Mobile technology and social networks have made the world much more dialogical in the last ten years. Never before have we had access to so many people with whom to communicate and create relationships. This raises expectations on business and requires it to engage in this flow of dialogicality.
Every marketer knows that people buy from people they like. First of all people buy from people (not from companies, companies, departments, etc.).
Before the age of the internet and communications, brands seemed to be moving away from people and were becoming unattainable institutions. Fortunately for us, this is now in the past. In order to remain competitive, businesses are taking their place on social networks, where they engage in dialogue with people. However, the question remains how to maintain the dialogue and look professional.
The word blog - in English blog - comes from web log and literally means a record/note on the internet. In essence, a blog is a website or page that functions as a diaryin which the author (maybe more than one) publishes actual content (hence the term note/log). Some bloggers (authors) share articles daily, others once a week or once a month. We at Proper media post once a week.
Often blog posts (articles) are short texts with links or pictures. Our articles are usually longer and that's because we want to be useful to business owners and managers with practical tips related to online marketing.
Blogging gives you the opportunity to showcase the nature of your business, which besides being a collection of services/products and processes, is still a community of people who have a common purpose and share a common daily routine. Blogging is a great opportunity to demonstrate expertise in your area of expertise and at the same time show the human face of your business.
How to create a blog?
You can choose 2 basic approaches - make your blog part of your website or outsource it separately. Both approaches have their advantages and disadvantages. Depending on your goals for your blog, both approaches could be successful.
Platform for your blog
At its core, a blog is a website. The best platform on which you can create it for free is WordPress. If your website is already running on wordpress, your work is almost done. You can start creating new posts right away, organize them into categories and impress your customers!
If you still want to check other options, you can try Blogger, Weebly, Joomla , Drupal, but their options are much more limited.
Blog address
If your blog is not part of your website, you need to register a domain (name or URL). This is the web address where your blog is located. When I set up my personal blog, I registered a URL www.miryanka.com, but then the registration expired, I did not renew it (still unclear why) and currently the address is www.miryanka.wordpress.com. It looks very unprofessional, long and unnatural. If I can afford it for my personal blog, I would never do it for a professional one. So I advise you to register a nice domain too. It's not expensive. Registries you can buy the name from are: register.com, godaddy.com and others, and if you want a .bg extension you'll have to go through Register.BG.
Make a plan for writing the blog
One of the hardest things about writing a blog is maintaining your readers' expectations with frequency and quality of content. That's why it's important to answer a few questions from the start:
- How much time a week/month can you dedicate to your blog?
- Do you have information that is valuable to your audience?
- Do you have someone on your team who writes well?
If your business is a small bakery or handmade gift studio employing 2-3 people, you probably won't be able to blog weekly. So it's more realistic to schedule monthly posts. If you don't know how to write but believe you have interesting topics to offer your audience, you can turn to a specialist.
For example, our team works with clients who have great ideas to share, but don't know exactly how to share them. For example, interior design studios know about furniture trends, which is an extremely curious topic for the general consumer. Our team synthesizes the information into a readable article, repurposes it for social sharing, selects visually appealing content and Voila! - a blogpost that users read with interest, like and share!
Language and writing style in god
Unlike on a website where the language is strict and professional, on a blog you can afford to use expressions that are part of your everyday speech. All in moderation, of course. Long and complicated sentences are absolutely forbidden. Keep your writing short. Use more verbs. Do not try to say many things in one sentence. There, see how you get an easy-to-read text, with a nice rhythm? J
Topics
Blog topics should gravitate around the scope of your business and the life of your community. Here are some type-appropriate guidelines for posts:
- Expert articles - whether you are a manufacturer, a trader or a service provider, you have valuable knowledge about the field in which you operate;
- Your point of view on an issue of public interest - if fuel goes up, if visas to the US fall, if the ban on smoking in public places falls, your business would probably be affected in some way;
- Events in your team - you went to a super-inspiring team building, you have a new colleague, the accountant's baby was born - all joyful occasions that excite the community around your business and show you as people who care about human things;
- You've won an award or are participating in a trade fair, symposium or other significant event in your industry - let everyone know about it;
- Have a new partner - show people why this is important and how it will increase the value they will receive!
If you feel inspired and are already convinced that you have something to tell the world, don't delay: start writing!
Tips for small businesses online: part 3 - Your Facebook Business Page
Tips for small businesses online: part 2 - Google
Tips for small businesses online: part 1 - website
If you need a consultation or just want to entrust the writing of your blog to a professional, call, email, ask, we will answer: 024112656, office@proper.media. We will discuss your needs with you and together we will find the best solution!
Don't miss the next tips from the Proper media team - follow us on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/ProperMediaBG and LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/proper-media-ltd-?trk=biz-companies-cym
