by Kaylee Lauriel, PR Intern
It’s no secret that blog posts are a vital piece of marketing. In 2022, 90% of businesses used blog posts as a part of their marketing strategy. But how can you make sure your blog posts are reaching their full potential? Here are five ways to leverage your blogs.
Have a strong headline and break up your content (just like this)
The most important thing is to make sure your blog posts are both reader and search friendly. Blog posts that utilize headings and proper spacing are both pleasing to the eye and helpful in boosting your search engine optimization (SEO).
A good, strong headline that draws readers in is also essential. Your headline should tell readers they will gain something from reading your blog post – whether it is informational, educational or for entertainment, your readers must get something out of reading your blog post.
Include strong meta descriptions to also help attract customers to your blog. This also doubles for optimizing your SEO.
Develop your voice through your writing
Show readers a more personal side of your brand that they can relate to. No one wants to read blogs that are bland with zero unique personality. When your blog is friendly and personable, customers feel more comfortable interacting with your brand and purchasing from it.
Traditional marketing methods, like print ads or brochures, certainly have their merits, but blogging allows customers to see the people behind the brand and what the brand is meant to represent. Think of how the fast-food franchise Wendy’s became iconic for the humorous and sarcastic responses across their social media and how their engagement and sales increased.
Find your voice and work it through your blog posts. Don’t shy away from being clever and witty, or sincere and heartfelt if that is what your brand is. Most importantly, don’t be afraid to be yourself!
Build trust with your customers
Blogs are meant to be relatable and relaxed. The informal nature of blogs is meant to encourage customers to engage so that you can understand each other better. Establishing a relationship between business and customer is essential to building trust.
Customers trust blogs that know what they’re talking about. Share your expertise to lend to your credibility. Include topics like industry insights or tutorials that highlight your expertise. Blog posts with success stories add value to the relationship between you and your customers.
Make your website a destination
Other ways to build trust include engaging in conversation by asking and answering questions. Customers want to interact with brands, but only if they value their customers engagement and respond to it. Keep an upbeat, light-hearted tone throughout your interactions to encourage customers to continue interacting.
Repeat traffic is the lifeblood of websites. A HubSpot study reported that companies with a blog receive 97% more links to their website. Your blog will give people a reason to revisit your website. This is why it is important to have a personality in your blog so that it is more appealing and readable.
Really go the extra mile by providing free resources on your blog – reliable industry tips, free downloads and guides will keep customers visiting your sites. It is also a good idea to include links to other places on your website in your new blog posts to keep things such as older blog posts in circulation.
Be Passionate!
Enjoy what you’re writing! Things that you are enthusiastic to write about are exciting to read about and will inspire more action from your readers. Write about things you care about and skip the things that bore you, because customers will be able to tell. Blog posts aren’t meant to be something checked off a to-do list; they should be fun, upbeat and engaging.
Blog posts with clear passion and good energy will exemplify the care you have for your industry, which will influence your readers to have that same energy when they interact with your brand.
