Writing Compelling Business Blogs
If you have a business blog, you understand what a challenge it is at times to constantly come up with fresh and exciting content on a regular basis. It forces you to be creative, innovative and compelling at once.
As you post more and more blogs, you see that the relationship that you have started to develop with your online connections is becoming deeper and more meaningful. One of the more significant results that occur from blogging is that you are building trustworthiness and credibility. In fact, the better the quality of your content, the more attention you will get and the better your professional reputation will be. People will start to believe in your knowledge and the next time that they need help with a problem that involves issues about which you are knowledgeable, you will be the first person whom they think about contacting. Of course, it isn’t always so easy to keep the creative juices flowing when it comes to a steady stream of fresh content on relevant subjects. However, there are several different approaches that you can use to make it as painless as possible.
Make sure that your reader is your main focus
When you sit down to write your blog, make sure that you have your readers in mind. It is critical that you keep in mind that your objective is to solve your reader’s problems. It is very important for you to try to think from their perspective. It will help you if you can come up with the types of questions that they would want to ask you. At the very least, that should be your starting point. From there, you can draw on your own experience and you will see that the content will start to flow from there. You will want to make sure that the blog content that you share helps your readers and that the language is clear and concise. The simpler you keep it, the more effective it will be. The reason that your readers are drawn to you is because they believe that you have the answer to their problems. That is precisely why you need to be as clear and straightforward as you possibly can. Speak to them in a language that they understand and they will respond positively to what you are communicating.
Listen to the experts
Your readers will most definitely respond to you in a positive way if you offer them advice and tips that they can use right away. It is important that your readers have learned something every time they are finished reading one of your blog articles. Remember that it is important to address their needs and wants at all times and you should try to apply your own experience whenever possible to the information that you are sharing with them and which you feel will help them in some way. If you don’t have the self-confidence that you would like when it comes to a particular subject, seek out other people who you deem to be experts and influencers in that particular niche and get as much valuable information from them as you possibly can. You don’t necessarily need to speak with them directly. You can read what they are writing and undoubtedly, there will be a wealth of incredible nuggets of information that will be at your fingertips. If those experts offer tips and advice, make sure that you share the information in your blog with your readers. Drawing information from the experts will not only be valuable to your readers but it will also provide a unique perspective with your readers will just eat up.
Diversify
It goes without saying that you should concentrate initially on your particular area of expertise. However, it is also very important to identify a niche for your blog so that people can really begin to connect you with that niche. Your goal is to get them to have you in the forefront of their minds when they need to discuss that particular topic. The last thing that you want to do is to continue to concentrate on a very limited number of topics. The more well rounded you become, the more valuable you will be to other people. A great way to become knowledgeable outside of your original niche is to read as much as you can from other people’s blogs (and other types of content). The more you diversify the more ability you will have to come up with new, fresh and innovative blog ideas.
Never use the hard sell
It is an established fact that nobody wants to be “sold.” The reason that people read your content is so that they can become just a little more knowledgeable. People love to learn and you have something to teach them. Together, you are a perfect match. Everyone understands that, as a business owner, your ultimate goal is to get people to buy what you are selling. However, it is truly all in the approach. If you communicate interesting pieces of information that will help other people grow and develop, you will eventually be in a position where they will want to buy from you. However, it is very important to remember that it takes a great deal of effort to bring the relationship to that point.
Conclusion
As a business owner, blogging is an extremely powerful and effective way that you can reach many people on a very meaningful level. One of your biggest challenges as a blog writer is to come up with fresh, top-quality content on a very regular basis. What you say and how you say it are both very important and they may both require a great deal of thought at times. Your inspiration can come from many different places. Make sure that you tap all of the possible resources that you can.
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Great article Carolyn!
Many of us who blog need to be reminded of what small or medium business folks look for when they visit a blog.
Thanks for the great and informative content!
Dave W
Via LinkedIn Groups
Group: Professional Writers
Discussion: Writing Compelling Business Blogs
Having a blog calendar is very helpful along with the category that you want to cover. Then, you can assign other members of the business to contribute. You can also have clients contribute what it is that they have been helped with and what it has meant to them by your working with them
Posted by Barbara Hales
Nice article. I agree that keeping top of mind the goal of making it easy for readers to learn something new each blog in a manner that is quick and simple is key for powerful and appreciated blogs.
Thanks for the information Carolyn. I just recently started a blog of my own and knew before I actually started it that I should carefully define my intended readers, content and focus.
Via LinkedIn Groups
Group: Woman 2 Woman Business
Discussion: Writing Compelling Business Blogs
Hello Carolyn,
You are absolutely correct with your post. Another challenge I have is when I write a business blog, individuals will try to use the information as a guide for them doing business, which is ok. However, they start asking questions that I generally answer when consulting with a client.
Posted by Evalyne Ward
Via LinkedIn Groups
Group: Woman 2 Woman Business
Discussion: Writing Compelling Business Blogs
Yes, blogging also requires you to make the time sharpen your writing and communication skills on a regular basis.
Posted by Sheila N. Glazov
Via LinkedIn Groups
Group: Woman 2 Woman Business
Discussion: Writing Compelling Business Blogs
The most compelling posts are the ones where people care deeply about what they’re people. People connect to authenticity….and we live in a world where we spend most of our time trying to look good in one way or another and what really matters can get lost pretty easily.
By Brigid Greene