Every time we talk to a business about blogging there is always this sense of panic. People don’t know where to start or what to say, but blogging to promote your business and services is really very easy! Here is a quick list that can be used to come up with years of blog posts.

1 – Educate

You can and should educate your visitors, potential clients/customers and current customers! Here are the three basic demographics you need to target. You can educate them on:

• definitions and explanations of terms commonly used in your industry
• the positives and negatives of whatever is related  to your services and/or products
• what to look for and what to avoid when working with someone in your industry
• anything you feel they need to know even if it won’t make you money! I blogged about LocalVisibility.org and I told people what I thought. I didn’t make money with this warning, but I do get about 1,000 hits a month on that article and many emailed thank yous.
• educate with a spectrum – educate those that know nothing, those that know some and those that know all.

2 – Break Down Your Services – each of them

There should be a blog post about every service you offer, then there should be blog posts about:

• the benefits of each service
• why people need this service
• what to look for when hiring someone for this service and what to avoid
• what people need to know about this service
• an idiot-proof explanation of the service
• give suggestions
• explain options

You should always link to the service page you are discussing (learn about anchor text and SEO) and you can create an education or articles section for each service page and link to related blog posts. You can also use these posts to educate clients and answer questions.

3- Benefits of Using Your Business

Why should someone come to you? I don’t know so you have to tell me. However, don’t tell me everyday! You can integrate this topic into anything, but do it carefully. If all you do is sell yourself on your blog I will not return. You must give me something that I can learn or something that will help me and if you are subtle with your sales I won’t mind. If you reach out of the computer screen and try to cram your wonderful business down my throat I will never return…

• why are you different?
• why should I trust you?
• what do I need to know about your business, beliefs, ethics etc.?
• why you?

4 – Give Tips

If you have some tips that can help someone in anyway at all give it to them! This is part of educating, but “tips” are something I always click on. Tips are typically quick and easy. I like and need as many tips as I can get. Tips to organizing my closet…tips on choosing paint colors…tips on cleaning crayon out of carpet…I and everyone else needs tips!

5 – Discuss Discounts

People love discounts. They love to save money in anyway they can, so if you have discounts, free shipping or bonuses you need to discuss them. Blog about them and get your posts out there with your social media platforms.

Last Tip – Use your Blog Posts in Social Media, Email Marketing and eBooks

When you create these posts always be thinking about what else you can use them for. Blog posts should be promoted with social media (if they offer something valuable) and they can help you with content for email newsletters. With educational posts you can eventually create ebooks for current and new clients. With quality blog posts you will always have information that can be used in various ways to market your business and the services you offer. So there you go! 5 easy ideas, go blog1

Melissa – SEO Aware

Jeff Brooks talked to me yesterday about yet another person he knows that tried to set up WordPress themselves with GoDaddy’s help. Nothing worked and we are not exactly shocked.

Setting WordPress Up the Right Way Takes Some Real Knowledge

WordPress is great and anyone that knows me knows that I talk about its benefits all the time. However, there can be some major quirks if you don’t know what you are doing. I am not saying this because I want you to hire me, I am just being honest. There are experts in every field because they are experts at what they do. There are people that fix dishwashers, washing machines and cars. Sure, sometimes you can fix things yourself, but would you feel comfortable building it yourself first? Probably not. You go and buy it already built correctly.

Anyone that works with WordPress a lot knows that certain plugins just don’t mix. Some plugins don’t work with themes for various reasons…there are many things to “know”. If you have someone set up Wordpres for you wrong the first time you may always have glitches. We often find that we have to start all over to make everything work well. This wastes time and money.

“We Never Did it Before, But Sure We Can Do It”

Ummmm…NO! Not a good thing to hear. If you want quality your must pay for it. If you have read about the benefits of WordPress, and you want them, expect to spend a little money. Find the money to do it right the first time and have everything running smoothly. You will learn more and more as you use the software, but have it set up right first so everything functions as it should.

Good Luck,

Melissa - SEO Aware

On January 27, 2010 SEO Aware is offering a WordPress Class at Keiser University Sarasota. We also offer individual WordPress training services.

We are often asked why bother doing both…our answer is why not? Well, both don’t work for everyone, but they work for many. Of course your business needs to plan out your marketing strategies for the next month, 3 months, 6 months etc. Then you need to determine how to bring in potential clients/customers and convert.

Blogs, emails and videos can help!

A Good Plan Provides You With Much Information

If your marketing team plans out what your company wants to promote or focus on in the upcoming months you should use this same information in your blogs, videos and your email marketing campaigns. How you do this can either help you or do nothing for you.

Example, you have a blog article with “20 things you should know before buying a new office printer”. Great article idea and blogs can help you add related articles that might benefit your readers. You retain the reader and create trust. It is important to not forget to do the same thing in your email newsletter. A great article that matters to me is always welcome, but the emails that get my attention are the ones that include links to related articles, tips and information I may need.

When you create blog entries you are creating not only a resource for others, but also a resource for your own marketing campaigns. How you display these items and appeal to the reader is up to you, but make an effort to give them links to great information on your site. You can also mention your services/products, but don’t over do. Get them to the website and blog, which should lead them to your products and services (see article link below).

Why Bother With Both Blogging and Email Marketing?

Well, some people like email newsletters because they do not have to remember to go to a site and find what they are interested in. Some people prefer blogs, iGoogle and blog readers, but don’t want the newsletter. I actually have both coming my way.

One Tip – Don’t have articles exactly the same on both the blog and email newsletter. Change it up a bit. Have some additional tips on one, but not the other. Encourage traffic to the blog and also encourage people to sign up for “exclusive” information only available in your email newsletter. Keep in mind you better have some great info or they will opt out of your email list.

Related Articles:

How to Cross-Market Your Blog and Your Business, Promoting Each to Each Other’s Audience
SEO Aware’s New Class – October 8, 09 – Local Search & Email Marketing

SEO Aware

- The real starting point for my business!

- With Blogging you can compete on a national and global level!

- You can establish that you are an authority in your field.

- You can offer readers information they are looking for.

- You can create trust and trust is crucial if you are hoping to obtain a client/customer online.

- You can use your personality!

- Google wants content that is a resource for their users. Good content = traffic = higher rankings.

- The higher your ranking goes the higher your pages end up in the SERPs.

- You can create effective and solid backlinks to your site and blog.

- With Social Media you can market your blog for free and your blog is basically free advertising for your services and/or products. I get a good amount of work from Facebook by linking to my articles.

- You can get indexed for different services and/or products in the SERPs.

- You can sign your blog up in a large number of blogging communities that will advertise your business and your skills/expertise.

- You can submit your feed to various sites and not only increase your presence on the Web, but also drive more traffic to your site and blog.

Cross Marketing Your Business and Blog

- With a blog you can describe your services and products. With optimization you can obtain high placements in the SERPs.

- Explain the basics about the services or products you offer

- Your blog article can link back to your product/service page- increase the possibility of making a sale.

- You can also link to blog articles about products and services from your site.

- Explain why your service or product is needed.

- Explain the benefits of using your service or product.

- Ask customers to give opinions about a product/service for your blog and link back to their site.

* You can show readers how to obtain these services affordably (market your business here and explain in clear and easy terms why you are the best company for the job)

Melissa Fach – SEO Aware