A great business blog can improve all aspects of your digital marketing, from SEO, to customer loyalty, to enhancing your brand. The tough part for many businesses is coming up with relevant content to post on a consistent schedule. You know you need to come up with good ideas to keep readers and customers interested, but are unsure how to get that done. First, remember, your business blog is a communications tool, not your personal diary. It should stimulate, enlighten and inform your readers. You can post photos, videos, and news articles as long as they are relevant to your customers needs.
Some of the ideas below will help to get you started.
1. Mix up your media
If you work in a visually creative industry, make sure you share your masterpieces. A great haircut, a beautiful cake or a new signature dish can be photographed and posted on your blog to showcase your expertise and skills. Just make sure to get permission from the customer and respect any time sensitivities. Don’t post a picture of a wedding dress you have just finished before the big day!
Videos can be very useful to provide an insight into how your business and the wider industry operates. This type of medium is particularly well suited to creative businesses. If you make bespoke jewelry/clothing/furniture etc. you could record the creation of a piece from start to finish and post a sped up version on your blog. Customers will be impressed with the level of skills and attention that goes into the process and feel assured that their piece is hand crafted with care.
2. Share and comment on trade articles
Almost every industry has a number of dedicated news sites and trade magazines and they are a rich source for developments, new products and events that you can comment on in your blog. Simply post an article that you find interesting or controversial, write a short summary, explain your interest and ask readers what they think. This is a quick and easy way to engage with readers and may provide a valuable snapshot of customer opinion on the wider industry.
3. Document your milestones
Rather than blogging weekly about the everyday operations of your company, use your blog to mark key moments in its development - a team expansion, a move to bigger premises, an award nomination, a media or trade show appearance etc. This will strengthen your readers’ perception that the company is growing and succeeding.
4. Give your customers some inside knowledge
It is common knowledge that acknowledging and thanking customers promotes loyalty. There is no need to give away trade secrets, but customers will feel rewarded if you share a few nuggets of information about your working process, and clever tricks that you use to make your business a success. If you run a restaurant, post the recipes for some popular dishes. If yours is a cleaning business, post top tips for a spring clean. If you're a consulting firm, provide some tips on your specialty. You get my drift. Be interesting, be relevant be helpful!
