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While blogs are often thought of as a medium for individual expression, they have become increasingly important in the business world. In fact, according to a 2013 infographic by Social Media Today, small businesses that have blogs end up generating 126 percent more leads than those without.
In addition, blogging is a great way for businesses to establish authority, increase traffic, and engage with potential customers.
However, while a business blog can be an incredibly valuable tool; many small business owners use them incorrectly and end up making costly mistakes. To help your business blog be successful, here are three common mistakes and how to avoid them.
Being Inconsistent
When it comes to having a business blog, one major no-no is being inconsistent. Whether it’s posting haphazardly or not having a content schedule at all, this mistake is often due to inexperience or insufficient foresight.
While running a business is demanding, setting up a blog and then not doing anything with it isn’t going to help you reach your business goals.
Increased web traffic and customer engagement doesn’t happen overnight. After all, would you keep visiting a blog when it obviously hasn’t been updated in months? For most people, that answer is a clear “no”.
In addition, being inconsistent with your blogging can also affect visitors’ impression of your company. The typical line of thinking goes like this: If this business isn’t capable of, or doesn’t care enough, to manage its own blog, then do I really trust them to provide me with a good product or quality service?
Needless to say, giving potential customers any reason to question your reliability isn’t the best way to start a business relationship.
Not Targeting an Audience
Similar to being inconsistent, chances are that if your business blog isn’t targeted to a specific audience, then it probably isn’t holding the interest of anyone at all.
Even if you feel like everyone could love your product or service, trying to create content that is simultaneously compelling to teenagers, working adults, college students, and grandparents is pretty much impossible.
Most small business owners inherently understand this. Nevertheless, too many still try and make their web content speak to anyone and everyone.
Instead, for a more successful blog, businesses need to provide content that is fine tuned to what their ideal customer base is interested in.
Consider, for example, that you run a small business selling pet treats. Your blog posts should then cover what pet owners specifically want to know, such as what types of treats are best for their dog, how to better care for their pets, what to feed them (besides your treats) and how to groom them properly.
When you start to think about what interests your ideal client have and how they relate to your business you can come up with some really great content to share on your blog.
Too Much Advertising
Let’s be honest. No one likes being bombarded with ads. In fact, whether it’s pop up ads or door-to-door salesmen, this type of behavior tends to only irritate people.
As a result, avoid turning your business blog into an overt, or thinly veiled form of advertising. Not only do the majority of blog readers only care about what’s in it for them, but modern consumers are very good at sensing if you’re only interested in their money. Just focus on providing quality content and let any financial benefits naturally flow your way.
If you need help with a new website, SEO, Blogging or Social Media, give us a call at 877-334-8022. We’d love to help you!
To your success!
Ken Partain
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