Whether you are a fitness expert, a financial advisor, or a home services professional, the online blog is a valuable marketing tool for educating and engaging your customer. The keys to creating an effective blog is attention to detail and delivering information that is truly valuable to the reader. With the popularity of blogging on the rise, it is important to understand the right way to use this marketing resource to reach your ideal customer.
The anatomy of a company blog of today has evolved since the blog of five years ago. With audiences more equipped to immediately and easily seek out information via smartphone, the art of blogging requires a seriously strategic approach. A blog post can range from a brief synopsis of an event or to a magazine-style article that contains a wealth of information for the reader. No matter the size, if the blog post has a purpose for a customer, it will make an impact.
Here are four tips that will help you create a successful blog post:
1. Tell Them Something They Need to Know.
Get excited about what you have to say to your audience. Entice them to want to know more by including expert tips and information on new products and services that you offer. This is an effective strategy for lead generation success. Providing new information that is well-written and valuable to your customers on a regular basis, will lead them to become regular readers of your blog – and maybe even tell their friends! The best practice for effective blogging is to schedule posts in regularly scheduled intervals–say weekly or monthly, depending on the needs of your business.
2. Capture Their Attention from Start to Finish.
A blog post’s headline must capture a person’s interest and works best when a dynamic image is included with the copy. Once you have their attention, make sure that your content is driven by the use of images –including infographics, photographs, graphs and even pull-out quotes. All of these elements help to not only guide the reader but are also engaging at first glance and work to pull the reader in.
3. Write for Readers with All Attention Spans and Time Constraints.
Make sure that your blog appeals to both the reader who wants to read every last detail and to the “only want the highlights” reader. You can simplify copy – when it makes sense with bullet points or bold highlights for the “need to know” details.
4. Use Your Customers’ Own Words.
Including “real-life” comments and testimonials from clients is a sure-fire way to create stronger bonds with both existing and potential customers. In a day when “reviews” run the show, people love to hear what real customers have to say.
