Blogging For Business: What To Write?

Update:  This article was written some time ago now. It still holds true but some things that have changed are the way that Google rewards good relevant topical and location appropriate content, even more than ever before. So blogging is a clean and easy way for businesses to keep their articles relevant and fresh. This is critical. 

The other big change? Mobile. With mobile and tablet searching expected to overtake desktop computers for accessing the web by 2015 it is past due, the time to make sure your website or at the very least your blog (connected to your website), is a readable in mobile format. 

Slowly small business owners are starting to 'get it' that being online is something their business needs to do even if they are not sure how to go about it.

Aside from a brochure-style website that lists all the usual details about the business: what you do: where you are; when you're open and how to contact you, it is important to know that you need fresh content that is updated regularly. The best way to do that - the easiest way to do that - is with a blog.

In fact the old days of the static webpage are pretty much over and many websites now are just an upscale blog with some additional static pages. The beauty of this model is that it is easy for non-technical people to just add their new content and not have to fuss too much with knowing how the 'behind the scenes' parts work.

When we think about content being added it raises all kinds of questions that may have not been considered before and chief among them may be "What will I write about?". Not everyone is accustomed to writing for the public and this can seem like a daunting prospect.

Here are some questions I've been asked about this and hopefully this may shed some light you can use in finding topics for writing content for your business.

Social Media For Business Results

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Write about what you know.

We can be blinded by the things that we take for granted and assume that everybody knows what we know. That's not true though and what seems simple to you with your experience, can seem like arcane magical voodoo for me who has never had to know about the inner workings of a magneto or the finer points of painting a house.

What you know about your specialty, if I am in the mindset for needing that thing, is madly interesting to me right then. People go searching for very specific information when they have a need for something and if your article is on target for that thing of which they seek, then your article (blog) will come up and be seen. This is where you can stand out from all the other businesses who do what you do. I may have no interest at all in mixer taps - until my kitchen sink is flooded and I need to buy one. Then I want to know what I need to know before I buy.

If you say it - then you own it. Even if everyone else in your industry does the same thing only the one with the information out there for me to find will get the credit.

What does your blog say to us? We know you know your stuff - and that's evidence right there on the webpage that you have some experience, knowledge and enough savvy to put it out there for us to see.


I don't want to tip off my competition.
This is a common fear and the reality is that they already know part of what you know. That doesn't matter. Focus on what customers will find useful not your competitors. Frankly most businesses are doing zilch about marketing effectively and carving out a slice of the market to own. Be there first and seek to own your little corner of the patch.

You don't have to 'give away the farm' but you can provide background information that makes it easy for me to know what I need to know to make a good decision.

Developing a strategy for your online presence and your blogging means that you can work through all the informaton that you want potential customers to know about your expertise and your service offering. Over time this will add real value to your website and attract targeted buyers to your business.

With a strategy, and a schedule to follow you can streamline your writing and ensure regular updates without taking too much time away from your other activities.

So - what's the message you'd like to share about your business?



Related posts:
How to start blogging for business - and what to write about
10 Steps To Local Marketing Online
The Dirty Secrets Business Needs To Know About Social Media
Why You Need To Build Your Mailing List And How To Do It
How To Get Your Local Business Found Online
How-To: Developing A Social Media Strategy For Marketing
Quick & Dirty Business Review
Test Your Website For Roadworthiness
What You Should Know About Social Media For Business

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Developing A Social Media Strategy

Update: Good strategy doesn't change just because other things in the environment change. A good social media strategy will be flexible, dynamic and fit new information into the responding appropriately as the context changes. For example, as smartphones and tablets become the favourite way to view content online, this needs to be incorporated into the strategy.


A question this week on Quora was a good one and one that deserves some attention from us all, in conducting our business activities. Here's my response.

"My company is a B2B company and we are trying to come up with a strategy around social media. I find it tough to figure out what to include and what to avoid. Are there any factors I should take in to consideration while devising a strategy?" 

I would suggest you start with a clear understanding of the social media environment and a well defined purpose (and expectation) that is realistic and achievable in the first instance.

For those who want to use social media, and those who vehemently don't want to - they need to understand enough to make an informed choice either way and to deal with the consequences of that choice. Whether one is 'using social media' or not they can be the subject of discussion on social media and managing one's reputation online is just one element of this new world.

Basics

Get these right the first time. Know what kind of Facebook page is the wrong kind to use for business. Use the right kind. Don't set up a Twitter page then fail to keep updated regularly.

Remember Your Website!

Make sure your website is optimized for search - and for the people who
will use it! - Most that I see are very poor - on both counts. (Never
mind they may have cost a lot of money from an expensive web designer).

Never, never let a stranger be in control of your business online. Get informed and get interested.


Not Just What, But How

It is important to understand the etiquette of online interaction and also the ways to leverage time and effort without putting those to whom we are connected offside. (Easy to do!)

Putting up a Facebook or Twitter Page ( and with the correct configuration and naming protocols) all need to be considered and that is just the beginning, the strategy behind this needs to support the objectives and while platforms are free to use there is always a cost in time and resources and budget need to be allocated for this purpose. Expect this and include it in your plan.


Social Media Policy

Some things to consider on creating a social media strategy:

Your social media policy - needs to be fair, realistic and training done with employees so that everyone is clear. Also needs to be in line with employment legistation so that you are not overstepping and writing in clauses that you have no right to demand. Suggest your policy begin with an intention to be open to the opportunities of social media, as well as the potential downside.

Hoary Old Myths

On the matter of Control - some employers think they can dictate all manner of things to employees and restrict their access to social media during work hours and this will keep them in control of their staff members. This is quite a silly assumption. Firstly, because you have no control now, secondly, because such an environment may just guarantee that good candidates won't want to work for you. Lastly - they can access anything they wish to via their smartphones and a combative attitude is not going to deliver a harmonious outcome that leverages the best available opportunities that new media can deliver.

Your Social Media Stategy:

• A social media policy
• A Clearly articulated purpose and vision
• Select appropriate platforms
• Allocate a budget
• Who will manage it?
• Time and resources that need to be allocated
• Which KPIs you are going to measure
• How you will measure your results
• How you will manage (an enhance) your reputation online
• How you will integrate your social media with your conventional marketing
• How thoroughly your social media activities should permeate throughout the operations of the business (Which department will handle this? Will all departments be involved?)
• Ways you can adapt social media to help you improve how customers interact with the business
• Ways that you can use social media to improve communications within the business and strengthen the team
• Managing and monitoring the plan
• Reporting - how often in what way
• Integrating platforms to allow transfer of content seamlessly, but in a regulated way (not spamming)
• Understanding that social media is not a broadcast medium! It can't be all just about YOU!
• Design for the type and quality of the content to be delivered by social media
• Who will create the content?
• What amount of content should be (can be) generated and by what frequency?
• Modes of content that can be made available - articles, blogs, ebooks, video, podcasts etc
• Integration with website

Engagement

People follow people so it is important to remember that there needs to be engagement and if multiple people contributing to the social media for the company, there is merit in these being tagged to the individual who is posting at any time. Be interesting. Be interested.


Not Just For Christmas

There is often a thought that a social media strategy is a one-off, trial kind of activity that we do. It is not set and forget and it not even a funky thing to do any more. It is become expected. If you are not visible online, for an increasing many, you just don't exist. So get accustomed to this being a new marketplace. Devise a plan that brings your existing customers along with you and if you are really smart - introduce them to those who can help you help them develop their own online presence. This is where the magic is, and this is where most fail to connect the dots.


See Also:
Check Your Website For Roadworthiness

Think Social Media Is No Use For Your Business? Think Again.

How To Get Your Local Business Noticed Online

Purpose Then Strategy - Case Study Starting Your Website


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A Website Is Part Of Your Social Marketing

An Apple Is Not An Orange...And They Are Both Fruit

Okay so I've been putting off writing on this topic but recent posts and comments that have been put to me make now as good a time to dispell some myths that are percolating around which on the face of it sound plausible but are built on very shakey foundations and show more a lack of understanding than they do insight into online marketing and especially what social media is all about.

Let's take this headline for example "Ignore the Social Media Hype. Your Business Will Always Need a Great Website"

No kidding.

Let's break this down.

Social media and the use of it for promoting a business does not and never has meant that your website is not necessary.  And there may be people who will want to sell you a Facebook page that will tell you it is all you need but they are not people who deserve your attention.

Your website is as important as ever - and social media is the spark that can help drive more traffic to your site. All the reason you could need for ensuring that your website is up to scratch ( and most are not) and that your links from social media are leading to your website.

Scratch that. Your website is more important than ever.

Your Business Will Always Need A Good Website.

Absolutely!

And this is often not what businesses have.

Many companies have websites look good and have cost a lot of money and say virtually nothing of interest to people who will probably never see it anyway because it doesn't have any effective search engine optimisation.  Google can't find it and neither can customers. Or worse - if they do there is nothing useful for them to read.

Here are some more mistaken beliefs that have caught my attention lately.

Social media is not for every business.

This may be true if your idea of social media (marketing) is only about directly selling goods.

For perhaps most businesses this is not going to be the result of using social media. But for some businesses social media can deliver sales directly.

This is not necessarily even the most useful means of using social media.

So what can social media be useful for in addition to direct sales?

For many in business, "Having a chat with a stranger" is not high on their list of priorities. Some issues that are though, and if they are not already, should be high on the list of priorities, include:

• Researching your marketplace
• Being on top of trends
• Meeting people of influence in your chosen area of interest
• Meeting future customers
• Meeting future business partners
• Learning ahead of the curve
• Understanding customer sentiment
• Learning
• Teaching
• Building your profile
• Becoming a credible expert
• Meeting new people in your community
• Gaining new skills
• Being on top of changes that are coming
• Keeping current
• Managing your company's online reputation
• Being accessible to customers
• Showing transparency and approachability
• Developing wider competencies
• Engaging in ways that are not available offline
• Observing different ways of thinking
• Seeing new ways of doing things that can work in your business
• Increase exponentially the number of people who know your business

That's a few things to start with.

And no it isn't a spectator sport. Neither is it a broadcast medium.
 
Oh and no... These benefits don't all come from having a Facebook page.

First you need to start with a better framework for what you imagine social media to be.
And get your website in order. 

 How many other benefits can you think of?



 Related
Develop A Strategy For Social Marketing
Check Your Website For Roadworthiness
Think Social Media Is No Use For Your Business? Think Again.
How To Get Your Local Business Noticed Online
Purpose Then Strategy - Case Study Starting Your Website
  Quick And Dirty Business Review


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Like to discuss your business? Lindy Asimus Design Business Engineering Get Help For Your Business Download your free 24 Page Action Plan Marketing Workbook! Subscribe to Actionbites Blog