7 Tips to Increase Sales with a Perfect Blog
Just yesterday I was browsing through the thousands of titles in Netflix, marveling at its success. A streaming service that lets you watch your favorite movies and TV series in the comfort of your own home, with zero commercials. Netflix has had the right idea for quite some time: they have capitalized on their unique business model and started creating their own original content, and most of it is rated 5 out of 5 stars.
What do you think might be some of the reasons for Netflix’s success? For one, consumers often seek ways of shutting out the traditional ads. They subscribe to a streaming service or buy a DVR, such as TiVo, just to skip TV spots. This means consumers are taking in information through other methods. 8 Signal understands that marketing is constantly evolving, making traditional methods less and less effective. Fret not; as marketers, we are also evolving and we know there’s always a better way.
Cue content marketing
What exactly is it?
As the Content Marketing Institute states: “Content marketing is a strategic marketing approach focused on creating and distributing valuable, relevant, and consistent content to attract and retain a clearly-defined audience — and, ultimately, to drive profitable customer action.” Think Netflix and their decision to start producing their own content.
You may be starting to see how creating and maintaining a blog relates to content marketing. By consistently creating and presenting valuable and relevant content in your blog, you will be able to attract and keep customers. We have to warn you though, it is an ongoing process that works best when it is implemented as a part of your whole marketing strategy. Having a blog is a “pull” marketing strategy, which means that you’re not pushing your products to your customers, you’re actually pulling your customers towards you.
Will blogging actually bring you sales?
By keeping an updated blog, you will be able to share your expertise, gain professional recognition, and attract new clients. Socialmouths shows that websites with a blog tend to have 434% more indexed pages and 97% more indexed links, an important factor in SEO (Search Engine Optimization). Having a high index rate helps search engines, such as Google and Bing, recognize your website as a trustworthy resource with a whole lot of information for people to consume.
For example, let’s say you own a beauty salon and you write a post about the best beauty products out there. Guess what will happen when someone searches for “best hair products”?
That’s correct — if you’re blogging on a regular basis, there’s a good chance that Google is going to move your post up in the search results.
A blog definitely has the potential to bring in sales, if you do it right. TechClient shares some very interesting statistics:
- Small businesses with blogs generate 126% more leads.
- 61% of US consumers have made a purchase based on a blog post.
You may not see the numbers skyrocket immediately after your first post, but blogging regularly can nurture relationships with customers which in turn will help generate future sales.
Start thinking in terms of content
Everything can be made into a post. That’s the whole idea of a blog. By definition, it is a page on which someone can write about personal opinions, activities, and experiences. You might be generating content right now! You may just not know it yet, or maybe you simply can’t find the time in your busy schedule to sit down and write.
Hosting a blog doesn’t need to be an intimidating experience, but it does need some planning ahead. Make planning a priority. Here at 8 Signal, we have done that; content marketing is one of the most popular services we offer to our clients, and we make sure it is up to the highest standards possible.
Among other things, you will want to offer consistent and interesting content. The content should be of interest to your target audience and make them want to come back for more. Your blog should also reflect the culture of your company and be infused with personality. Take a look at these seven tips to create a great blog:
1. Blog for the right audience
Know your audience. Do not write for your friends or about the world at large; there are already too many CNNs out there. Write for the customers you wish to attract. If you run the beauty salon mentioned earlier, don’t talk about the Soccer Champions League, politics, or religion. Topics unrelated to your industry may interest some, but will those readers turn into customers?
2. Create interesting content
Educate to sell. Become the resource that everyone goes to get their questions answered about anything related to your product or service. Blogs give you the opportunity to do that in a conversational tone.
3. Pay attention to what your readers say
The comment section in a blog is there for a reason: getting feedback. Having an engaged audience exponentially increases your chances of turning a reader into a customer. When you get comments from your readers, if possible, take that extra time to respond to them. They will surely appreciate it.
4. Give your blog personality
Even CEOs are finding corporate success in writing their own blogs. On top of interesting and relevant content, your readers want to put a face on the business. Ask yourself:
“What ‘voice’ do I want my blog to have? Casual? Fun? Technical? Academic?”
As long as you make sure that the tone of your blog is warm and friendly.
5. Have the right frequency
How do you grow traffic on your website? Post more! The amount of content published and the traffic through your website are directly related. The more you post on your blog, the more reasons you give everyone to make your website a destination. As a bonus, you will also be feeding search engines more of your content so people can find you.
6. Subscriptions for everyone!
You want visitors to your website to come back… and as much as possible. Encourage them to sign up for your newsletter or receive notifications every time a new blog post is up.
7. Share, Share, Share
In the social media age, sharing your posts gives them life. Share your posts on your business’s social media accounts. LinkedIn, Twitter, Facebook, and Google+ are some of the top websites where you can find and grow your audience. Just give them a reason to visit your site.
Always remember …
Blogging is most effective when you’re pulling people towards you, not pushing your product on them. If you give valuable and relevant content to your audience, they will be pulled to you and your website for related solutions. You will reach a broader audience and your readers will get what they were looking for. It’s a win-win!
Are you ready to jump in and get started on your small business blog? If not, what’s holding you back? Let us know in the comments below or give us a call at (915) 585-1919. 8 Signal can help you develop your website, blog, and application, among providing many other marketing services.
Photos courtesy of: theglobalpanorama, http://tvorbaweb-stranok.sk, sepblog, Carlos Maya.
