Guest post by Charity Cason (learn more about Charity at the end of this article)
In this age of social media and blogging, it’s more important than ever to make sure that your blog is marketing your business effectively 24 hours a day. There are so many mistakes that new bloggers make which can be easily avoided from the outset. Let’s face it; business people are good at what they do, but they aren’t always good at marketing online. The online world is a totally different animal when it comes to marketing, so take these tips to heart and make changes that will create a thriving blog marketing machine.
Content Is King
First, you’ve got to make your content it exciting and engaging for the reader. No one wants to come and read huge, long blocks of black and white text. Give people something useful that they can take away and use immediately.
Use subheadings, bullet points and personal stories to relate your message. People don’t have much time when they’re online. They tend to scan content, so make sure that your biggest points stand out and are concise and to the point.
Social Media Rules the World
Blogs that don’t have social media icons for sharing are doomed to failure. You need to have others sharing your content with their own networks of friends and family, as well as business colleagues.
Make sure that you have Twitter and Facebook share buttons on all of your posts. Give people a way to connect with you by joining your Facebook page or Twitter followers. If you want to connect with other business people, make sure to also have a place where they can sign up for your LinkedIn network.
Interact on Other Blogs
It’s also important not to put yourself in a “blog bubble” by never going and commenting on other people’s blog posts. It’s so easy to go read other blog posts in related fields and make comments while leaving a link to your blog.
When you can offer comments of value to a blog owner’s readers, you start to set yourself apart as an expert in your niche.
Don’t Ignore Your Own Tribe of Fans
When people are making comments on your blog, it’s important to join in the conversation. Often, people commenting on your blog will be surprised that you’re actually reading what they have to say and interacting with them. Remember that the original purpose of a blog is to interact and engage other people. You don’t want your readers to think that you have a stagnant website that you don’t monitor or read on a regular basis.
Make a List
When you’re writing your blog post, make sure to do lots of list templates. In other words, write a blog post such as, “10 Things You Can Do To Wow Them With Your Resume” or “5 Ways to Organize Your Office”, etc. People love these kinds of articles because it gives them a quick snapshot of information that they can take away and use.
Add an RSS Link
Make sure that you put a link somewhere on your site where people can add you to their RSS feeds. Often, people consume their daily news and updated blog posts using RSS readers. It’s important that you make it easy for people to get your content quickly every single day.
These are only a few of the ways that you can make sure that your blog is more successful with each passing year. Remember this is your own online real estate, so you want it to go up in value year after year. By interacting and engaging your readers, your business will grow faster and flourish on the social media platforms.
About the Author
Charity Cason is an author and online business trainer. She helps women create and grow online businesses that will thrive now and in the future. Her background as a TV Journalist and multi-million dollar real estate agent and broker has given her the knowledge to help other women live their dreams. You can find her 24 part audio interview series with successful female online entrepreneurs at http://CharityCason.com/marketinginterviews.
Susan Gunelius
Susan Gunelius is the Founder and Editor-in-Chief of Women on Business. She is a 30-year veteran of the marketing field and has authored a dozen books about marketing, branding, and social media, including the highly popular Ultimate Guide to Email Marketing, 30-Minute Social Media Marketing, Content Marketing for Dummies, Blogging All-in-One for Dummies and Kick-ass Copywriting in 10 Easy Steps. Susan’s marketing-related content can be found on Entrepreneur.com, Forbes.com, MSNBC.com, BusinessWeek.com, and more. Susan is President & CEO of KeySplash Creative, Inc., a marketing communications company. She has worked in corporate marketing roles and through client relationships with AT&T, HSBC, Citibank, Intuit, The New York Times, Cox Communications, and many more large and small companies around the world. Susan also speaks about marketing, branding and social media at events around the world and is frequently interviewed by television, online, radio, and print media organizations about these topics. She holds an MBA in Management and Strategy and a Bachelor of Science degree in Marketing and is a Certified Professional Career Coach (CPCC).
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