6 Reasons Why Blogging Is Killing Your Business
September 02, 2017
Blogging for business can be a strenuous task. Many small businesses have tried and failed in researching, writing, and creating blog posts for their business because, well, it can be anyone’s worst enemy. This isn’t an exaggeration; it’s true, and many small business owners can attest to that.
However, let’s not lose hope at all. Today, we’re here to talk about the different reasons why blogging can be your business’ number one enemy. Along the way, let's identify we can counter these hurdles and become more productive in creating content for our business.
However, let’s not lose hope at all. Today, we’re here to talk about the different reasons why blogging can be your business’ number one enemy. Along the way, let's identify we can counter these hurdles and become more productive in creating content for our business.
1. You Don’t Publish Enough or You’re Not Writing at All
As we all know, writing even just a 500-word blog post requires a lot of time, which a lot of entrepreneur don’t have. That’s why we end up putting writing at the backseat and just wait for inspiration to kick in, which doesn’t happen that often.
As a result, we don’t get the chance to publish new, fresh, and useful content for our readers and that's why we lose our market or readers. So, what should we do to always be on track when blogging?
As a result, we don’t get the chance to publish new, fresh, and useful content for our readers and that's why we lose our market or readers. So, what should we do to always be on track when blogging?
- Create a calendar
Make an editorial calendar or work your content calendar with your team. The calendar allows you to create topics and content ahead to avoid writer’s (content?) block. So, make sure to brainstorm with your team once or twice a month. Here's a simple tip on how to start your editorial calendar (with examples).
- Read, read, read, and did I mention read?
The key to generating useful content is to read and learn it yourself. The more we know, the more theories, application, ideas, and the like we can use in our businesses. Which also means that we have more things to write about.
- Choose a day for publishing content
A lot of people operate with structure and consistency, and it's what makes them productive. So, maximize this by creating a habit with your audience by selecting days to publish your blog post for your business.
2. Boring Content and Headlines
Boring is a terrible way to describe content, but it’s true. However, boring here can mean a lot of things, and dull is just one of them. So, let’s break it down, shall we?
- Boring = low-value
Picture this: you want to buy a new pair of shoes, so, what do you do? You go online and read reviews to help you form the right decision. The downside is we tend to be bombarded with a lot of content, even click baits, that don't give value that's what makes it frustrating.
Similarly, when you write content for your business, you have to think of your readers. Create a helpful and entertaining content that brings value to them. Remember, they'll spend time reading your post so make sure they get something from it and that's your responsibility. Make sure your post provides value to your readers to be able to create meaningful connections.
Similarly, when you write content for your business, you have to think of your readers. Create a helpful and entertaining content that brings value to them. Remember, they'll spend time reading your post so make sure they get something from it and that's your responsibility. Make sure your post provides value to your readers to be able to create meaningful connections.
- Boring = not compelling
Your headline is the most important part of your article. Remember that 80% of your audience will read it and, when you're headline capture's their attention, that's the time they’ll read your content. Remember that only 20% of your audience will read your post. So, make every part count; make every part compelling, useful, and that it hooks them to want more.
- Boring = irrelevant
Relevance is key in capturing your reader’s attention. Keeping your posts timely and useful by editing and updating the content is essential in blogging for your business. Posting up-to-date content also helps your post or page ranking. The more relevant the content is, the more the search engines will index your post or even website.
- Boring = confusing
A long post is one thing, but a confusing article is another story. There are a lot of long posts, which can be 2000-word or more, that stays relevant, valuable, and compelling. The key is to break down the content in small but related pieces to avoid confusion. Use headings or break text with images, videos, and other visuals to highlight different parts of your post.
3. You Don’t Gather Feedback and Reviews
If you’re publishing within your target dates or hitting your target posts per week, then great for you. However, if your stats still low, then maybe your problem's not just your post schedules. One of the hundreds of reasons could be the lack of comments or feedback you get.
Remember that blogging is a two-way process; it’s a conversation. Instead of just writing, make it a conversation between you and your audience or among your readers. Remember, conversations are the best way to learn about a person, so apply it in writing, too. The question now is, how do we get their opinion about your post?
- Ask
At the end of your post, ask them what they learned, have they experienced the same thing, or what can they add to your story.
- Socialize
Even if it’s not in the comment sections, ask them to interact with you about your posts in social media. Converse with them, share ideas, or even ask them what they want to read about next that they think is relevant to their business; sky's the limit!
- Set a Goal
There’s no one-size-fits-all solution to everything. That’s why it’s important to create a plan for your readers, too. With their feedback, you’ll know whether your tactics and tools are effective and what aspects in content creation you need to improve.
4. There’s No Engagement
Engagement in blogging and social media comes in many forms. Post engagement comes in three forms in blogging. Here are the things that you need to consider:
- Comments
Sometimes, the lack of comments in our posts is the reason why many of us stop or don’t start blogging. So, to ensure that you get the right engagement you need, always go back to steps numbers 2 and 3.
- Post Share
Sharing your posts on different channels also increases your page clicks. Also, encouraging other people, including your family and friends, to share the post will definitely help. This increases your website traffic which is great when you’re blogging for your business.
- Include Polls
Adding polls on your posts also increase your engagement. You can add a poll about your post or future blog post to learn more about your reader’s opinions.
- Engage with Key Influencers
Building a genuine relationship with influencers in your industry also helps increase your engagement. Find time to work with the major influencers in your industry, for example, fashion bloggers or food bloggers, to expand your own audience.
5. Your Posts Lack Visuals
People are visual creatures. We love seeing colors, images, and movements on the screen. So, make sure to take advantage of photos this when blogging for your business. Here are some visuals you can use for a stronger marketing strategy:
- Photos
A relevant image or images when blogging for business must be part of every post. Use the image to trigger the emotion you want your audience to feel or react to on your post. Don’t forget to use captions below your pictures. In this way, you bring your reader’s focus downwards to keep them reading, read more about it here.
- Infographics
Do you want to share data about a business or a simple guide? If yes, infographics are a great way to present or summarize your idea. In this way, the data will get processed fast and can easily be shared in different channels.
- Videos
Adding videos to your post also increases engagement, especially when you indicate at first hand that you have a video or videos to support your written content. You can do this in your title or even in your introduction.
- Memes
Memes are images with texts that tell a story, most of the time funny and sarcastic stories that can break the post’s text.
- GIF
Graphics interchange format (GIF) is my favorite, obviously. It’s a great way to grab your reader’s attention.
6. You Don’t Promote Your Content
Blogging for business also means you have to invest in your marketing. Don’t forget that there are a lot of ways to advertise your content, both paid and free. As what we've talked about, you can promote your posts on your own, but paid ads and promotions can also boost your business’ online presence. Learn more about online marketing here.
So, here are some of the things you can start doing to befriend your company blog:
So, here are some of the things you can start doing to befriend your company blog:
- Choose snippets from your post and advertises it on Twitter.
- Tag your sources as your advertise your post. Before this, make sure to email them and inform them that you’ll include them in your ad.
- Write blog posts for a community to add a link back to your business website.
- Run a campaign add on Facebook or Instagram. Don’t forget to identify your target market on the campaign, specifically the demographics and geography of the audience you want to reach.
The Takeaway
Blogging for your business is an excellent way to reach your target market because you can do a lot of things in just one blog post. So, don’t just settle with a plain website that introduces your business, product, or service. Make sure you introduce who you are, too.
Remember, in a world where people are bombarded with information; your voice will be a refreshing voice that they would love to hear. And, after all of these, if the task still overwhelms you, just drop me a message and I'll be willing to help you start create content for your business :)
Remember, in a world where people are bombarded with information; your voice will be a refreshing voice that they would love to hear. And, after all of these, if the task still overwhelms you, just drop me a message and I'll be willing to help you start create content for your business :)
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