123 Junk Blog – 123 Junk was started by a college graduate who is noted by the Washington Business Journal as turning “junk heaps into gold mines.” Their blog is very business-centric and has some great posts that focus on building the customer-business relationship.
The WRONG Ways to Blog
There are many right reasons to blog, but that doesn’t stop people from blogging for the WRONG reasons. Here is a quick list of what a blog won’t do for you, and why you should not position your blog in these ways.
1. You tell people what you want them to know rather than what they want to know.
People come to your blog to find answers to their questions. What are the most common things clients or potential clients ask about your business, service or product? What are the most often-listed questions on the Internet on this subject? When you hear or find questions, write them down and use these as blog topics.
2. You write in “corporate speak.”
A blog is a casual conversation between you and the readers. Talking in a corporate language, or using acronyms, will turn off your readers rather than engage them. Save the corporate talk for your white papers when readers want to know intricate details.
3. You think you won’t be original.
If you’re holding back from publishing a business blog because you think you don’t have anything original to say, you’re wrong. When your prospects are researching their question, they are looking for 1) answers and 2) rapport. If they have the choice between two (or more) companies, they will likely choose the one they feel speaks to them. You don’t have to have original thoughts; you just need to be sincere.
4. You throw something up there.
Think about what your blog is saying about your business and your reputation. It is your storefront to the world. As with a brick and mortar store, you wouldn’t want garbage in the window. Nobody will stop and shop there. A wrong way to blog is to toss anything up there and hope it will stick. Instead, create a blog schedule of thoughtful topics.
5. You want the blog to drive sales.
Your blog will likely not result in a direct sale. It should be used to 1) drive traffic to your site, 2) establish expertise, and 3) build trust. It is designed to get people interested enough to contact you; to generate leads. Then it is your job to convert that lead into a sale.
Related: 17 blogging mistakes to avoid in 2021
6. You think your blog will automatically build a following.
A business blog may build a few followers, but mostly, it will be a resource when people are researching a topic. If your blog is written well, and includes the right search engine optimization tactics, it will pop up on an organic search and lead people to your website. It is better to get prospective clients onto your email mailing list so that you can directly market to them. Do this by offering a free subscription to your newsletter in each blog post, or giving away a free report or Top 10 list in exchange for their email address. Use the blog to draw potential clients in with a thoughtful topic, then ask them to take a next step that will also provide helpful information to them.
7. You think that the only marketing you need to do is a blog.
A blog is only one tactic in your arsenal of marketing tools. Each tool has its own function and should be used in conjunction with the others. Use your social media to drive people to your blog post by posting an intriguing question or excerpt with a link to the entire post. This will drive people to your website. List your blog in your email signature and on correspondences and marketing materials. Cross-blog with other business owners looking to reach the same audience.
With all the wrong ways to blog, you need an expert in the right ways to blog.
At All the Buzz, we’re experts in blog writing and can increase traffic to your website and help you generate leads. Contact us to learn more about how we can create blog posts for your business.
Why Should I Blog?
Is blogging a difficult thing to do? No. Is it essential? Yes. Many clients ask us, “Why should I blog?” That shows us that they don’t know or understand the benefits of blogging, so let’s review those benefits here.
Blogging attracts interested prospects
People are searching the Internet for answers to solve their problems. When your business blog post offers that solution, you are immediately on their radar as a qualified resource, without their having to make a commitment.
Blogging establishes and reinforces your expertise
Your business blog posts are prime locations in which to establish and reinforce your expertise in your field. Post answers to the most often-asked questions about your business. Post evidence of your expertise with awards and links to articles in which you appear. Post proof that you are an expert with examples and explanations of your products and services. Post reviews and testimonials. There are numerous ways you can build your credibility.
The business mentorship organization Score offers 10 reasons to keep an active business blog, beginning with the fact that “customers who read your blog at 97% more likely to click on your website.” The answer to “Why should I blog” is to attract and convince potential customers and clients. Continue reading →
25 Ways to Drive Traffic to Your Business Blog
Do you write a blog for your business and keep posting to it regularly? It’s a great way to talk about your industry, provide information about your business, and to entertain. It’s also a great way to build a following for your business. Yet many business owners ask how to make people aware of their blog and to attract followers.
25 Ways to Drive Traffic to Your Business Blog
- Tell everyone you have a blog
- Post your blog name and link in your email signature
- Include your blog link on your business cards, stationery and all forms
- Add your blog link to your bio
- Post snippets of your blog posts on your social media with links to the blog
- Add your blog link to your social media profiles
- Be active on your social media accounts and social networking sites like StumbleUpon and Mixx
Types of Blog Posts
We all know that we should be blogging in our business. Blog posts not only keep relevant content on our website for search engine optimization (SEO) purposes, they give people a way to learn more about what you do and what you can do for them. There are a number of types of blog posts, as we’ll discuss here.
Types of Blog Posts:
- Story
Tell readers a story about your product, your company, a client case study, or an industry happening. People love to read about other people’s experiences. - List
Offer an easy-to-read bulleted list of items that can help someone overcome an obstacle or organize their lives, for example. - How To
Take the reader step by step through a process to an outcome. Highlight how to best use and benefit from one of your products or services.
Why Keywords Matter for SEO
Although the rules of search engine optimization (SEO) change frequently, one thing remains constant: the need for content that is keyword-relevant.
Not 20 years ago, it was easy to get noticed with your own website. But now that there are more than 1 billion websites on the World Wide Web, it is increasingly difficult to grab your audience’s attention and get them to click on your site. Continue reading →
How Can You Charge That? It Only Took You Five Minutes!
Pablo Picasso was sitting in a restaurant one day when a woman walked up and asked if he would draw her a sketch. He said OK, and jotted down a quick sketch. When the woman went to take the drawing, Picasso held back and said, “That will be $10,000.”
The woman was outraged. “How can you charge me $10,000 when it only took you five minutes!”
Picasso politely answered, “No ma’am. It took me 50 years.” Continue reading →
One Space or Two Between Sentences?
Way back when I was in school, we were taught to put two spaces behind a period before beginning a new sentence. Writing for the web, however, is different. You only use one space between sentences.
When we used to use typewriters, in order for the copy to be read clearly, it needed two spaces to set it apart. There was only only font, after all, and it was not as easy to read as our modern proportional fonts found on computers. Continue reading →
We Made a “Top 10” List!
One of the companies for which All the Buzz writes blog posts is listed as one of the “Top 10” blogs in their industry. We’re excited by the listing and the client is thrilled. Not only does their listing (holding its own against the big national companies) give credibility to their company, it elevates them in both online searches and credibility in the eyes of their customers. In addition, the client, 123JUNK, has seen a significant rise in their web traffic with regular blog posting.
The industry itself isn’t glamorous, it’s junk removal. But is an essential service that everyone needs. Here is how the listing is noted:
Top 10 Junk Removal Blogs On The Web Today
Not bad for a regional company that just opened their second location!
If you’d like to see your online traffic increase, Continue reading →
Everyone Can Write. Why Should I Hire You to Do It?
I was at a business networking meeting today where the topic of discussion was: “What are the misperceptions about your business?”
As a writer, the most common one I hear us: “Everyone can write. Why should I hire you to do it?”
Yes, everyone CAN write. But my question back is: “Can they write well?” When you are a business owner the words you use to create your brand and attract customers can make or break you.
You have only seconds to capture someone’s attention, Continue reading →
Improve Your English: Comprise vs. Compose
Over and over again you hear people mixing up the two words Comprise and Compose. They may sound similar, but have entirely different meanings, and are commonly confused for each other, most often with the word comprised being used where the word composed is correct.
Let’s start with the meaning of each word:
- Comprise: Consist of
- Compose: To make up or form by combining things, parts or elements
To do a quick check as to which word would be appropriate in your sentence, Continue reading →
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