Struggling to write content for your company blog? These nine blog writing tips for your business will improve your writing experience, content quality, and traffic.
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You may have heard that a blog makes your website more likely to get found online. Perhaps your web developer told you that it was a good idea to have one. Whatever the reason, you now need to put some content on your blog and you’re not sure where to start or how to keep it going.
Why Does My Business Need a Blog?
The two main reasons for your business to blog are to get found and to establish yourself as a go-to in your niche.
More People Will Find Your Business
The mission behind your business will vary, but for you to realize that mission, the business needs to make money. And for that to happen, your target audience must find your business. That’s where a blog comes in.
According to TechTarget, an active blog gives your business a great advantage. Businesses with blogs get 55% more traffic than those without one. Remember, the internet is there to help people find answers to their questions and your blog should work to answer the questions your target customers ask.
Builds Trust and Community
An active blog builds trust in your industry and a sense of community. Let’s say your business provides technical support for small manufacturers. A blog filled with machinery maintenance tips can get the right people to visit your website. A neighborhood store can do the same by writing about picking ripe fruits or making a quick dinner.
Blog Writing Tips for Your Business
Knowing may be half the battle but you still have to write the content and if you didn’t get into business to write, this part is a challenge. Next time you’re stuck developing topics or trying to actually write a post, think of these tips.
1. Skip the Hard Sell
Millennials don’t like the hard sell, and Gen Zers like it even less. Your blog works as a sales tool if it provides value to the reader.
When people think of your business, they will think of how your blog answered their questions. When they do reach out to you, they will be closer to buying than if they came to you from an ad.
2. Plan Ahead
Brainstorm ideas, do keyword research, turn ideas into titles, and schedule your posts. If your goal is to have an active blog, you will need to think ahead. Telling yourself it’s time to write another post and then thinking about a topic is almost guaranteed to lead to an abandoned blog.
3. Get to the Point
Help your reader first. Don’t think about how many words your post must have. Go into detail where it matters but don’t add fluff.
Your post should aim to answer a question your reader potentially asked. Answer it early, don’t bury the answer in your concluding paragraph.
4. Make It Scannable
You’re going to hate what I’m about to tell you, especially if you’ve spent hours writing. Even when a person finds your post, odds are they won’t read all the way through.
Some readers may want a deep dive and appreciate the extensive content but most will simply scan for what they need. Your job is to make the post easy to scan by following these steps:
- Use headers and subheaders with clear names for each section
- Keep your paragraphs short
- Change the text style — Add bulleted lists, numbered lists, and block quotes instead of only paragraphs
5. Give Your Reader Breaks
A screen is not the best way to absorb long strings of text. Even your most devoted readers won’t get to the end of your post if you don’t give them visual breaks. Insert images, videos, or infographics into your post.
6. Pick Topics You Care About
When you sit down to write, be sure it’s a topic you care about. You don’t need to be an expert — that’s what research is for — you only need to find the topic interesting. If you don’t like the topic, your writing will show it and your readers will know.
If you’re not the right person to write on a particular topic, find someone on your team who loves the topic. That’s your writer!
7. Remove the Ads
There are tons of blogs heavy with ads. This may be okay if the blog itself must generate revenue but if your blog exists to support your company, ads can only hurt. Ditch them and focus on gathering leads and making engaging content.
8. Writing and Editing
You’re not trying to write the Great American Novel. The process has to move forward quickly, just like any other business task.
Think of writing as a two-step process with a classic number 2 pencil. Start by sharpening the pencil and then, just write. Keep writing. Don’t put the pencil down until you get to the end. This is your rough draft.
“The first draft of anything is shit.”
Now it’s time to edit. Flip your pencil over and start erasing. Editing is about removing fluff and correcting errors. Simplify complex words, shorten sentences and paragraphs, and move things around.
9. Hire Content Writing Help
If you follow all these tips and still find yourself stuck, feel like you don’t have time, or you’re just tired of writing — it’s time to stop. You have options. Add a writer to your staff or turn to freelance sites like Upwork or Fiverr. Or, you can turn to us!
Wrap-Up
Writing a blog for your business may seem daunting but the benefits make it worthwhile. If you’re passionate about your field and follow these blog writing tips for your business, you might enjoy it. Of course, if you prefer to get some help with your business blog strategy, writing, and management, we’re here to help! Reach out to us today for assistance with your small business content marketing.