In Praise Of The Company Blog

 

With content being a major player in the online world, should your company website have a blog?

Some companies can get away with not having one, but they still update their content regularly with new articles and other educational content.

Kind of like a blog, but they call it content marketing.

A blog used to refer to an online personal journal, or an ongoing discussion, usually posted for the general public to read.

Now the line has blurred somewhat between blogs and informational articles, like this one.

So, should you or shouldn’t you?

As long as the content is relevant, and updated consistently, I think it’s a good move.

I stress the importance of updating your blog regularly because nothing says we don’t care like the sound of crickets on an abandoned blog.

But a well-maintained company blog is an effective way to educate your website visitors on your products and services, and to help them choose which one is right for them. It shows you’re interested in your customers, and it keeps them on your site longer – long enough to turn them into customers, if you’re doing it right.

It could well be the difference between your product or service, and your competitors’.

Even if your competition is much bigger than you.

And Google loves websites that repeatedly add fresh, interesting content. As long as it isn’t keyword-stuffed rubbish that no one wants to read.

Let’s hope we’ve gotten past all that, and legitimate company websites have realised the value of adding content for their readers, not for the search engines.

Of course, search engine optimisation is still important, but it comes more naturally now.

You take care of your website visitors, the search engines will take care of your website.

The only downside to a company blog is the constant need for ideas for that fresh, interesting content.

That’s where you need a web copywriter to manage your content strategy.

Wouldn’t it be nice to have someone who could take all that worry off your hands, and just get on with it?

A web copywriter who knows your business, and your branding?

A web copywriter who will keep your voice consistent, but still timely, original, and creative?

Here are some tips for maintaining your blog, from a web copywriter who can do all that, and more:

• A good blog should appeal to new visitors, and to your existing customers.
• Keep it simple, but give value to your readers. Go for maximum readability.
• Answer frequently asked questions, or address other issues that come up often. Ask your readers what they’d like to know.
• Make each post as long as it needs to be, and no longer. Say what you want to say, but don’t waffle on.
• Find a schedule that works for you, and stick with it. Post regularly, and consistently, preferably around the same time, on the same days.
• Keep it interesting by adding pictures, audio, video. Get creative, but remember your written content is still the cornerstone of your blog.
• Repurpose older, but still valuable, content from other areas of your website.
• Add some personality. No one wants to read something that sounds like a robot. Be a real person, writing for real people. Give your company a human face.
• Don’t try to sell anything. Your company blog is not the place for that.
• Make sure your content is relevant, don’t go off on a tangent or get off topic. Focus.
• Decide if you want to have comments at the end of every post. I recommend you do, so your readers can engage with you. But be aware you’ll get some haters, spam, and negative comments. You’ll need to manage the comments, but don’t remove any genuine criticism.
• Have someone respond to questions and comments, good and bad. It shows you’re there for your readers, and you care what they think.
• Use criticism and negative feedback to improve your products and services. You’re in business to give people what they want.
• Track your progress with something like Google Analytics. Make sure you know what worked, and what didn’t. This is your best content strategy.
• Link to your preferred social platforms, and promote your content. If it’s good, your readers will share it on social media. And market it for you.
• Promote your content through all your usual marketing channels. The more readers you have, the more feedback you’ll get, and the more successful your company blog will be.
• Welcome qualified guest bloggers to add more authority and credibility. You can tap into their networks and grow your audience.

When done properly, a blog is a valuable asset to your website. It builds and nurtures relationships with your existing customers, introduces your brand to new customers, and generates leads.

It makes your company credible, likeable, and available to everyone.

And that’s just good business.

 

KEEP THE FAITH