Article by Kelly Gregorio of Advantage Capital Funds.
These days it seems like business blogging is on every entrepreneur’s radar. In fact, with increasing competition, customer interaction and the ability to build brand loyalty and trust, it can feel more like a requirement to post.
However, even if you’ve already hopped onto the business blogging bandwagon, it doesn’t necessarily mean that you are thrilled with the process. As time ticks on, you may be wondering how you can make things more interesting for both you and your audience.
If you’re looking to refresh your longstanding tactics, look no further. Just read on to discover the four tips that will bring your business blog back to life!
Insightful Interviews
One quick way to change up your blog content is to invite in another voice, and thereby another point of view. Consider hosting an interview on your blog with an industry expert, a relevant source or just someone with an interesting perspective you think would entertain your readers.
Not only will your audience appreciate a fresh point of view, but the back and forth conversation style of interviews may even encourage more people to comment, share and interact with your article. As always, keep the wants and needs of your audience at the forefront of your thoughts – find an interviewee that is willing to stick around and interact with comments once the post goes live.
Image created by Libby Levi for opensource.com
Repetitions and Rewards
One thing your blog might be missing is branding opportunities. Consider picking one day a week to report on a specialized niche topic. For example, Lesson Learned Wednesdays could be when you share a past experience and point out the lesson learned. Refresher Course Fridays could focus on topics your audience may already be familiar with but are in need of some new insight. People appreciate consistency and posts that they can count on. Figure out an angle that your readers respond to (or that you are the most passionate about) and get to categorizing content one day a week.
Encourage interaction with your new effort by offering a reward for the most relevant customer comment. For example, whoever shares their best lesson learned will get 10% off their next purchase or free shipping on an order. The goal is to share great content while increasing the probability of audience engagement.
A Splash of Self-Promotion
This may feel like the breaking of a golden blogging rule, don’t use the space to sell, but in actuality we’re just suggesting that you bend it… a little. For two out of every 20 posts you write, consider (when feasible) a simple way to match up your usable, action-oriented content with a light nudge toward your products/services.
As always you’ll still be providing valuable, usable content. However, these occasional posts will also include a link that points to a relevant product or service that you are currently offering. A move like this must be made in caution, takeaways still have to come out as the heavy hitter; the sell should only compliment and correspond to the content at hand.
Behind the Scene Shots
Personality is the missing ingredient in many social media situations, especially blogs. Unlike Facebook and Instagram, it’s easy for blogs to fall into a straight black and white content format.
Consider opting for your own pictures of your store front or staff as a way to let readers into your reality. Linking to videos or uploading sound clips are a few other ways you can deliver your message from a refreshing perspective. Audiences will appreciate the change of pace; and with personal content, your chances for loyalty and making a lasting connection only increase.
What business blogging tips do you have to share?
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Kelly Gregorio writes about small business topics while working at Advantage Capital Funds, a provider of merchant cash advances. You can read her daily business blog here.