Content IS king.
Try running any successful online business online without content. It’s just not going to work.
And one of the most effective ways to deliver that content is through blogging. Here are some stats that prove it:
- 77% of people who use the internet read blogs (Impact).
- 346 million people around the globe read blogs (the future buzz).
- American internet users spend three times more time reading blogs than they spend reading emails (HubSpot).
- 79% of people who shop online spend half their time researching products online (HubSpot).
- As of 2016, 36% of Fortune 500 companies had a public blog (Statista).
- 89% of companies believe blogging will grow more important over the next five years (Impact).
- Marketers who focus on blogging as a priority are 13 times more likely to see a positive ROI (HubSpot).
- Leads from SEO have a close rate of 14.3%, compared to a close rate of 1.7% for email or print advertising (Search Engine Journal).
Clearly, blogging is not only important —it’s a game changer.
And blogs are THE BEST way to rank organically in search engines. They are the best SEO (Search Engine Optimization) strategy, hands down. Google, Bing and every other search engine LOVES blogs.
And the best part about all this is that blogging is so easy.
It isn’t necessary to be incredibly tech savvy. It isn’t necessary to be an amazing writer. All that’s needed is the ability to provide people with quality content they value. The rest will fall into place.
Having said that, let’s start at the beginning…
What Is a Blog?
In the late 1990s, people started writing web logs, which soon became known as blogs.
These days, regular people, celebrities, companies, and politicians all use blogging as a way to communicate and talk about their experiences. A blog is simply…
A website that is constantly updated with new articles.
Each article is a blog post. People can write about anything. They can write about:
- Their travel experiences
- Products they like
- Business reviews
- Their hobby
- Their job
- The books they have read
- Literally ANYTHING else!
Blogs can be personal or professional. They can contain opinion or fact (or both).
And guess what? You’re reading a blog right now.
Businesses big and small are beginning to see the advantages to blogging.
But here is another perspective on blogging…
It’s the new form of magazine or newspaper that anyone can run. Blogging offers a unique way for a person to get information out to their target audience. And anyone can subscribe to a blog for FREE.
Plus, blogs seriously drive traffic. And that is a MAJOR benefit.
Why Blogging Drives So Much Traffic
Blogs are content—content that is rich in keywords.
And those keywords help blogs rank high in the search engines.
The keyword usage in blogs means that it’s easy to use search engine optimization to ensure they rank high. All that’s needed is a little bit of effort on a consistent basis and a blog can really take off.
Now, the value of SEO cannot be overstated. Many people think SEO is dead. It’s not. Far from it. SEO has simply evolved—thanks to the many changes Google has made to its search engine algorithms over the years. All you need for effective SEO is to:
- Write good posts consistently
- Use effective target keywords
- Get social buzz
SEO = Free traffic over the long term.
And that’s powerful!
It’s like having free traffic that comes with just a little effort and patience and builds over time. And blogging provides some amazing opportunities to build a business.
Opportunities With Blogging
No matter what type of business it may be—blogging can take it to the next level.
Blogging can be used with ANY type of online or offline business. It can be used for ecommerce, coaching/consulting, digital publishing or any other business model.
A blog can be combined with the business website to bring more traffic, provide great information and engage the customer.
Now, there are two major advantages to having a blog associated with a business. The first is that the blog provides the ability to build both the brand and credibility.
By posting articles that are valuable and informative, a brand – and the person behind that brand – can build a reputation for being an expert in that industry. Through connecting with other experts, guest blogging, and providing up-to-date information, credibility grows.
The second major thing a blog does is help a business owner reach more people. Like I mentioned above, people love blogs. A whopping 77% of people who use the internet read blogs.
And when people read a blog, the business that runs the blog can connect with their readers and develop a relationship with them. Readers can use the comments section to engage in conversation, ask questions, and tell about their own experiences.
Building this relationship with readers helps build trust.
And people buy from businesses and brands they trust.
Any business that wants to succeed CANNOT pass up the opportunities blogging offers.
And starting a blog can be so quick and easy.
How To Quickly Get a Blog Up And Running
It is possible to have a blog up and running in just minutes.
All you need is to:
- Get a domain name
- Buy hosting
- Sign up with WordPress
- Start putting out blog posts
GoDaddy is the easiest place to get a domain name. Once the domain name is claimed, hosting can also be done with GoDaddy. But I highly recommend using Bluehost or HostGator for hosting.
When the host service is set up, it is easy to install WordPress through them with one simple click of the mouse button. They all have WordPress integrated into their dashboards.
And once WordPress is set up, the only thing left to do is to start blogging.
How to Create Great Content
Setting up the blog is simple, and posting content is too. If you follow a few simple guidelines…
One of the most intimidating aspects of blogging is often figuring out what to write about. But this is actually really easy. Here are some options:
- Create “foundational content” for your niche – For example, if it’s the personal development niche, write a “Meditation 101” This article will lay out the basics. Then write additional blogs that will dive into more detail with each of these basics.
- Find what’s already popular – Visit other blogs, forums, and social media to find out what people are talking about. Find out what questions the niche audience is asking. And write about these topics!
Writing blog posts on your own is easy, even without experience.
To write a blog post, first outline the post to determine exactly what to write about. Then do the following:
- Come up with an attention-grabbing title—This is what draws the reader in.
- Hook the reader with first sentence—Make it something so captivating, outrageous or intriguing they feel they MUST keep reading.
- Break the blog up into small paragraphs—This makes the post more visually appealing and easier to read. It harnesses the power of visual flow.
- Add some high-quality pictures—Blog posts that include images are rewarded with 94% more views!
For people who aren’t comfortable with sitting down and writing a blog post, there are a couple of options.
The first is to simply talk. Make a voice recording of what the blog should say. Then use a transcription service to turn that recording into a written post that can be edited and published. Two of the best transcription services are rev.com and Temi.
The second option for those who don’t want to or have the time to write their own blog is to outsource it. Yes, a professional writer can be hired to write the blog for a reasonable fee. Writers can be found on sites such as Upwork, iWriter, or Constant Content.
Just remember, regardless of how the blog posts are created, there are certain strategies to follow to make them more effective.
And these strategies can mean the difference between success and failure.
Blogging Strategy 101
HOW a blog is written makes a difference.
To be truly effective, certain blogging strategies MUST be followed to the letter. They aren’t numerous or complicated, but they’re critical to success. Here they are:
Post Regularly
This is so important. Posts need to be regular and CONSISTENT. Once people start following the blog, they will expect regular posts. So, decide how many times a week and what days to post. Then stick with that schedule.
Consistency is key!
Regular posts also help websites rank higher in search engine results.
And take the time to plan blog posts at least two weeks to a month in advance. A blogger who does this will never be left wondering what to write about next.
Keywords and Links
Decide what the post will be about and choose the most effective keywords for that post.
Then use those keywords throughout the post! It is these keywords that people will be looking for in the search engines. It’s these keywords that the blog post will rank for.
And sprinkle relevant links throughout the post, as well. Links are the currency of the internet.
Link to other posts made on that blog, posts by other people in the niche or industry, and products and other forms of content that are appropriate. The more a blog links to others, the more likely they will be to link back to that blog and the more Google will think the content is relevant.
Visual Flow
This is all about how appealing the post is to the eyes.
People do NOT want to read something that looks intimidating. So, break up the flow of the post. Use paragraphs of varying length, but keep them no longer than four or five lines. And vary the length of sentences.
It is also important to make use of bold, italics, underline, and color. These will make the text stand out in a way that’s highly appealing to the eye. It will also get important points across.
Foundational Content
Begin at the beginning.
Teach people the basics and build on that. This will get people in the door from the beginning and keep them around. They will see the value build and learn more each time they visit. These will be long-term blog followers (and most likely repeat customers).
Share on Social Media
Get that blog out there! Share every post on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, YouTube, and any other social media platform that’s relevant.
When posts are shared, they will reach more and more people and have a better chance of going viral. It will definitely increase readership. And it’s easy to do. Just link the blog to the relevant social media accounts and new posts will automatically show up on the social media feeds.
Call-To-Action
There must be calls-to-action (CTA’s) in every single post.
The goal isn’t just to provide readers with valuable content, but to get them to take action. Include a CTA that will let readers sign up for an email list or make a purchase or take some other form of action that will move the reader into the sales funnel.
Have a Funnel
This is one that so many people miss…
And leave money on the table as a result.
There MUST be a sales funnel.
Every blogger should build an email list. Because, as I’ve said multiple times, email marketing is crucial to success.
Once a blog reader subscribes to the email list, they become a potential customer. Then it’s possible to promote products or services to them over and over again.
Following these strategies will create awesome success for any blog. Just remember that it’s all about connection.
Establish connection with the reader and everything else will fall into place.
Blogging is one of the most effective ways to drive A LOT of free traffic.
Plus, people simply LOVE reading blogs. And blogging is easy and its accessible to everyone. Anyone can start a blog about anything at all!
And businesses benefit from blogs because blogs drive so much traffic.
A blog is simply a website that is devoted to posting articles that provide valuable information. Blogs can be about anything under the sun. Any niche can have a blog. Any business can have a blog.
A blog can help a business build its brand and its credibility. A blog can also help a business extend its reach to more people.
A blog can be created quickly, simply by:
- Purchasing a domain name
- Signing up with a web host
- Connecting to WordPress
Once these three simple steps have been done, blogging can begin!
But it is so important to master the blogging strategies outlined above. Again, these strategies are:
- Post Regularly
- Keywords and Links
- Visual Flow
- Foundational Content
- Share on Social Media
- Call-to-Action
- Have a Funnel
Still feeling overwhelmed? We want to help.
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