No matter what kind of business you have, or how small or large your business might be, having a blog for your business helps you stay in touch with your customers.
A blog will draw your prospects closer because they can learn about your business and what you sell. Blogs help build customer loyalty, and they also help you create a personal relationship with your customers.
But that’s where things get a little tricky.
Because you’re writing directly to your customers and letting them have a conversation with you but also doing so in a way that markets your business, you can’t follow the same rules as people who have personal blogs.
You need to be careful about the advice you follow on “how to blog”, because that information isn’t always applicable to business blogging. Most of it is written by people and for people with personal blogs – they have much more leniency about what they post, and how they post it.
If you’re here to do business, then you’ll have to blog a little differently.
For example, many bloggers tell heartfelt, personal stories infused with emotion, but that’s not going to work for you if you’re looking to improve your bottom line. You can’t write your opinion on controversial topics or vent in a rant on a matter that made you angry. You might end up hurting your sales if you did.
You also have to be careful about how much personality you pour into posts. Some bloggers curse like sailors or fling about sassy remarks, and that works for them because they’re not running a mid-sized business or large corporation. Imagine if the CEO of Nike began swearing avidly on his website! Would that make you want buy some running shoes? Probably not.
The point is, when you own a business blog, you can’t play by the same rules as other bloggers do. You have to be more careful about presenting your words in a way that leaves a good impression with customers and potential clients, and that helps you use your blog to market your business.
Here are some tips to help you do just that:
Never write about problematic clients
Writing about customers who skipped out on payment or who were rude to your staff with the intention of being ‘helpful’ to your readers actually sends a message to potential customers that you’re not on their side or willing to do what it takes to create satisfied customers.
Plus, would you work with a company that may bad mouth you? Or even worse, your business? Businesses don’t like negative PR, so don’t make yourself look like a drama queen.
Always sound successful
I’ve seen some business owners blog about their quarterly losses and the economic crunch they feel. That just lets potential customers know that your business isn’t doing so well and that they might be better off working with your competition.
And even if you were doing financially well, why in earth would you publish how much money you’re making? It makes you look dumb because all you’ll be asking for is more competitors. Because where there is money made, businesses will flock.
Be careful with controversial subjects
This isn’t as easy as it sounds. Avoid sensitive topics like sex and religion, but also stay away from sharing opinions or personal stances on potentially inflammatory topics like recent laws or industry practices. The old saying stands: if you can’t say anything nice, don’t say anything at all.
And if you happen to write about something controversial, make sure you have facts to back up your claims and try not to let your emotions get in the way.
Show values
Talking about the values your business supports or upholds is a good idea. If you believe business should be ethical, transparent and environmentally conscious, then certainly post about that – but in passing, and be careful with your thoughts. Downplay hard stances or strong opinions and never speak ill of the competition.
One of the best places you can show the values your company believes in is your about page. And don’t do this in a boasting fashion, but instead do it by talking about the problems you can solve for your potential customers.
For example, if I were Southwest Airlines and had a blog, I would talk about how we believe in going the extra mile to help family members have a great experience by blogging about all the little things that make this possible, such as preferred seating for families. When you have a family, traveling isn’t easy and because Southwest doesn’t have assigned seating, a lot of families may decide to not book a flight with them, but that could change if people knew about the preferred seating for families.
Don’t write for yourself
In business blogging, you’re always writing for your customers first and your business second. Your personal needs have to come way down on your list of priorities. Remember that your goal is to get sales, draw in new clientele and boost business by informing readers, not sharing warm fuzzies.
As you start blogging, you’ll notice that when you blog about things that help your customers you’ll get more of them. And when you blog about how cool your company is, you won’t get any new customers.
Put your blog in its’ place
My first blog was a online marketing blog and I made the mistake of using it as a landing page. That meant visitors would land on the blog and think, “Oh, free tips on marketing, great!” I would have had them rather think, “Here’s an online marketing consultant that I can hire.”
A blog is an add-on feature, and you should treat it as such, marketing your blog and your business is just spreading yourself thin. You need one brand and not two separate brands as it will create confusion.
Remember your purpose
A business blog has one main goal: to get customers and sales. Blog about your products, your services, case studies, satisfied customer stories, specials, promotions, new releases… Your blog is a marketing tool for your business, so go ahead and promote in your posts.
Don’t be boring
Having a business blog doesn’t mean you need to be stiff. It’s okay to connect with potential customers on a personal level. Just be sensible about sharing, maintain a good balance of business information and shy away from writing whole posts about your kids or your favorite sport.
Try not to give away the farm
Blogs make it easy for people to pour out tons of free information, but free doesn’t make your business more money. Give away just enough information to demonstrate your knowledge and credibility to your readers, but reserve the actual techniques or how-tos for those who hire you, buy your product or sign up.
And if you decide that you want to give away some of your “secret sauce”, do so by releasing that information in a free ebook or whitepaper. And before people can download it, make them give you their name, email address, company name, and phone number. This way one of your sales people can follow up with them and convert them into a customer.
Don’t be afraid to ask
Feel comfortable telling people what you’d like them to do, because in many cases they won’t think of contacting you or clicking the buy button or signing up for more blog updates until you put the idea in their head. Use call-to-action in every post, if you can. Just change the wording so that it looks new and different.
Quality over quantity
Don’t market your blog to peers and colleagues as these people aren’t your ideal customer. Having them as readers might help boost your RSS subscriber numbers, but that won’t help you make sales. Find where your targeted prospects hang out and invite them to your blog instead.
You can also participate in relevant forums and blogs by commenting. Every blog that you are commenting on will ask you for your website URL. So as long as you are adding value to the conversation, people will click on over to your website and hopefully start reading your blog. Or better yet, become a new customer.
Conclusion
When blogging for business, your ultimate goal is to convert readers to buyers, so make sure that you put effort into helping achieve that conversion. Link to your sales pages within blog posts, talk about what you can do for people and play up that you’re a business with something to offer.
Remember that your blog shouldn’t be the main attraction. It’s just a gateway to help readers discover your business and get them excited about the bigger and better things you sell.
Look over my shoulder while I share: 
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Neil, This post couldn’t come at a better time! I’ve had a few clients these past few days ask me about what was appropriate for their blog. And I said more or less the above stuff. But now that you have put it in writing, I’ll definitely be forwarding this onto others.
Thanks!
That’s great….because that’s the type of stuff that’ll help their business grow. Thanks for forwarding it.
Great tips. Love the tip on not marketing your business and your blog separately but as one brand. Creating cohesion between the different facets of your business is a great thing.
Yep, it’ll make a drastic difference and help you succeed.
So very true… not to be promoting anything, but Eben Pagan does a wonderful job of this on his dating site. Content content content… but it’s sole purpose is to get you to want more and then take him up on his free trial offer. Nicely done.
I’ve noticed that, he does.
The one thing missing from your list is the need to have fun. If you dread writing blog posts like a 10 page school paper, you’re going to have trouble sustaining your efforts.
Thanks for letting me contribute comments.
Yeah I totally agree with that. Get excited about it and change the way you frame it.
Great post. You give a lot of good pointers for businesses just starting out with a business blog. I think the most important are to be professional and have a conversation. Thanks for the post.
You just need to be very engaging and make sure you connect with everyone.
Two things I disagree with. Otherwise great post.
1. “You can’t write your opinion on controversial topics ”
If you’re a thought leader, that’s what people expect of you, actually. And writing about controversial topics might end up winning you more customers than you scare away. 37 Signals is a great example of this. Controversy often ensues from confusion, and experts in the field are needed to clear things up and voice opinions that might put off others. But leaders in general often have to do this.
2. “Don’t market your blog to peers and colleagues as these people aren’t your ideal customer.”
Baloney. My peers and colleagues have vast networks that include prospects. Remain focused, yes. But don’t make your blog so slioed that it’ll never gain traction for fear of stepping out of market-targeted content.
1. Good point on number 1. 37 Signals does a great job of it.
2. Well that could be your peers but many people don’t have peers with big relevant networks. If that is the case, then by all means you should market your blog to your peers.
The tips you have laid out for business bloggers here are excellent, Neil. I think the trick with business blogging is to tie your posts into the bigger picture: who you really are and exactly what you can do for your customers.
And what I see happening with the bloggers I work with is a kind of disconnect between the helpful advice they are giving and what exactly they want their readers to do: the call to action. Since I made my blog my website, too, I am getting more coaching clients. Because they can read a meaty how-to post, follow my call to action and get connected to my services, all from the same page. So that call to action is very important and gets neglected sometimes.
The only thing I might have a different view on, and perhaps it is because I work with solopreneurs and not mid-sized businesses and corporations, would be the advice not to put your personality into your blog. I’m not talking cursing here (although Naomi over at Ittybiz.com seems to make it work), but if you are a coach or consultant or realtor, basically you ARE the business and people want to feel like they know you. So I think it’s fine, even advisable, to inject your personality, not just in your about page, in your posts as well. For me, it also helps me find my “right people,” the people I am meant to serve.
Am going to bookmark this and share it with others.
Thanks and yes I know what you mean. It’s your personality type and style of writing.
Humor is also a very strong component for most blogs. I am not talking about every post, but throw some laughs in every once in awhile to keep it interesting.
I agree, not necessary all the time but worth it some of the time.
Great points and really true. We try to follow most of these general principles and we have had great success. Will share with our audience as well.
Thanks I appreciate it you sharing it.
Thanks from the bottom of my heart for this post. I’m just starting out in this social-media-for-business thing and have been trying to find my ‘voice’ for my blog, but it’s been tough. Blogging for a business IS way different than a personal blog and I just really needed to hear these words of wisdom.
It is tough but it’s worth it as it goes a long way.
All good points here. The only thing that I do, that you say NOT to do is swear. However, I don’t swear and rant per se. If I do, it get’s bleeped out. It’s more a case of a NO. B.S approach towards the business, as that ‘NO. B.S’ is a core element to the brand (Fitness/Bodybuilding Niche). Sorry, but there is too much B.S out there for me to not enforce the NO B.S approach needed for visitors> Readers> Customers to succeed… for the long term!
I can appreciate that, but just know that you may be on thin ice.
I’ve had a few clients these past few days ask me about what was appropriate for their blog. And I said more or less the above stuff. But now that you have put it in writing, I’ll definitely be forwarding this onto others.
Yeah you should because most people often forget about pertinent information like that.
Hi,
Thanks for the tips, especially being professional when having a conversation because a lot of bloggers don’t do that.
Absolutely, glad it you appreciate it
Go ahead and stomach pain blogs. But you can not afford to ignore it because they are simply the most explosive outbreak in the information world since the Internet itself. And I will shake almost every business – including yours. Whether you are shipping paper clips, pork bellies, or videos of Britney in a bikini, blogs are a phenomenon that we can not ignore, postpone, or delegate. Given the changes to us, blogs are not a business option. They are a prerequisite.
I would not completely say “yes” to it but then yeah it surely provides competitive advantage and that is surely one of the requisites if you want to succeed in a longer run.
It pushes you forward and makes you work harder
I couldn’t have said it better, thanks.
Could you kindly Elaborate on the not marketing your blog and your website separately? I’m starting a Digital Agency I want it to have its own url but I want to start a blog that includes industry related content and general business content. What would you advice I do?
When I had my marketing company, ACS, I started a blog on a different domain (Pronet Advertising). People got confused on what name of the company was.
People thought Pronet Advertising was a separate company, when it was just a blog.
I would try to keep your blog on your main company domain name.
You make great points here. I like your reference to what would you think if the CEO of Nike were cursing on his blog. It wouldn’t come across too professional. the other thing you have to worry about which you touched on kind of is to not let your political or religious views come out in your business blog. That can harm you tremendously.
I believe that Creating cohesion between the different facets of your business is a great thing.
Yes, it helps and makes things a lot easier.
Yes.. for businesses it definitely will. I’m sure there are a few exceptions… but very few.
Another great article, Neil. I especially like the item, “Don’t Write for Yourself.” It’s funny how often I have to say to my web development students, “It’s not about you. It’s about your viewers.”
Another way to make it about your viewers/clients: write about them. I use my microblogging to brag about my students and clients. This weekend one of my serial students has an art show at a local gallery; so, I posted the announcement on Facebook -> Twitter -> LinkedIn. These are the kinds of things that make great blogs or Facebook posts.
lol, that’s a very clever idea, I like it
So true! Or, use technical jargon, but be sure to explain it, to let your viewers into the club too!
Its smart to dumb it down a bit because not everyone knows the technical terms.
Speak at an 8th grade level.
I agree with you Nora. Visitor should be able to understand the terms completely then only he will interact with you.
Yes, once they’re clear, it’s easier for them to decide.
Never assume people know what you’re talking about.
A big mistake a lot of people make is pay copywriters to write the blog posts and, a lot of the time, these guys are only worried about money and deliver a completely soulless post that has obviously been written with rankings in mind. It’s OK to have spelling mistakes, grammatical errors and be a little bit down-to-earth.
I’m a great believer in writing my own blog posts unless I really trust that the other person is passionate enough about the subject for it to be a genuinely interesting article.
You should because that’s what most people fall in love with and enjoy.
Good post and good points – I just finished a blog post for my business and only violated about 3 of your points – not bad for me. On my personal blog (which I destroyed when I opened my business) I posted my thoughts on the political issues of the day, on my business blog I stay as far away from politics as I can.
Good read thanks again.
Yeah, it’s best to stay far away from something like that as too many people are very sensitive about this issue.
hum.. business bloggers
maybe that is a profession already.
Loved the part “always sound successful”, +1 for that as nobody wants to be with loosers
Stay away from those people
They only bring your income level down.
I got a Twitter DM that suggested the opposite of what was on here and someone suggested.- be funny or personal.
The DM said, I won’t bore you with my personal stuff. I doubt I would be bored with just personal stuff per se. If it is interesting, it is interesting
I really just depends on you.
I’ll have to start looking to outsource this activity, I already have to many hats to wear.
Just be careful with who you choose.
Nice Post. I have primarily a web-development firm (site design is in progress). If I write programming related posts, it is attracting visitors from google, getting good links etc. But programmers are not my target audience.
So then should I have 2 seperate RSS Feeds for Technical and Business ? Or I should not blog about technical stuff at all ?
No, I would just have one. Your subscribers don’t have to read all of your posts… they can choose.
A big mistake a lot of people make is pay copywriters to write the blog posts and, a lot of the time.
Yeah, especially if they can’t capture their voice or personality
You can also give you clients a ebook for your products or services. Your brochure can also be given so that a visitor can easily explore more and you are not taken as promoter.
Right and that definitely helps you in the long run.
Very true my friend. I have both a business blog and a personal blog and they are both branded very differently in look, feel, topic and writing style.
Good for you.. it’s a bit harder at times, but you definitely need it.
I’m a full time blogger for a gift basket company and ironically enough my job is pretty simple because they are open to me blogging about nearly anything.
The audience is so diverse and the topic is so niched I can’t just blog about gifts on a daily basis. That’s why we have sections on the blogs like “other stuff” and “cool authors” and many others so I don’t run out of options.
Have a separate category, but your overall focus should be on one or two things.
Great tips you have here. When I’m writing for business. I keep in mind to always be formal because once I remove that formality then personal opinions and personal emotions set in. Remembering to be formal when dealing with business helps me a lot.
professionalism is key
I think values aspect matters a lot in a business blog. And when you say that quality and not quantity matters, I fully agree with you Niel.
Brilliant write-up once again! Cheers! Keep up the good work..
Even in any industry quality always matter and quantity will not matter but if you have quantity with quality then that is a best combination and that will make you successful.
Right, since it’s the most important factor that actually shows your interest, you got to put focus on it.
Thanks bud.. value is what it’s all about.
Nowadays it’s mandatory to have a blog and many bloggers don’t disclose that their tips are not applicable to business blogging.
~~Juan~~
You have to have one … and then you have to maintain it… which most people don’t do.
Neil, thank you sincerely for helping keep us in the business blogging community focused on our main task, contributing to the user experience in a way which will drive sales. My team will be reading this post immediately. The subject matter of my site ensures that emotions will be high, especially this election year, but so long as the passion drives reasoned, fair, objective, fact driven writing with credible sources to back us up, we should be viewed as responsible business people in a changing political environment. Be sure to keep us in the loop!
Ty Palmer :: Founder
Thanks Ty, I appreciate that. let me know what your team gets out of it.
I liked the post. There are several reasons to it, I have been thinking a lot about it. To start a blog for my company to attract more customers but I do not have courage.
The reasons to it are all of the above you mentioned in your post, I find it really hard to have an interesting article all the time. I know the frequency is not that important but keeping the subject same it becomes difficult to get the content.
You just need to bite the bullet and take action. Stop resisting.
Outsourcing blog could be an unnecessary expense because if you are providing the services then you know about your business (clients, customers) much more than the one who is just blogging for you.
Yeah it can help but then it comes down to how well they can mimic your style.
One more thing I noticed, Neil’s about me has changed and there are lot of big corporations listed now with which he had worked. Amazon, AOL, GM, HP – I am sure when I read this before few of these were not there.
Good Luck!
I think almost everyone is now blogging (business wise)
Feedback is really important despite it is of any nature and for anything i.e. service or product. Feedback helps in making you more perfect.
That allows you to understand where you need fix and alter your material.
Once again on point. I like the bit about not writing for yourself which is so true. Sometimes it is hard to leave ego out of posts. Bless Dr N
An untamed ego can be one of the hardest things to deal with. Keep your awareness high.
Good blog posts (in my experience) are the source of most of long tail keyword traffic and in fact some of the best converting landing pages (for the online store).
As long you are writing with the customers in mind (what they think, and what they want) you should be fine.
Long tail will definitely get you a stable traffic flow.
Getting into blog for business is important because it attracts potential customers especially when you are in an affiliate business and want to get some traffic.
Really good post… and I am not just tooting your horn. I really like these points:
Blog unity: Between blog and business.
Blog has a purpose: Get sales and customers (promote business)
I do think that your blog should have some passion though. Maybe not rants and raves, but passion for sure injected on some post. I think it makes the blog easy to read & lets your customers (readers) know that you do take a stance. But I agree that if it will cause you to lose customers (with very few exceptions), then you shouldn’t post it on your business blog.
People need to learn the difference between the two and blog accordingly.
Oh yeah, that’s what I meant to ask you: Does Southwest do family seating? Cause I have never heard of that… and that is a great dang idea
They do… but you have to wait after group A boards.
Even if it is revenue, do you think someone will sell for that price?
yes… someone would always sell for the right price.
Hi,
Thanks for the tips, especially being professional when having a conversation because a lot of bloggers don’t do that…
Glad to
I agree although I would add that I think it is extremely difficult to make a business blog fun. Doing it for yourself and making jokes, silly asides and other random observations is great fun but doing it for a corporate with all of their rules and regs, something quite different and I for one can’t do it that way.
It is difficult no doubt, but the one’s who are creative enough to figure it out are the ones who make it a success.
I don’t have a business yet but am planning to turn my blog into a business. I’m guilty of some of the things you stated and that’s probably the reason why my traffic has dropped lately.
Fully agree with you Neil. Implementing Long tail keywords are
best way to drive huge traffic. I am pretty much pleased with your good work.You put really very helpful information. Keep it up…
Thanks Ladder, glad you found it useful!
You are right but since Google introduced Instant Search it seems that long keyword aren’t so productive anymore because of that. I’ve seen some bloggers complaining about it and I really don’t see the benefit of this move made by Google.
My blog traffic from Google is roughly the same. I am still getting traffic for long tail keywords and phrases that I don’t rank on page 1 of Google for.
Thanks for this.. almost broke a couple of the ‘rules’!!
Don’t worry, it’s common for a lot of people to do this.
“Blogging: It’s not so simple when it’s for a business”
Not only for business also for Other aspects.
Right exactly, so it’s important to know the difference.
Great post! Thanks for bringing this to light as it is a much needed discussion. Business blogging, like all aspects of social media marketing for business, requires planning. By having a road map for content, context and business value blogging for business will become a natural extension of the company’s strategy. To me, it all starts with a plan for how and why to use social tools in the first place. We’ve spent a great deal of time formulating turnkey tools that can help a company assess their readiness for social marketing as well as decide which platforms, ie., blogging, make sense based on their specific business drivers. I invite folks to visit our site @socialoutsource.com. Social media marketing for business must have measurable business value. Feeling good about being transparent and ‘social’ doesn’t cut it when it comes to allocating budgets. Like any tangible marketing strategy, to do it right takes $$.
Right, you can just right something, tweet it to a couple thousand people and expect it blow up. It takes time, effort, and energy trying to strategically come up with the right stuff.
I like quality over quantity because that’s what people keep forgetting is the gold on your blog. Your influence is on writing and not a whole lot of writing.
1 amazing blog can bring you more traffic than 20 decent ones.
In a few businesses, I just can’t help blogging about myself and the company (maybe its an ego problem) when yes, as you’ve said, i should focus on the customers.
Sometimes, I try to manage expectations by saying the business is new and profits aren’t rolling in..yet..but maybe that will work against me as it doesn’t inspire confidence..hmm..maybe because i’m Asian..
It’s easy to get caught up in your own head… what you need to do is acknowledge it and stop it.
A question Neil, if you can share plz.. who does these grpahics for you.. as in the image that precedes all blog posts.. I think some of them are quite awesome..
I find them on google images
Neil,
I believe if you have a business, and you choose to have a business blog, then it is ab0ut one simple thing… getting ROI.
If you’ve got good metrics you’ll be able to see; Visits, Leads & Customers, but more importantly the conversion rate between each step. Every marketing effort with regard to your blog can then be checked against the metrics. Did this latest change work or not? Am I improving conversion or making it worse?
I understand your point about ‘avoiding sensitive topics’, although I’m not yet sure how far you can push this to work in your favor. Others can make this work well even in a business sense. i.e. Making a controversial point will get supporters and haters, and generate larger interest… thus larger supporters… and potential customers (you’ll just need to learn to live with haters, not everyone will like you).
Yes, you can please all the people sometimes, some people all the time, but you can’t please all the people all of the times.
I like quality over quantity because that’s what people keep forgetting is the gold on your blog.
You’re better off with 2 quality posts than 50 decent posts.
Oh but its so tempting to write about the bad clients. Really tell people what they’re all about!
And I agree talking positively about your business is best but when economic times are tough you do want to still let people know you are looking for new connections and clients. I’d say it’s a fine line.
hahah I’m sure it’s tempting, but it’s definitely a no-no. People would rather do business with positive up-lifting people rather than the opposite.
I believe a forum is always a better option than a blog when trying to create additional content and using it as a medium of interaction with customers and between customers.
Forums do take a very long time to gain power and effectiveness.
A blog is always a better option. It drives more traffic and as Neil said it can climb up in the ranks much faster. More people would like a blog more than a forum because it is much easier to read and to interact with.
Awesome post Neil. Many business owners have no idea about the things you mentioned here and are using their blog in the wrong way. I really enjoyed reading this post and I retweeted it.
Glad you thought it was useful John. Yes, most people have no clue, that’s why I figured this could be helpful
This is the reason I like your blog. You are always writing about things that can really make a difference for a business and things that you experienced yourself. I always enjoy reading your posts.
That’s the goal here… share with you my mistakes and successes so you’ll have an easier time reaching your success.
Definitely right blogging is an art to share your personal experience on the web…
You can literally share anything you want with anyone any where which is why it’s so powerful.
Hey Neil,
do you have a list of blogs that you activley take part in?
Not really. The most common blog I visit is TechCrunch.com.
Business blogging and Niche blogging are two separate arts that require the same fundamentals. The sense of purpose is different in each type of blog. It is definitely not easy.
True, bother are not easy, but generally it’s a similar concept.
Updating the content regularly is very essential to keep your clients interested. There’s no point in writing long stories. Your message should be crystal clear in a simple language.
Very true, because the more simple it is, the easier it is for others to understand.
Neil, when you said “I would have had them rather think, “Here’s an online marketing consultant that I can hire.””
…what’s the best way to have your readers think that, other than in the About and Services page?
Also, when you said ….”A blog is an add-on feature, and you should treat it as such, marketing your blog and your business is just spreading yourself thin. You need one brand and not two separate brands as it will create confusion.”
…if marketing both the blog and business would spread yourself too thin..what would you recommend a business do if they still want a blog? have someone else take care of that for them or? and your statement just refers to offline businesses correct? Appreciate it if you could elaborate in more details..
1. By placing a hire me tab/button in the sidebar.
2. I recommend that the business add the blog to their website. So it would be http://www.yourdomain.com/blog.
1. would you re-direct the “hire me” button to a landing page w/ survey to qualify or just my services page?
You can, I would try both to see what converts better.
I have read here some important points which used by blogger for promoting their own blog or site. If you have more knowledge for new business in blogger then share with us.
I absolutely will
Yes this not for those who don’t know the background of his or her business. Only they are not able to write blog for business else this is not tough matter for write about our business
Right, you need to find someone that has the appropriate style.
If we have some knowledge we can update it easily
Hi Neil
Thanks for this post. I have been thinking about what I can do to increase my blogs popularity and you have just pointed out the business value of a blog. Thats basically what I want for my blog. I came up with an idea of creating a title category. “My Daily Journal Of Discourses” The purpose of this idea is to let readers know what I was doing everyday.
Now that I have read your post I might go back to my blog and delete the title as it may not have any relevance to my daily business dosage. Just my own thoughts learnt that day.
I definately agree with quality over quantity. From my experience and looking at other blogs, It seems to be that more readers tend to look at quality information. Just imagine writing quality articles everyday. Makes a lot of sense to me.
I also need to write for my customers first. This also makes sense. Customers are looking for that extra appeal. For example when a customer comes to my blog, the questions I should be thinking to myself is:”what value is my website providing”?Is the content I am selling useful for the customers needs or is my blog just full of all sorts of stuff?
I am now starting to understand where your coming form Neil. Focus more on the customer and not on myself or my website filling up with unneccessary content.”Focus On My Customers”.
Choice Neil
All the best
Richard
Right on the dot. Focusing on your customers is essential. Thanks for your input, it always valuable Richard.
Great post, Neil. When blogging for a business it’s indeed harder than when doing it just for fun. You have to be focused on your business and your clients first. If the client likes what they get, they’ll definitely come back the second time. If you really want to share some personal story and/or something else that is not business related, you might create a special section on your blog for personal issues.
Definitely! You are right on track with those thoughts, thanks!
If you have more knowledge for new business in blogger then share with us. I am looking for that.
I most definitely will
I have not checked in here for some time as I thought it was getting boring, but the last several posts are good quality so I guess I’ll add you back to my everyday bloglist. You deserve it my friend
Thanks Chien, glad you enjoy the posts
Ideas circulate as fast as scandal. Potential customers are out there, sniffing around for deals and partners. While you may be putting it off, you can bet that your competitors are exploring ways to harvest new ideas from blogs, sprinkle ads into them.
And most important I love Neil’s Ideas
Blogging is the best way to promote own business if you are new in this market, because it is free to use by some online tool. But it is also so risky when you do the job for other
The one thing missing from your list is the need to have fun. If you dread writing blog posts like a 10 page school paper, you’re going to have trouble sustaining your efforts.
Great post. You give a lot of good pointers for businesses just starting out with a business blog. I think the most important are to be professional and have a conversation. Thanks for the post.
Really great article Neil…and straight to the point might I add.
The problem when blogging for a business is that a lot of people usually over analyze the situation and the topic and thus causes confusions in more ways than one.
The topic should be researched, thought through, written, checked and published.
It’s funny, I’ve had similar thoughts on a number of occasions but never thought to blog about the business blogging thought process. And I’ve always liked the idea of being very open as business, but there is a fine line to walk between being a very transparent business and giving away information that should be confidential. One of the reasons I still blog about my business is that it helps me reflect and gain perspective on my experiences.
Wordpress will help you in our blogging problems. I also suggest to use G headshot software to promote your blog.
I need improve my controversial subjects in my blogs. Good point Neil…
Thanks, I hope you are able to implement these tips on your blog.
Yeah sure Neil
Best of luck.
Excellent advice, especially about writing for your customers. Usually a personal blog is about “you” and what you want to write, but business is more about touching your customer’s needs and giving them great information that applies to the business or industry. Great post, thanks Neil.