Blow Away the Fog and Get Clear -- Why Your Business Needs a Blog

 

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Blow Away the Fog and Get Clear -- Why Your Business Needs a Blog
Written By: Teresa Mitchell, Wendy Ogryzek, June Bachman ~ 9/5/2008

You’ve heard about them … you've seen them ... heck - you've probably even read a few!  But you still may feel as though you are in the fog when it comes to blogs.  Well bWyse has pull out the big fans, and are about to blow away the mystical fog clouding up your clear understanding.  This month’s article will help you determine not only if the benefits and advantages of having a blog work for you - but also how to go about putting a blog together

Short for "Web Log," a blog is an online diary of sorts.  A business blog is simply another way to communicate with your customers, while promoting your business.  It is a place where you and your employees share, and exchange, knowledge and unique perspectives; as well as give away useful information.  A blog is a great place to begin conversations.

How to get started

Every successful project begins with a vision.  When you tapped into your entrepreneurial spirit and your savings account to start your business, you had a vision of what your business would do, what niche it would fulfill, and how you would serve your clients better than your competition.  You need a similar vision for your blog.  What is it that you want to achieve with your blog?  Some suggestions include:

  • Build a reputation as a thought leader in your industry
  • Sell more products
  • Provide timely, accurate information based on your experience and expertise
  • Get more clients for your services
  • Find fame
  • Launch a nationwide campaign

By creating the vision for your blog, you are creating a context and focus for the content. 

Who, What and How Often

You next need to determine what to say, who’s going to say it … and how often will it be said.

  • What is your blog going to say?  Not only do you want to consider the various topics of your blogs, but also think about the style.  Will your blog be fun – or straight-laced?  Be sure to find your voice.
  • Who is going to say it?  Who is the best person to write the blog?  Choices include the CEO, a spokesperson from PR, the business owner, a customer service representative.
  • How often are you going to say it?  First and foremost, pick a frequency and stick to it.  Pick a time frame that you know you can live by, even if it is only once per month.  You want to create an expectation with your readers, and then meet the expectation regularly.  However, keep in mind, in terms of having a fresh, energetic blog that the search engine spiders visit regularly, the best frequency to strive for is three times per week.

Grab Your Pen ... um ... I Mean Keyboard

A blog post should be narrow in focus (squint your eyes if you have to or create an outline) not rambling thoughts on a variety of topics: one main idea or one solution to one problem.  Keep posts short, concise and start with the end goal in mind.  Be sure to encourage and inspire readers to post comments on your blog.

  • Good blog posts:
    • focus on one main idea or topic related to your service or industry
    • provide useful information about upcoming events, products, trends, features or solve a problem
    • are written from your unique perspective and voice
    • teach your audience something
    • make it easy to contact the author
    • are directly related to your business or industry
    • create an opportunity for dialog with your customers
  • Good blogs:
    • create a sense of community between and among your readers
    • provide users a way to subscribe to your posts
    • have content added regularly
    • are not advertisements, sales brochures or a traditional website
    • are a nontraditional way to effectively communicate, have a dialog with your customers
    • are a fantastic way to brand you as a knowledgeable, reliable resource in your industry
    • provide an opportunity for your clients to comment or question your posting

Advantages and Benefits of Blogging

With over 110,000,000 blogs on the internet, there are clear benefits to adding a blog to your website.  Businesses blog for a number of reasons but especially to help grow their business online … as well as:

  • creating an opportunity for two-way communication with clients
  • extending sales support and customer service  to clients
  • easily displaying searchable web content and information on your website by topic and category
  • showing your company as innovative and open
  • creating a voice for the company that is a “real person”
  • encouraging customer feedback

Call Now – Operators are Standing By

If you are ready for the next step … and want to add a blog module to your website … call bWyse now!  (425-885-9976)  We have a terrific blog module and will hold your hand through the entire process.

Be sure to check out next month’s newsletter, where we will continue our blog conversation  …  Part II … How to tell the world about your blog!


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