Blogs- Yes, you do need to blog and here is why

When you mention the word blogging, many people get a glazed look on their face .  People say to me,  ”  Han, I am so busy, it is just another thing on my list to do, and what would I write about?  Why bother? ”  Blogging can help you with SEO, make you an authority in your field, make you smarter, and allow you to give back to the community.  Now seriously folks, who wouldn’t love to do that?

Part 1 – What is the Point?

1. Instant SEO: Google loves fresh content,  and it will quickly index your blog content to give it an automatic boost to your search engine ranking.
2. Lay the Groundwork for the Sale before the Sale: People get to know you, your product, and industry updates. As long as you have quality information that  is relevant and helps enrich your customers’  knowledge, you become an expert.
3. Link Building: If you are providing quality information you will begin to establish links to others in the industry and therefore, again boost your SEO rankings.
4. Give Back: Do you enjoy sharing your knowledge with people and helping them out?  Blogging helps you do just that. You can answer a question, give an opinion on a new product or just make someone laugh about something in your industry. In any case, blogging gives you a platform to help people, share knowledge and give yourself a mental boost.  Moreover, you may learn something new in your industry, while trying to help your readers.

Part 2 – OK, OK, I get this is something I should be doing now, but really, what would I write about?

1.  What are your customers asking you? – Is there a question or topic that seems to baffle your customers?  Find it and give them the answers they seek.

2.  What are your customers looking for? -You can look up Google keyword tools to see what popular subjects people are searching.   You can then  utilize those topics as blog posts.  For instance, if you are a Landscaping company and you look up key words, you may find that people are more interested in organic gardening as opposed to traditional gardening.  You may find that brick patios are more searched for than wood decks.  This can give you are starting off point if you absolutely have no idea.

3.  What is new in the industry? – If you are in shoe sales, talk about the latest shoe trends, who is wearing them and what colors are in this season.

4.  Ask a question? – Social Media is wonderful in that it is open, transparent, and you are always learning,.  Don’t be afraid to ask a question that can help others too!  Ask for your readers opinions on a topic that is controversial or not clearly defined in the industry.

5.  Post something personal or funny that happened to you that relates to your business or makes a relevant point. People love a good story!

Don’t be afraid to go out there and enjoy yourself  Some people may love you, others not, but nobody is going to find you unless you get out there!  Go for it and keep us posted here at Chatterbox Social Media on how its going or if you are hitting any stumbling blocks.