By Tess Wittler
Every day, millions of people turn to the Internet to gather data. They are looking for information on everything from sports scores to what’s happening in news, to doing research on new products and services.
With the multitudes of information available, it can be tricky for people to find YOU in cyberspace. Furthermore, once you are found, it can be especially difficult for people to develop a trust with your company. A blog can help build that trust among potential customers.
What is a Blog?
A blog, as defined by Merriam-Webster, is a website that contains an online personal journal with reflections, comments and often hyperlinks provided by the writer.
When integrated into your overall marketing plan, a blog can be essential in gaining visibility for your business, keeping your website “fresh” with new, useful information. Plus, over time, it can be an important aspect of positioning you as an “expert” in your industry.
Blogging for Builders
Builders can use blogs to promote new neighborhoods or highlight a particular spec house on the market. In doing so, you’ll generate more web traffic to showcase your products and services and ultimately attract more customers.
Same goes for blogging for remodelers. Remodelers can take past projects and “tell a story,” breaking up the larger remodeling project into smaller blog posts. This has the potential for weeks of information that visitors will want to “tune in” for.
Both builders and remodelers have a real opportunity here to not just write content, but also “show and tell” by posting photos of their homes and then describing what’s seen in each photo.
Contractors, on the other hand, can use a blog as an avenue to educate others in the field, by instantly informing existing or prospective customers on any new product features or developments in the business. These continued updates will enhance your reputation as a reliable supplier or a stable business partner.
No matter your expertise, a blog is a great forum to discuss decorating trends and green building practices, to name just a few. The possibilities truly are endless!
How to Increase Traffic and Improve SEO Rankings
The challenge for bloggers is to be able to increase the ranking of their blogs. Many social scientists have observed that the period we are in is no longer the “information age”; it is labeled the “age of attention.”
To survive in this new age, you must ensure that you develop high-quality content that will capture people’s attention. And with millions of pieces of information bombarding readers every day, it’s crucial that your blog tops the search engine optimization (SEO) rankings.
Consider these methods to increase traffic to your blog and improve your blog’s credibility:
- Post new content regularly. Your content should be interesting, relevant and informative. Remember, content is the meat that will make your readers come back for more.
- Connect your blog to an RSS Feed, which automatically “notifies” other sites and individual subscribers that new content is now available.
- Participate in relevant and related forums. Leave interesting comments to engage readers and solicit their reactions. When you do, there’s a great chance that they will link to your blog site – which drives new viewers in your direction.
- Read other blogs and post comments. By commenting, you are also exposing yourself to others (i.e., potential customers). This will help you generate more followers of your own blog.
Blogging will definitely increase your products’ exposure, attract new buyers, and sustain the interest and trust of your existing customers. If you want a better edge over your competitors, blogging is a great option.
Tess Wittler Writing Services • Giving Your Visions A Voice
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