In this digital age it’s incredibly important for businesses to build an online presence. However, an online presence doesn’t just mean having a trendy looking website and a few social media accounts. An online presence goes a little deeper than that – it’s forming a relationship with your current and potential customer, through online content. Some would argue that social media is a great way to build rapport, and it certainly has its advantages, but what you really want, is a place to share lengthy pieces of content which provide useful information, and which solves the problems of the searcher. What you want is a place to illustrate and explain how your product and service can fulfill their need, and this cannot easily be done through social media. What’s the best way to tick these boxes? Start a company blog.
Now starting a blog is also not just about posting articles with useful tips and interesting info, it should also boost your revenue, and we’ll show you exactly how to do that.
- Invest in SEO
This is the most important point in this entire post. SEO is what’s going to get your blog noticed by current and potential customers. Without SEO, you’re just another blog floating around the web, and no one will know you exist – even if they search in line with what you’re offering or posting. SEO, Search Engine Optimisation, is a set of ‘tools’ that help boost your rankings on search engines. You can try and tackle it yourself, but to really benefit from it we’d advise you invest in professional SEO services. SEO agencies have close relationships with the search engines and know the secrets to boosting SEO.
- Consider Ads
Ads are a great way to earn income from your blog. These are ads from other companies and entities. You, of course, shouldn’t post the ads of your competitors, but posting ads that compliment your offering is a smart idea. For example, if you’re an interior design company, perhaps you can post ads to kitchen appliance companies or architects. Most blogs make money this way, although it’s not always guaranteed that you’ll see a big difference in revenue overnight. Some ad companies pay on a commission basis and per click or per sale, but you can do the negotiating!
- It should be used as a content marketing tool
Company blogs are a content marketing tool and should always be used in that way. Whatever content is posted should be advertising a variety of services or products you offer. A great marketing tool and a way to incorporate ‘stories’, is writing anecdotal pieces, meaning you either interview a client and detail their experience with your product or service, or you write a fictional piece, but which illustrates just how your potential customer would benefit from using your product or service.
- Create content with ‘share’ potential
Share potential in the digital sense means content that people would find interesting enough to share on their social media pages or elsewhere. This content is usually in the form of videos, infographics or story articles that are interesting, or which induce feeling. Content with share potential doesn’t have to be linked directly to your product or service, but if it can be, that’s an added bonus. What you are wanting to achieve through people sharing the content, is for others to investigate the source of it – which would be you. It certainly has to align with your industry at least, especially if you want to keep their attention and have them follow your content going forward, but it doesn’t necessarily have to advertise your offerings. See ‘share potential’ content as a way to lure potential customers in – and then leave the advertising pieces to after they’re ‘hooked’. You can also share the content yourself on sites like Pinterest and other social media channels to get it going.
- Sell products through the blog
Many companies now sell products through their blog – basically a blog with an online store element. This doesn’t have to be the primary way in which you sell to your customer, but it is a great way to boost your revenue. Many people buy on impulse, and especially online because it’s hassle-free. This is something you can play on, and you can also show how the blog is giving them extras or discounts that others don’t get if they’re not subscribed. If you are not selling a product but rather a service, there are other ways to show your potential customer that they’re getting a ‘good deal’ – perhaps you can offer a free online quote.
