The world of blogging is no longer just for documenting study abroad trips and personal weight loss journeys. The blogosphere has exploded across the business world with strategic ways to stay engaged with your customers and provide them with useful information at the touch of a button.
Blogging increases repeat traffic, keeps your business relevant, and provides customers with a positive impression of your business, according to Neil Patel’s article Why Every Business Should Blog. These are just a few reasons why maintaining a business blog is a 21st-century necessity.
Let’s take a deeper look at 6 easy ways to make your business blog more successful.
Boost Your SEO Traffic
1. Use inbound and outbound links
Google uses ranking algorithms designed to help people find what they are looking for. With more than 200 unique “clues” that help direct traffic, links still rank number one. An inbound link is any link that brings incoming visitors to your website. If your create relevant and unique content, many people will be eager to link to your website within their own content, directing traffic your way when customers search for information pertaining to your business.
In fact, businesses that blog typically have 97% more inbound links to their website! The more inbound links there are to your site, the better Google can direct visitors to you based on a variety of keywords entered into their search engine.
In the same manner, outbound links send visitors away from your website. You have more control over outbound links, and it is important that you use them to link to helpful and informative content. By doing this, visitors will continue to return to your site to find clear, unique information supported by other relevant websites.
2. Use focused, searchable titles
Again, using focused, searchable titles will enable Google to help visitors find your website. According to the website hobo, “An effective page title is created with how people search for things on the page in mind.”
Using keywords and keyword phrases are going to reemphasize to Google what kind of information you are providing. For example, if the title of your post is “Writing a Business Blog,” throughout the post you will want to use phrases like “blog,” “business blog,” and “writing relevant blog content.”
Subheadings are also a useful tool that will not only boost your SEO, but will make your blog posts easy to follow and understand. Not to mention, breaking up your content into smaller paragraphs and different sections ensure that your blog is easy on readers’ eyes and is more likely to capture customer’s attention!
3. Share on social media
Once your blog is up and running, you need to share it! Social media platforms such as Twitter, Facebook, Instagram, and LinkedIn carry the bulk of online traffic, and the more people who share your blog posts, the more people will check out your website.
To do this, post your blog to all of your business social media accounts. Make sure to include a catchy image and a captivating caption. By making those two things a focus, people are sure to check out your post. I always like to include a question with “comment below!” at the bottom of my captions to increase engagement - the more interaction with your followers, the better!
With Instagram specifically, I like to add simple graphics or appealing photos to my story. The goal with stories is to lead, or guide, people to check out your account. From here, use bitly to add a link to your most current blog post into your Instagram bio. By sharing and resharing, your business blog is bound to lead people to your website.
Connect With Your Customers
4. Be unique
To catch visitors’ interest (and hold it!), add helpful and interesting links to your content that reinforce your company’s purpose. People love the ease of immediate information just as much as they love quick, little graphics or videos that clarify the points your blog is making. Sixty-one percent of consumers have made a purchase simply based on a blog post, so make your blog interactive and appealing to take advantage of customers who may be ready to engage.
Don’t be afraid to find your own voice, further develop your brand identity, and dive into both within the content of your blog. The best way to reach out to potential customers is by making your blog one-of-a-kind and adding a personal touch to each of your blog posts. This can (and should) include aesthetically pleasing images, distinctive opinions, insightful infographics, and a pop of character and passion - simply be yourself and establish a consistent voice for your business!
5. Ask for feedback
Consumers appreciate the chance to respond by either commenting or asking questions. This makes your company approachable and conveys the message that you care about each customer’s experience. Also spark conversation by asking people to engage on social media! Every time I share one of my blog posts, I ask a question and open up discussion.
To take full advantage of this, make sure you respond to questions quickly and express your appreciation for reviews. Strengthening your brand is directly related to pleasing your customer base, and the best way to do that is to listen to them.
6. Be consistently present
When it comes to blogs, one thing cannot be overstressed - you must write consistently. A blog’s strength is based on its continued relevance through new posts on a weekly, if not daily, basis. I have created a social media calendar through Later, and maintain a consistent schedule of posting or repurposing a blog every other week.
There is no faster way to lose customer interest than if your blog sits on your site with a “last updated” date of over a month ago. Eighty-two percent of consumers say they enjoy reading relevant content from a blog, so give them intriguing content and they will return, re-share, and revitalize your company.
In today’s business world, it is vital to be present on the internet. Whether it be charming social media accounts, informational blog posts, or a professionally-designed website, staying up to date and relevant will create and maintain customer relationships.
By following these 6 ways to make your business blog more successful, you are doing yourself and your business a favor. Before you know it, you will be creating relatable, focused, and shareable content that drives traffic to your website. The more people visiting your website, the more potential customers you have!
