Business Blogs – Why You Should Start One and How To Do It

Obviously, you know what a blog is because you’re reading one right now. But, have you thought about how it can help your business? A blog is very simple to create and can be a potent marketing tool for your business. An effective blog can do wonders for your business. It can:

- Drive traffic to your main Web site
- Produce more sales
- Be an effective customer service tool
- Help you create and solidify customer relationships

The main reason people are attracted to blogs is the human aspect. Most blogs are informative while informal, and are more like conversations because people can leave comments on each post. These comments are a great way to get feedback from customers. Blogs are free, or almost free – you can sign up for your own at Blogger.com or WordPress.com. There are many other blogging sites, but these two are the most popular.

Let’s dig a little deeper into how a blog can benefit your business:

You become more personable to your customers. You write posts in your own voice and your business becomes tied to a human face and personality. (Be sure to put your picture on your blog!) This makes customers trust you and your business more because they know there’s a person there that they can communicate with. (This is especially important for online businesses.)

Your customer service can be more effective. You can turn your blog into a personal FAQ or Q&A to answer your customers’ questions. You can also get honest feedback from people who would be too scared to say negative things to your face. A blog can also be a place where you share how-to articles, provide product updates and explanations, and other helpful info with your customers. It can also act like an informal focus group for your marketing materials – if you’re creating new posters to advertise a new product, you can upload a picture of your poster options and ask for votes on favorites. People like to voice their opinion, and most will be happy to give you their opinions on a blog without you spending a dime on a formal focus group!

A blog can build your credibility. If you post info that is relevant to your industry and it’s valuable to your customers, you’ll soon be seen as an expert. Your blog will be the first place people go to for info on your industry. Your expert status will then make people feel more comfortable when buying from you.

How to Start a Business Blog

1. Go to Typepad.com, Blogger.com or WordPress.com, or Google “blog builder” or “blog creator” to find other blogging options. Register for a blog and be sure to give it a relevant name that reflects your business or products.

2. Take a tutorial if needed through the blog Web site – the sites are easy to figure out.

3. Start posting! Post industry articles, product updates, personal stories or basically anything you want to talk about with your customers.

4. Update your blog every day, every other day, or at least every week. No one wants to read the same stuff over and over again. If you don’t add fresh content every few days, or at least every week, people won’t be back.

And, a tip: write conversationally – even though this blog is tied to your business, it should not be business-like. That is not the purpose of a blog. The purpose is to be personable, personal and to provide a place for virtual conversation.