As algorithms are updated, social media explodes, and marketing strategies adapt, one tried and true method for generating traffic to your website and landing pages has been a stalwart constant. Blogging, especially on WordPress and similar platforms, is one of the easiest and most controllable ways to increase the success of your content marketing. Below, you’ll find a handful of the most effective blogging techniques to turn your blog into the most valuable marketing tool you own.
1 – Picking the Perfect Topic
Knowing what to write about is the most difficult part about blogging. Based on your business, industry, and your overall purpose of blogging (which you should set goals for), you probably have hundreds of half-ideas on what to blog about. Before you start typing, however, come to terms with the fact that there are thousands of other blogs already out there trying to do the same thing. What sets them apart? Well, that answer is easy:
- Popular, effective blogs tap into trending events, pop culture, and news. You can do this by checking out competition and staying up to date on your industry.
- These blogs inform rather than promote. People have a take-away, observe a call-to-action, and potentially share/like a blog because they think others will enjoy it.
- On top of being informative, successful blogs are entertaining. Forgo the tight language and traditional three sentence, grad school essay structure.
- Successful blogs also have a long lifespan.
Picking a topic that works is a challenge, though there are other strategies you can use to streamline the process:
2 – Keeping Keywords in Check
Often, bloggers shape their content and topics around a keyword. As mentioned, the most effective blogging techniques forgo any overly-promotional writing; this doesn’t mean you can’t throw your business name and contact info into the mix, though. Just keep it minimal.
As to keywords, you can take advantage of other phrases you’ve already used for SEO and marketing to try and increase the presence of your blog on searches. If you’re hesitant on keywords, it is best to get professional marketing help; Google penalizes sites that (even accidentally) overuse SEO.
3 – The Content Question
So you have your topic, a few keywords to choose from, and you’re ready to go! But this is where things get hard because you’re challenged to actually write a few hundred words. This isn’t easy for marketers with advertorial experience, either, but by using research, quotes, and other legitimate information you’re able to use filler content when writing. Filler content is the space between, the thoughts, ideas, and preambles that introduce points. For non-writers, filler content is simple.
4 – Quality Vs. Quantity
Among these seven most effective blogging techniques, take #4 to heart. The most overzealous bloggers will start pumping out content without signs of stopping. They do this to increase their blog’s awareness, social shares, and to bolster their campaign. Does it work? Not really.
Spend time on every blog and write something you are proud to share or would be interested in reading. One of the best things to do is create a publishing schedule and try to do a blog every few days. This will cut down on any over-quantity, under-quality problems.
In another vein, it is important that you edit, fact-check, and make sure there are no grammar or spelling errors. These turn off readers and show that blogs are rushed.
5 – Social Sharing
Once written, it is time for you to start finding readers for your blog. Most platforms have easy widgets for sharing posts on Twitter and Facebook; get used to using them. Once shared, look back at your posts to see which topics were more successful than others.
6 – Always Blogging
Successful blogs are capable of generating conversation from your social media fans and followers. If a discussion breaks out in the comments, for instance, this is a good indicator that there is room for a more extensive blog on the same topic. Even consider asking your readers what they would want to read about.
7 – Post-Blog
Keep a list of your prior topics and remember that you can always share them again. This is useful when there is a major shift in an industry and people start searching out certain blogs. For your own campaign, figuring out the most effective blogging techniques that work for you is the most important step.
Photo by: Andy Morley
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