This is something I am often asked about – are blogs relevant today?
Ever since LinkedIn’s native video in 2018 has taken over the internet like a storm, many businesses were quick to adopt video-based content in their marketing strategies. Studies also show that LinkedIn eventually became responsible for nearly 80% of the B2B leads generated since then.
Sharing video-based content is a great way to attract your audience, easier to understand, and certainly is more engaging as compared to text – but this does not mean this is the only type of content you should rely on.
While producing videos can be instrumental in generating leads, let’s not forget about the tried and tested method of enhancing your online presence: A standout blog!
One of the best ways to market your company is creating a successful blog – a blog that not only informs your audience but also captivates and inspires them as you generously share meaningful and helpful content.
An active blog that gives your customers and readers the confidence to trust your brand and see you as an expert in the industry can help you generate more leads and sales.
Blogging is not for everyone: True or false?
Every brand today is aware of the power and influence they can wield using blogs – then why do blogs fail for many companies?
Does it mean blogs are not for all? Of course not!
Here are a few mistakes new bloggers make, which eventually lead to their demise:
● When the main objective is to earn: The ultimate goal of blogging should not simply be to earn money or maximise your profits, it is also about winning over the trust of your target audience. Many new bloggers (whether individuals or businesses) forget that they will not succeed on this front overnight and rarely continue to put in the effort that is required.
● Lacking focus and motivation: A common mistake new bloggers tend to make is: not having a plan and not following it. In a desperate attempt to quickly redirect traffic to their site, they try “a little bit of everything” at the same time. You are welcome to change your strategy along the way, but if you do not have a single, comprehensive plan right from the start and if you fail to stick with it – you need to jump back on track.
● Disregarding the significance of long-term planning: It is important to be very patient when it comes to blogging. New bloggers often get frustrated if things do not go their way, just a few months in. The truth is that most successful bloggers are achieving great heights today because they have invested their time, effort and creativity every step of the way and always had a long-term vision and plan, coupled with short-term achievable goals.
● Posting too much content: Answer these questions every once in a while – how much content is too much? Have you ever wondered whether you are spamming your readers? Are you garnering attention with every blog post? It has been said before – quality is more important than quantity. Follow the thumb rule, and ensure that you never “spam” your readers with too much of anything!
Now that you have learned about the common reasons why blogging is not for everyone. If you are looking to improve your blog and gain more traction, you need to ask yourself these questions!
Is the blog interesting and informative?
Your customers may want to know more about your industry and what you do, but do you really give your audience a chance to learn something new? Next time, try your hand at writing informative blogs by answering certain questions or address hot topics in your industry.
Many blogs focus on promoting the company or its products or services – this is absolutely necessary and works well to generate leads or increase sales. Although, if most of your blog posts are promotional or “salesy” blogs that notify your customers about any new products you are launching, this will not get you enough results in the long term! When you focus on talking all about your brand, don’t forget to focus on the audience. At the end of the day, it is all about your readers, customers and followers – is that right?
Along with blogs about your company, products and services, there is so much more you could do! Try to address the pressing questions, issues or discussions relevant to your industry or your target audience, share tips and tricks, DIY content, success stories, or something as simple as sharing your own personal opinion and inviting readers to join in!
How to get traction with your blogs?
Blogging is a great way to gain organic traffic to your company website and to create brand awareness. Another reason many blogs fail is because people have limited knowledge on how this works and some are not ready to learn new tricks or from their mistakes!
Albert Einstein rightly said, “once you stop learning, you start dying.” If you do not learn about what your audience needs, what the latest trends are in your industry and what new and exciting ways you could use to market your blog – your blog will soon become irrelevant and lifeless.
If you are struggling with your blog, here are a few things you should try if you have not already:
1. Repurpose it to LinkedIn as a Pulse article: LinkedIn pulse gives businesses the perfect way to reach their target audience, develop their online reputation and build trust.
Repurposing your blog article, basically means that you reuse the content you have already written, into a form suitable for other online mediums. You can present your blog through infographics and even convert the statistics you mention in your article into an image. You can also publish it on the LinkedIn pulse.
The Pulse platform was at first only reserved for renowned influencers looking to share their opinions and insights to their audience. Lucky for you, LinkedIn decided to open up the platform to everyone.
2. Interact with those who have taken a moment to comment on your post: Do you find yourself sigh in relief as you successfully publish your new blog? Your job does not end there.
A common mistake we are all prone to making is to provide very generic replies to the people who comment on our posts – some of us may even forget to reply. Again, always remember what you are trying to achieve – to interact with current and new readers. Even if it is simply one comment, know that you made an impact to one person – isn’t this what you wanted? When you show that you value their response, they will come back for more. Quick replies prove that you about your readers and helps your organisation stand out from the rest.
3. Observe what your competitors are doing: Know your competition. Inspiration can be found from any place, even from people in your field. Think about it, another company’s blog in the same industry could be doing better than yours. Have you ever wondered why? Whether we like to admit it out loud or not, all of us look up to the “bigger” brands or faces in our respective industries for their amazing contribution and work. When we are ready and willing to learn from bigger businesses like Amazon, Apple or IBM – why not our competitors?
DID YOU KNOW: Companies which run a successful blog often get 55% more visitors to their main website.
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