start with? – First and foremost, why is your small business blogging? Do you do it because the competition does? Is your blog promoting the products and services that you offer? Are you using it to reach out and engage with consumers? It is important that the mission behind your blog is well defined ahead of time and that you are not doing it on the fly;
* What will my business blog offer? – The company blog can be many things to many people. You can use it to announce special offers to both current and new customers, provide timely information for consumers on your industry, and answer questions from consumers too. Your blog can be a great tool to spread the word;
* Who will update my business blog? – For many small business owners, they have their hands full with the day-to-day operations required to successfully run a company. Some will oversee their business blog, while others will farm it out to a consultant, SEO company or someone on their staff. It is important that your company’s blog have direction, have a voice, and have someone who is clearly responsible for it;
* The business blog needs constant attention – One of if not the most important things to remember is that the blog needs to be update regularly. Along with showing consumers that your company is relevant and up to speed with industry trends etc., the blog needs regular attention in order to meet SEO requirements. If your blog is not updated on a regular basis, search engines like Google will not score it well. As a result, your blog/website does not do as well in search engine rankings. A regularly updated blog allows your company to gain more online attention when consumers go searching for you;
* Is my business blog consumer friendly? – Remember that a blog permits your customers to directly contact you, meaning they can simply leave a comment on your site to initiate a conversation. The blog also helps you get added personal feedback from your customers that can be a factor in your upcoming marketing efforts. Make sure that both your blog and website are easy to navigate, not overly populated with graphics, images and drop ads, and always offers contact information for consumers who read a post and want more information.
With all that a company blog can do for your business, are you giving your blog all the love it needs?