A blog gives you a voice – a platform – a place to show your prospects and customers just how much you know – a place to start conversations – conversations that lead to building credibility, trust and customer loyalty.
If you have ever struggled with how to effectively communicate with your customers – perhaps alert them when you release a new product or service, or maybe you’d just like their opinions on your past sales or future company direction – blogs are becoming an incredibly common means to keep customers aware of sales and product releases as well as to simply talk to them more informally. Providing a forum where people can leave comments provides you with a measure of value and proves that your company does indeed care.
Reinforce your Brand
A blog can be a phenomenal marketing tool for your business, but it also needs to be part of your brand identity because that is what sets you apart in the marketplace – it’s all about recognition and brand trust.
Become the Expert
Position yourself and your company as the thought leader of your business. People in your industry will pay attention; they’ll read and discuss what you have to say.
Strengthen Customer Relationships
Have a more personal relationship with your customers when you join their discussions, provide tips and insights, or receive feedback.
Media Relations
Create a channel where media regularly check what you have to say instead of just relying on passive press releases.
Knowledge Management
Blogs are an easy way for readers to find information and resources they want or need.
Test Ideas or Products
Publish an idea and see if it generates interest. Does anyone link to you? What do they say?
Rank High in Search Engines
Google and other search engines rewards sites that are updated often, that link to other sites and most importantly, that have many inbound links.
Helpful Resources Once Your Blog is Launched
ProBlogger: A wealth of blogging-related information and resources to assist your blogging success.
CopyBlogger: Copywriting tips for online marketing success.
Lorelle on Wordpress: Comprehensive resource site covering WordPress, blogging and social media and how it all works.
The Blog Herald: The premier source of news, information, tips, and commentary on blogs, the blogging industry and bloggers worldwide.
Google Blog Search: Register your blog with Google Blog Search. Blog Search is Google search technology focused on blogs, enabling users to find out what people are saying on any subject of their choice.
HitTail: Use HitTail to research topics to write about. HitTail gives you a list of the search terms used by those who came to your blog through a search engine. This search term list will give you ideas for future blog posts.
Feedburner: Redirect your blog’s feeds through FeedBurner so you can track your subscribers.
Add This: Use this tool to download a smart button that makes it easy for readers to share or bookmark your blog.
Technorati: Use Technorati tags at the end of your blog posts as a way of classifying your blog posts by topic and have them added to Technorati’s index (Technorati is the most important search engine for blogs).
Technorati Tag Generator: Use this automatic Technorati tag generator to avoid having to create the HTML code manually.
