Many of our clients ask about blogging: What’s a blog? Should I blog? How often to blog? What should I post? How should I share it? Well, what better way to answer than with a blog of our own!
The word Blog is a shortened version of Web Log, which began in the late 90’s/early 2000’s as an informal online journal like the iPad journal people fondly use today. People and companies use blogs to publish all sorts of information, opinions, photos, recipes, tutorials, press releases, testimonials, and so much more. Besides being a lot of fun, blogging is beneficial to your company’s website performance. With each blog, you add more and more rich, original content to your website, which is preferred by search engines. Writing regularly is important too, as up-to-date content is also preferred.
When it comes to content, the sky’s the limit. Just remember your audience, (your customers, potential customers, and colleagues) and keep it professional. You can click to view the importance of content in this day and age. You can answer frequently asked questions, review new industry technology, introduce new staff, publish press releases, provide case studies (omit names of course), address controversial or hot topics in your industry, introduce new products or services, provide tips and tricks, etc. etc. There is no exact format you need to follow. Depending on the topic, you can write a lot or a little. It’s more important to publish good content than try and lengthen it with fluff. Feel free to add photos, supporting images like charts, links to supporting articles or information, etc.
So, how often should you blog? Well, how often would you like to write? Once a week? Once a month? It’s really up to you and based on your time. If you are inspired to write a few at the same time, go for it. If you are busy and need to take a break, take a break. From a marketing perspective, blogging is beneficial, but it should be enjoyable as well. (Especially if you are a small business without an entire division for this type of work.)
To get the most bang out of your blog, make sure to integrate it on your website and promote the most current post on your home page. (CRG Web Lab can help you with this one!) Blogs are generally organized chronologically, but each post should be labeled with a category so that visitors can easily find topics. A search bar should also be included. Whenever you publish a new post, you should be sure to share it on social media, personal and professional if you have them. You can also refer people to your blog in person or online. In conversation, “I recently wrote about that on my blog, just go to my website…” Or, if you are on another website, social media, or on an online forum where you are in conversations on a particular topic, you can copy and paste the direct web address of pertinent blogs. This is a fantastic way to get people to your website who might not visit it otherwise. The more you can link back to your blog in this way, the better. You and your site become a trusted source of industry info.
Have more questions on blogging, digital marketing, or website design? Contact Creative Resources Group today.