Building a business blog is a great online marketing tool for finding new customers and networking online. Once you have set up your own blog, either on your own domain name and website or off site like http://www.blogger.com, it's time to start posting effective blog entries that draw visitors.
How?
Follow these 10 steps to a better business blog!
Strong Post Titles
Title your posts for grabbing readers attention and help search engines find your blog. Every blog post has a title. Make each title strong, concise with your most important key word first in the title. This title is the heading that others see first through RSS readers so make it a grabbing headline.
Example: Stuffable Teddy Bears with Noah's Ark Workshop or AmeriPlan - Latest Bonus Opportunity.
Strong Post Introduction
Start your actual blog entry with the same key words, phrase as your title. Think of it as reinforcing your theme of your post to your readers but it will also help with search engines and RSS readers that display your blog may include the first few lines of your latest post.
Make your blog informative.
Teach your readers and consumers. Share your knowledge to help them make informed decisions. No Hype - avoid making your blog post an advertisement. Avoid sounding like an advertisement ~ internet surfers are wise to the language of SALES.
Become a resource.
Through consistent effective blogging, you will establish yourself as an expert in your area whether it's about cooking or candles, home decor or direct sales. Present your blog posts in a way that invites discussion with an email address for readers to contact you for more information or answer questions.
Create a Dynamic Blog
Encourage feedback. A blog with comments, feedback, discussions will create more visitors and establish your blog as dynamic and interactive. A static blog that simply has post after post of self discussion is much less effective as a marketing tool so work to make your blog shine. Within your post invite your readers to click-thru for more information on whatever you are discussing. This will bring visitors to your own website to see product, read more and potentially create sales.
Make your business blog a big part of your marketing
Discipline yourself to blog frequently. Essentially, train yourself in the same manner you use to post your ads through your online groups. Create a new blog entry even 2-3 short paragraphs several times a week. At a minimum, blog weekly. Publishing a new blog entry 3-5 times a week will keep your blog being read, crawled by search engines and creating headlines on the RSS feeds which is what you want.
Think Search Engines when blogging
Work to use a few important key words over and over within each blog entry. Consistent use of the same key words that internet surfers use to search will build up page after page of these search relevant key words in your blog. When you have a blog with 15 posts in your blog with titles and blog entries about soy candles, scents, safety and specials - search engines will read your blog as it would a website.
A blog with several posts (pages) on the same subject with the same key words but unique content will give you search engine traffic that you can learn to funnel to your own website or direct sales company website.
Publish your own articles on your business blog
Post your own articles to your blog, complete with resource box and permission to publish with resource box intact. Your own articles will give you further credibility and build readership. Other than your own website, your business blog is the perfect venue to you to publish your thoughts, ideas, and business plans through articles and business writing.
Use your blogs links section
The links section of your blog give your readers the opportunity to explore your websites, your newsletter, services and products further after they have read your latest post. Make sure your blog links section clearly directs readers to your own website but also to sign up for your newsletter or read other blogs you have online.
Be sure to PING!
Finally, take the time to understand how to ping your blog. Whether you are using a ready made blogging system like Blogger or your own blog set up on your website - every time you publish your blog you have one more step before your work is done! The absolute minimum is to submit your blog each time to Ping-o-matic http://www.pingomatic.com Your latest blog will be sent out to a number of feeds and blog services for online publication.
When you are ready to begin actively promoting your blog, you will move beyond using only Ping-o-matic as your announcement for your business blog.
Remember to keep your business blog ever focused on your readers, your target market. Your blog will be found by both RSS readers AND search engines following these 10 steps to a better blog!
Tammy Ames is the owner of WAHM Connections bringing home business learning to striving entrepreneurs. You can visit her blog at WAHM Connections here WAHM Blog for home business owners.