Blogs (or articles) about your business are without a doubt, an essential tool for your digital environment. Blogs do a few things that pack a big punch:

1. It provides content that does more for your search engine presence than any other tool available.
2. Blogging allows you to share your knowledge and set you up as an expert in your industry. An easy way to get a leg up on the competition.
3. It provides fantastic content for social media posts.

I’m guessing you know this but there’s likely a few things holding you back. Actually – one big thing. “I’m not sure how to do it!”, followed closely by, “I’m not going to keep up with it,” and “I hate writing.” Those reasons are real reasons and extremely common, so don’t beat yourself up. But it’s probably time that you make a commitment to blogging. Here’s the good news. You don’t have to do the writing! You just have to start the process. Read on for ideas on how to get started using blogging as your inexpensive marketing tool today.

How to get started – Find that person – (10 minutes)

1. Find the person or people in your organization that enjoy writing and do it (somewhat) well. You’d be amazed at the hidden talent in your team. People who like to write are itching to write! Put out the ask, verbally, in an office email or at the next office get together.
2. Hire a contractor who specializes in this area. Almost all marketers blog to some degree because they know the importance of this tool. Plus – there’s really no learning curve for them.

Hold a “Blog Kick-Off” meeting – (60 minutes)

Now that you have the person(s) that is itching to blog for you, schedule a meeting. The goal of this meeting is to:

• Relay your goals to your blogger: Typical goals are to create content for the website that can be repurposed on your social media (the blogger may want to take over your social platforms as well…sweet!), highlight projects, educated prospective clients, set you up as the industry or local expert, take the reader through the sales funnel, etc.
• Discuss graphics: This is an important discussion because although you don’t necessarily need a professional photographer or graphic designer, you do want to relay that you want GOOD photos or graphics. There are tutorials on taking good photos using a smart phone – 90% of the time, this will suffice. Give them access to any company photo or graphic files. A novice can use free online tools to create simple graphics like Canva.
• Discuss process: You and your blogger should come up with a blogging calendar or spreadsheet so blog topics and ideas can live there. This keeps you motivated and on schedule. You should also discuss how often to create a post. The process should also include what will be done with the blog once it’s written. For example – added to a newsletter or pulled into social media environments.
• Include CTA’s (Calls to Action): Important and often overlooked. A CTA or Call to Action should be included in each article. “Call us”, “Email Us”, “Fill out this Form”, “Attend our Event”, “Find our Open Houses Here”.

Making it Stick (30 minutes/month)

It doesn’t have to be perfect out of the gate. In fact, it won’t be, but you’ll be amazed at how good you and your blogger get at this after just a few months. To ensure success, here are a few ideas for sticking the landing and making your blog strategy a success!

1. Praise your blogger. A writer lives for praise and it will make their work better.
2. Do some hand holding at the start. This is new for both of you.
3. If your blogger is “in-house” make sure they have enough time for the task by removing a useless task they are doing now. There probably is something that is not worth their time or could be managed by someone else.
4. Give them access to all that they need to get the job done; files, information, let them sit in on marketing meetings, etc. Treat them as an equal team member-or possibly give them the title of lead on this project.
5. Give them the best physical space they need to accomplish this. If your workspace is busy, give them access to a private office or permission to work offsite like their home or a coffee shop.
6. Encourage them to research tools, techniques, and training to constantly improve their craft.

Hopefully this information (in a blog!) will help you get your own blog strategy started. Remember, if there isn’t someone in house who can do this, you can also hire a marketing professional who blogs. The advantage is the much shorter learning curve, a professional who knows how to write in a way that improves your search engine optimizations, is a pro at calls to action and understands how to string content together (using social, linking, creating a cohesive content library) that converts to sales more quickly.

If you still have questions or want more information, reach out to me at srblmnop@gmail.com. (Spoiler alert. This is a CTA)

Congrats on your journey into the wonderful world of blogging!