Blog for the sake of Blogging

Blogging began in the latter half of the 1990s where people shared their thoughts, feelings, experiences, and opinions online, much like a bulletin board.

Today we still blog in much the same way, but the role that blogs play in driving traffic to your website has never been so strong. If your business website does not have a blog that is actively updated, then you are missing out on a huge opportunity to connect with your clients. Think of blogs as a “learning center” for your business with a view of delivering the following:

• Driving traffic to your website
• Increase your SEO/ (Search Engine Response Pages) SERP
• Positioning your brand in the industry
• Developing better customer relationships

Google Loves Blogs

Everybody wants their website to stand out among your competitors and you only stand out when Google says you do! You may have unique products and services but how do you come up close to the top of the list when someone goes to search for a professional or business in your industry?

In the past Google put an emphasis on the words that you were using and how often those words appeared on your website as a gauge on where to position your pages in the SERP. Google used an algorithm called PageRank. PakeRank was easily exploited by Black Hat SEO companies so Google is constantly advancing their algorithms so that there are no shortcuts and tricks for people to use to get high SERP ranking. The message Google is trying to send is that your blog content must be fresh, relevant and of high quality.

So what do I mean by high quality?

By high quality, I don’t mean technical writing skills, using complex words, or frequently using key words. By quality I mean, writing like a human would write for a human to read. Not just writing for Google! In terms of what to write, your content should be relevant, not sound like a sales pitch, spin or marketing spiel. It really is about connecting with people by sharing your thoughts, feelings, experiences and opinions in your own words. Google will then take care of the rest.

So what does this have to do with the success of my website?

Everything! It’s all about adding your reputation and credibility to your company name. Your website already does the sales pitch and marketing of your products and services. Your blogs show the human face(s) behind your business.

So when writing blogs, remember to use your own words, but also remember you are working for the “learning center” for your business. So now you have Word or Notepad open and you are ready to Blog. Right?

Well I didn’t say it was going to be easy. Much like public speaking, to some it comes easily, while for others it’s a huge struggle. While you may have excellent English verbal skills and brilliant skills in your profession, it does not transpire into being a good blog writer. A blog writer must be able to connect with their audience. If you connect well, you don’t need a sales pitch.

If you are not a blogger by profession and you blog for the sake of blogging, you will probably do more harm than good. Badly written content will produce negative SEO ranking. So be frank with your blog writing ability and start from there. Effective blogging takes time, planning and over time you will connect with your audience.

Measure your performance

Measuring the performance of your blog regularly will help identify:

• the weaknesses in your content
• what topics your audience truly cares about
• what blogging tactics work for you

Then update your blogging strategy to do more of what works and less of what doesn’t work. Sound easy right?

Your blogs should have the ability for people to comment and share with social media. These should all be measured along with the number of visitors, inbound links etc. Use Google Analytics to setup tracking codes and review on a weekly or monthly basis.

Outsource your Blogging

There are some great advantages to hiring a professional to take your blogging and online presence to the next level. Professionals already know what works and what doesn’t work in capturing your audience and to project what you want to say to your readers.

If you don’t have the skills, inclination or the time to blog, then outsourcing is a great option. Outsourcing your blogging will still require your time and involvement as it needs to capture your thoughts, feelings and opinions.

Let us know what roadblocks you’ve faced in starting up (or continuing) your blog?