http://youtu.be/YFJkmD1YCn0

Using a blog for business

You need a blog if you are in business.  In today’s consumer driven society people want to know that you know what you are talking about.  Many times consumers will research a topic before going to a business.

Just talk to a doctor and ask how many of his patients are suggesting the medications they may need.  With all the commercials and websites, it is easy to find the pills that will help what ails you.  That means consumers are looking for solutions and going to the doctors with an idea of what they want.  Rather than listening to the doctor, who is the expert, they listen to a commercial because it relates to them.

Imagine now that they doctor created a blog that had relevant information.  Now the consumers go to his blog to find his expert opnion.  He becomes the expert in his field so when a patient suggests something, he points them to his blog and tells them what they should do instead.

A blog allows you to show that you are relevant to potential customers.  They want to see that there is more to your business than just selling things.  They want to get to know you and the culture of your business.  The key is to educate and hook your customers.  If you look at a site like Trader Joes you will see a culture.  They relveal information about health and cuisine while having fun with the ideas.

Business blog tips

• Blog about news in your industry and give your opinion about it.
• Blog about new developments in your industry.
• Blog about stories that customers tell you about using your product/service.
• Blog about things your employees say.  Include wise things and funny things.
• Blog about sales and discounts.
• Blog about a product.  If you have an abundance of one item, do a review of that product.

As you can see there are lots of things you can blog about.  Just pick one day a week and keep the content simple.  Use the power of curation and let free services find the information for you. I suggest writing between 250-500 words.  Plus, you want to post a picture each day so it catches attention when you post it on social media. This keeps your webpage ‘fresh’ in the eyes of Google and helps you get found when people search.

If you need help writing, view our series on writing:

• Finding your voice
• Power of your words
• Creating a call to action
• Create your tribe
• Build your platform
• Writing is a journey

HANDY TOOLS:

WordPress is a site that allows you to create a blog for free.  You can also add it to your webpage if you have your own hosting. It is easy to use and many businesses rely on it for their blog.

Dragon Mobile Assistant will transcribe information for you.  Just record something one your computer, play it back while holding your phone with this app installed on your smart phone (Android, IPhone)

AllTop – Has topic categories. Pick a category that relates to your business and you can find the most talked about topics in your industry.  If there is not something directly about your industry, find something related to share.

Google Alerts – Set up a free alert.  This program will alert you anytime a specific phrase is mentioned in a news source or new content online.  It is a great way to keep track of your industry as well as your company.  I suggest setting an alert with your company name and your personal name.

PS: When you hear the word Web 2.0, it just means that you can interact with the content. For instance, you can leave comments on things like social media.  You want your web page to be interactive.  Think of ways you can get your potential customers to interact with your brand.

How are you using your blog?  Share it on Youtube or GooglePlus.