Blogging for Entrepreneurs

Blogging is one of the most powerful tools you can include in your marketing plan. While writing content for your blog may come easy for some, maintaining it while juggling all your other activities may not be so simple. If you want to be a successful blogger, you must consistently post new, valuable content. It is vital you create a plan you can manage in your schedule, and stick with it. Yes it takes time, yes there are always other things needing your attention. You have really got to decide if this is something you want to commit to for the long term. It takes time to write and maintain a blog. It takes time to gain a healthy following of readers so count the cost before you begin. I’ve seen many blogs start out and die quickly with just one or two posts ever completed.

Here are the strategies you must implement if you want to be an organised, profitable blogger:

1. Create a schedule

Let’s be honest. For most of us, our blog is not our business it’s simply a marketing tool to engage your target market in order to sell more of your products or services. Yes it’s fun and it’s a chance to let your hair down a let the creative juices flow however we all get busy with the more pressing issues of running a business. You should create a schedule where time is allocated for writing and posting to your blog.

2. Decide on your content and tone

This is really where the rubber hits the road. Get this right and you will grow your readership over time. It should be your goal to encourage your target audience to come back for more. Often it is better to write all the content you need for a week in one sitting, so you can set aside the time and focus on your writing.

Blogs tend to be less formal than a corporate website however you should select a tone and style that you are comfortable with. Humour may be appropriate for some markets and not others. It really comes down to who you are and what your brand represents.

3. Follow and contribute to other blogs

You should visit other blogs and comment on them where possible, linking back to your own blog. Don’t blatantly promote your blog, add something valuable or interesting to the blog and watch the bloggers repay the favour to your blog. It’s a great way to increase your blog content so search engines pay attention and send more traffic your way.

Stats Monitoring

It’s good to follow your stats to see what blog posts are generating the most traffic however the true measure of success is the number of valuable comments you are able to attract. It’s about engagement and interaction. The more you are able to interact with your target market, the more likely they will buy from you.