Getting your company up and running is only the first stage of having your own business. Now you have to get the word out about who you are and what you do. A great way to do that is by blogging.
I can feel the collective groan from all of you, and I totally understand. With all that you have to do, it feels like there’s no more room on your plate. But as I said before, you don’t want to have the world’s best product that no one has ever heard of. You have to do something to get the word out, and blogging has a lot of upsides for brand new businesses.
1. Blogging is free It really and truly is free, always and forever, not just during a trial period. There are a lot of good blog hosts out there, and for the most part, they are pretty much the same. Of course, you can always pay a monthly fee to upgrade, but that’s not necessary for your purposes. Here are some sites to check out: www.wordpress.com, www.blogger.com, and www.typepad.com. If you want to do more research, Google “blog hosts”. There are a gazillion out there.
2. Blogging is a great way to relay info about your business You can blog about sales, new products or services, or special discount codes for your readers. The trick here is to blog on a regular basis, at least twice a week. Just like a website or a Facebook page, if there are long periods of inactivity, people will stop checking. Stale web pages are depressing. When you keep the info fresh people will make it a habit to check in, or even put your blog on an RSS feed.
3. Blogging builds relationships with customers A blog has a personal feel and the immediacy of it gives people the sense that they are a part of what you are doing. Customers will start to feel connected to you and, subsequently, your business. When people can put a face to a business they are more interested in seeing it succeed.
4. Blogging is search engine friendly Most blog sites have built in SEO (search engine optimization) tools, so keywords in your blog appear in search engines faster and at a higher rank than from a regular website. This helps bring people who are searching specifically for your products to your blog site.
4. Blogging showcases you as an expert Writing a blog can show off your knowledge of your industry. Also, as you research topics to write about, you become even more of an authority on your business. This will give your customers (and potential customers) confidence in you and your service or product.
I’ll be honest with you, blogging does require an investment of your time, but it gets easier as you go along. If you are only writing 2-3 times a week, it is completely manageable. Frequently, topics sort of fall into your lap, but sometimes you have to look around for one. That's ok, though, because then you're sure to stay on top of developments in your industry. When you start blogging you’ll be surprised how much you learn and how much you already know.
Here are a few business blogs, so you can see how different people approach the process. Enjoy reading them, and then get started on your own.
For The Body Patisserie: (PS I just received my second order of lotion. L-o-v-e it!) http://welcometothebodypatisserie.blogspot.com/
For Shabby Cottage Shops: http://www.shabbycottageshops.blogspot.com/
For Bebe Dulce Aspen: http://www.bebedulceaspen.blogspot.com/
I love how just two months ago you weren't into blogging, and here you are touting the perks. Way to go girl!
You know how much I love blogging and I can't help but recommend it to anyone and everyone I meet. There are some definite perks that come along with blogging on a regular basis.
@katytafoya