How to Blog for Your Business (When you’re Not a Blogger)
Filed Under Social Marketing
Blogging is a marketing medium that has been embraced by businesses large and small over the past few years. Almost every brand page you visit will have a link to the company blog for users to check out and get the latest news on the industry and the company. Sometimes it is a single writer who contributes and other times there are posts from several different people.
When writing is all you have to worry about throughout the day, it’s not a huge undertaking to crank out a blog post once every week or so. But when you are trying to run a business, manage a team of employees and try new marketing techniques, squeezing in time to maintain a blog can be tough.
Coming up with what to write about can be the most time-consuming part of keeping a business blog. This is especially true if you don’t have a lot of new things happening at the company. Here are some helpful tips for getting those creative juices flowing so you can keep your readers informed and your business blog going.
Stockpile ideas
Always keep your eye out for interesting facts and industry happenings. If it falls into the same category as your business, earmark it for future use. Keep a folder on your computer where you can stick web pages and news stories that you come across that can be helpful in future blog posts. Maybe an industry expert wrote a product review or you found some interesting statistics that can benefit your readers. When you have a running folder of topic ideas, it makes it easier to pick something to write about when you are out of ideas.
Write a review
You can use your blog as a space to write product or book reviews for things that relate to your niche in some way. If you have a business designing cell phone cases, write reviews on the latest releases of the hottest phone models. If you run a landscaping business, review various types of potting mix. There are plenty of things to choose from out of this category.
Interview an industry expert
There are plenty of experts out there in your field who would be happy to pass along some words of wisdom for your blog. Prepare a few questions to ask beforehand, find out how to contact the person and ask them if they would be interested in being interviewed for your blog. You can start making connections with these people through social media sites like Twitter and LinkedIn. Your interview can be written out or you can do it via Google Hangout or Skype and post the video on your blog.
Answer questions
People are full of questions. You have probably gotten plenty of questions from followers or customers or blog readers. Dedicate some of your blog posts to answering the most common questions that you are asked. If you are in a question rut, do a little research with Yahoo Answers or industry forums. Find out what people want to know and answer them.
Keeping up with your company blog doesn’t have to eat up a large part of your day. With a little preparation and good planning, you can stay on top of your posting schedule and keep your readers informed about the latest happenings with your business and the industry at large.
Do you struggle to keep up with your business blog each week?
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Dawn Pigoni, IVAA Member
