Basic Blogging

Blogging (blog comes from the term Web log which is similar to an online diary) is a marketing tool many businesses foolishly do not use. When a blog is done well it creates a conversation between you and your client community, driving traffic to your site as the result of search engine results. You can share news about your business, information and resources and ask for input from readers. Blogging is easy and not necessarily time-consuming.

Assuming your business has a Web site, your Web hosting company or webmaster can add a blog on fairly easy. Because there are so many hosting sites and Web software, we can't do step-by-step instructions for each of them. If, by chance, you do not have a Web site yet or you cannot add a blog to it, there are blogging sites online that offer free blogging with a lot of easy-to-use features. Try Typepad, Blogger or Wordpress. Just one of their basic blogging templates and following some of our suggestions on what to add will get you started.

Blog posts are generally 200-600 words long and you should plan on adding no less than one per week. Many people are blogging daily and write about the topics that relate to their business, asking themselves always "what are my customers' needs?" If you own a computer repair shop, topics might include all things technology related including how to maintain your computer. If you own an auto repair shop instead, you might write about automotive maintenance and do reviews of new models. Just be patient. You will build a following over time if you are consistent.

Linking to other sites within your blog posts is important. As a mechanic, you might link to major automotive sites. As a computer repair person, perhaps office supplies or computer manufacturers. This is important because every time someone does a search of an automotive company or computer company you have mentioned and linked to, the odds increase that your post will come up in the search. This increases traffic to your Web site and exposes more people to what you do.

Interact with readers. Ask questions in the blog like "how have you handled this?" or "what are your concerns about that?". This prompts them to engage in the discussion or comments section and helps push your statistics up as well as increase your Web traffic.

A "blogroll" is a list of links to other sites you list on your blog. Make sure that these are blogs that your readers can relate to and that you enjoy yourself. By adding a blogroll, you increase traffic for other blogs which helps you build online relationships and goodwill. List products and services that you recommend in a separate link list as well.

There are many ways to add images and video to your blog at little or no cost. Using graphics makes your blog more appealing and dynamic. Do an online search for free-images and you will be taken to various sites that offer a huge variety of images. You can also do searches for video, most of which will give you the easy-to-use HTML code to copy and paste into your blog. Use images and videos that make sense to the post and drive the message home.

You may be frustrated by this article because you feel you cannot write or you do not have the time. Don't worry! There are plenty of affordable, professional writers available. Posts will run between $5-15 each, or less, and you can purchase in a monthly package to drive down costs even further. Most "probloggers" can handle everything including adding images, tags and categories for you as well as review your comments.

Go to freelancing sites like GetaFreelancer or Elance to shop for a writer. Prepare to communicate with them quite a bit in the beginning until they understand your "voice" (how you, personally, would present the information).

A blog can drive traffic to your site, help you build relationships with customers and industry leaders, establish you as an expert in your field and provide a real service to your clients. It is easy and can be fun to do without taking a substantial amount of time. Blogging is a "must-have" in your marketing toolbox!

by Steven Schlagel - July 5, 2009

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