For many business owners the idea of a writing blog can be an appealing way to further educate your audience on your products. While this is a great goal to have, how you go about it is very important. Readers do not want to be pitched or sold to but they do like to be informed about special events and sales. They read the blog of a brand they enjoy to connect with them and find creative ways to improve their own lives, homes, families, or businesses. Whether you are selling home goods, business services, or delicious food, you can blog about things your readers will love without always blogging about your products or services. How do you do that? Here are some tips to get started:
Be Honest, Helpful, and Transparent
One of the most important and helpful things your blog can do for your brand is build authority with and the trust of your audience. By sharing helpful tips, whether it’s design related, baking tips, or how a business can design great collateral, you are positioning your brand to be a trusted and reliable source that people will immediately think of when it comes to your industry. Offering an honest and thoughtful opinion, review, or recommendation about something will likely spark conversation on your blog and keep readers coming back.
Avoid Sales Jargon
You know exactly what phrases I am talking about when I refer to “sales jargon”. Things like “click here to buy” and “limited time only” sound like an advertisement. While these terms may be useful in the occasional post informing readers of an upcoming sale, most of the time they are a turn off.
Do Interviews & Invite Guest Bloggers
Adding another human element to your blog can help readers trust your brand even more. Chances are someone would not do an interview with your brand or offer to guest blog if they personally didn’t support what you do. Like with anything you post on your blog, make sure it is about something your audience will want to read. Make sure the interview is with someone of interest or is sharing helpful information on a topic that is important to your readers.
Guest bloggers are also a fun way to integrate content into your blog without needing to do a ton of work. You will want to keep this to a minimum or find regular guest bloggers because your readers are visiting your blog to hear what you (your brand) has to say. By having a couple of regular guest bloggers they will be able to fine tune their voice to be in line with your brand and help support it.
Showcase Your Brand’s Culture
Take the time to interview your employees, teach your reads how your products are made, or give them a look inside of a creative meeting. Offering some behind the scenes glimpses will also help promote trust and encourage support for what you do. Some businesses use their Instagram accounts almost exclusively for this purpose. People love to see how their favorite products are made and who is behind an excellent customer service team or the social media accounts they interact with each day. Don’t be afraid to be transparent!
What have you done that’s worked well on your own blog?
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