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Oct 16 2013
By Rachel Creveling

Mashable’s How to: Create a Successful Company Blog

So you know you need to blog, and you’re convinced you ought to write about something you’re passionate about and that speaks to your customers. How can you create something that people will want to come and read every day? Here are some tips to create a successful company blog from our friends at Mashable:

1. Be authentic

The thing that kills most blogs, in my view, is when you can tell that the writer is just going through the motions. You need to find a “voice” that is authentically yours. People will get used to your style and your style will become your signature.
2. Be transparent

The “old school” way of getting media attention was to submit press releases. These were artificially crafted documents that were filled with glowing reviews of your company. In short, they felt fake. The best way to establish your voice is to be transparent.

Be willing to talk like a human being. Be willing to show feelings and a point of view. Let your inner self come out rather than your “inner bullet point.” Don’t use too much lingo. Don’t feel like your prose has to sound like it was crafted by a university professor. Just speak!

3. Get inside your readers’ minds

I give this advice often and in many scenarios, including public speaking. When people speak to many audiences, they sometimes get into a canned routine. They give the same presentation no matter which crowd they’re addressing. The key is that each time you present, you need to think about who is in the audience and what they want to hear. The same is true for blogging.

On my blog, my audience is made of startup entrepreneurs and probably other VCs. When I write I try to be mindful of who these people are, the knowledge I assume they have, and what I believe they want to know.

4. Solicit feedback

I ask people what they want to read about. I regularly ask for feedback on what I’m writing. When people give me good suggestions, I try to cover those topics.

When community members write awesome comments, I’ll sometimes write a post about what they said to highlight them and their contributions. In my opinion, the best way to build an audience over time is to engage with them and to highlight those that really contribute positively to you.

5. Don’t be offensive or take big public risks

I sometimes read blogs that get extreme. I read a blog once that jokingly suggested “offering your angels cocaine if that would get them to invest.” It was intended to be funny. It wasn’t. And comments like this run the risk of offending people. This was a blog about personal finance, and I found the comment totally irresponsible and at odds with the brand image the blogger was trying to project.

I read a blog yesterday where the author was trying to make fun of a negative comment he got on his product. The blogger highlighted him and called him “retarded,” which I, and I’m sure many others, find offensive. There’s no upside to this type of comment, but there’s a big downside. My esteem for him went down.

Further, unless your company revolves around taking stands on controversial issues, it’s best to leave your political commentary at home. Statements like these stand to upset or anger half of your potential customers no matter what side you take.

6. Have fun

This may be obvious, but if writing a blog becomes a chore for you it will show. Try to make your writing fun and it will be easier to stick to. It will also reflect in your voice.

Happy blogging!

For more information please visit http://mashable.com/2010/03/01/company-blog/

Rachel Creveling
Rachel Creveling

Rachel Creveling has 15 years in the industry and is the Owner of Belle Strategies Marketing Agency. As a Digital Marketing Consultant, she helps clients strategically plan and build campaigns based on ROI. Her highly custom consulting method has earned clients including the Hilton Head Wine & Food Festival, Four Seasons Resort and Residences, South Beach Seafood Festival and many others. Rachel’s expertise helps companies push past revenue goals by leveraging their data and identifying areas for efficiency and growth.

bellestrategies.com

Read More In: Sarah · Tagged: Blogs, business, Mashable

Sep 18 2013
By Rachel Creveling

The Top Five Business Blog Musts

Professional blogging requires writing skills and creativity; but it takes more than that to put together 150+ words if your goal is to bring in new and continued business. I’ve put together a top five list for you to see exactly what every effective business blog needs!

1) Get Out There.

Being visible to your readers is crucial – and that means more than just having a clear link to your blog on your homepage.  Your blog URL should be in the bio sections on your social media pages, as well as in your email signature (if that applies).

SEO (Search Engine Optimization) helps new readers find you.  Consider what your post is about and what key word(s) your potential readers would use to “search” the topic.  Include the word(s) in your URL if possible, and utilize it throughout your post.  Don’t overdo it though; search engines are smart enough to tell if you’re overloading the key words!

2) Blog Regularly.

It seems a little obvious, but I have to point out that consistency is key when it comes to blogging for business.  As long as the content of your blog is interesting, relevant, and/or useful – more is always better.  Determine how frequently you can post while ensuring your content still fulfills the above requirements, and then make a schedule you can stick to.  We recommend no less than twice a month, but each business is different!

 3) Utilize Social Media Buttons.

Aside from standard search engines, social sharing is the best way new readers can find your blog.  Make sure to have social media icons on your blog so people can share it with their followers.  Like it, tweet it…whatever they are doing with it – it’s helping people see your content (and that’s the goal)!

4) Appeal Visually.

Incorporating images and video into your blog can be done in a way that still conveys the level of professionalism your business wishes to uphold.  Don’t be afraid to appeal to your readers with visual aids, just make sure you don’t use copyrighted materials.  In fact, using properly named imagery will increase your search optimization!

topfiveThis little guy is named “topfive.png”.  Part of our logo is in the background, and our website’s URL is right there too.

5) PRUFREED.

Listen people – proof your copy!  An effective blog is one that develops credibility for your business.  Well-crafted sentences, proper punctuation, and proper spelling are all musts!  It seems a little silly that this is on a top five list considering your 2nd grade teacher taught you to double check things, but it deems repeating.  Your readers are researching you and determining if they want to give you their business…typos are a turnoff!

 

Rachel Creveling
Rachel Creveling

Rachel Creveling has 15 years in the industry and is the Owner of Belle Strategies Marketing Agency. As a Digital Marketing Consultant, she helps clients strategically plan and build campaigns based on ROI. Her highly custom consulting method has earned clients including the Hilton Head Wine & Food Festival, Four Seasons Resort and Residences, South Beach Seafood Festival and many others. Rachel’s expertise helps companies push past revenue goals by leveraging their data and identifying areas for efficiency and growth.

bellestrategies.com

Read More In: Rachel · Tagged: blog, business, SEO, top five

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