Blogging and Website Promotion: What to Say
You know that a blog would help with your website promotion efforts, but youre at a loss about what to say. Here are some suggestions.
1. Go behind the scenes. A key aspect of Web 2.0 is community building. If you sell a product or service, you want to use blogging to create a community of customers and potential customers who feel connected to your company. One way to do this is with behind the scenes posts. Whats going on at your companys headquarters? Maybe youre celebrating an employees birthday, or perhaps youre preparing to go to a trade show. Letting your customers peek behind the scenes is a great way to make them part of your family. One note of caution: Make sure that your posts dont cross the line of propriety. If youre not sure, heres a litmus test: If your blog entry were broadcast on the evening news, would it embarrass the company? If not, youre safe.
2. Give readers a sneak peek. Whats coming up for your company? If you sell clothing, what styles or fabrications will customers see in your next catalog? If you are a tax preparer, what are the top three new IRS Code changes that will affect your clients? If the people who read your blog feel like an insider, theyre bound to be more loyal. Dont give away secrets though Never post anything that you wouldnt want your main competition to know.
3. Answer questions. You can invite your customers to ask questions, and answer them in your blog. Make sure to acknowledge the customer by name (if hes given you permission to do so), and make the answer chatty and entertaining. You dont want to come off sounding like a dry FAQ.
4. Offer opinions and commentary. If theres a topic in the news that affects your industry, use it as a springboard for your opinions and commentary. As events unfold, keep readers posted about the latest details. A half-told story will keep readers coming back to hear the rest. One caveat, though: Dont be divisive in your commentary, or offer opinions that will alienate a portion of your readership. You dont want to turn off customers and potential customers!
Check in tomorrow, when well talk about how to promote your blog, and thus your website.