When is a Blog more than a Blog?

When is a blog more than a blog? When it’s a marketing tool. And you thought blogging was only for political pundits and Hollywood gossip mavens. Think again. Blogging is the latest business tool, and when it’s done right, it can effectively work for you and your business. A business blog is a different creature than gossip, fashion or personal blogs, but can be just as popular for their own brand of information. Think about your customers, associates and peers in the business world. What information is important to them?  Industry news for starters.  And information concerning your businesses activities, such as ways your business is involved in the community. Perhaps changes in personnel within your company, or letting them know about promotions, awards and achievements of business personnel.  Whatever you decide to blog about, make sure that your ‘voice’ is heard.  Readers gain a feeling of who you and your company are as well as a sense of familiarity from your writing voice. That familiarity will make them more likely to think of your company when they or someone they know have a need for what you provide. A blog is a great way to keep your business fresh in their minds.

But a business blog serves another purpose that is just as important. Because a blog is something that is updated regularly, it provides fresh content to your website on  a regular basis. Fresh content is vital to a higher rating in the search engines. That’s right, blogging will bring your business closer to the top of an Internet search in your field . And that means more people checking out your website and the possibility of more business. That is effective marketing.

Many people will say they don’t have time to blog. I don’t believe that’s an excuse. A blog post doesn’t have to be long. A quick statement and a link to industry news will work. Or a quick tidbit about the charity event you’re participating in. Blog content is up to you.

Another option is to have your virtual assistant maintain your business blog.  I’m not advocating ‘ghost writing’ of your blog, because I think it is important for your ‘voice’ to be what readers identify with.  But you can still let your virtual assistant know what you’d like to blog about, pull together a draft and let you review and add final touches that make it your own.

Many businesses will dismiss the idea of a blog due to what they perceive a blog to be. If they only see the entertainment value it won’t appear to be lucrative for the business to participate. But if they can look past the surface and see how a blog can be adjusted to fit their unique situation it can become a low cost, highly effective marketing tool.