I tell businesses all the time that they need to be blogging. I get the same questions all the time, “What should we write about?”. Well, I am actually blogging about my first suggestion, answer your clients questions!
Why People Read Blogs
People read blogs for information, credible information from experts! If you are an expert in your field you should be writing about what you do. Pool companies, lawn companies, doctors, lawyers…everyone!
I have a “What is/Are?” section on my blog because it answers the most basic questions I get- “What is a title-tag?”, “What is Anchor Text?”. I get hits every single day from people searching for these and other things. More importantly it is a resource for me to use. When I get a new client I send them an email full of links from my blog. Then from the beginning they have an understanding of what I am doing and what I am talking about. More importantly, they got the info from me- they see that I know what I am doing and BAM, trust is established!
Some Ideas on What to Write About
Answer ALL Questions!
My first suggestion is that every employee that deals with clients, customers or patients write down the questions they are asked. I am sure that many businesses, like myself, get the same questions all the time. Answer them! If you answer important questions on your blog you not only create valuable content, you also create a resource for Web users, clients and potential clients! If you optimize correctly you can also bring in traffic that will invest in what you offer.
Explain What to Look for and What to Avoid
Some of my most visited articles are what to look for in a certain type of company and what to avoid. Help readers make a good choice with a business and help them avoid throwing money away. Help them choose the right doctor…help them avoid choosing the wrong lawn company. Help them make good choices and avoid bad ones and they will appreciate it.
REALLY and TRULY Explain What Each of Your Services Are About
I get quite a bit of traffic from people trying to figure out what SEO is. I get comments that really should be emails with some interesting questions (with their phone # and address). If someone is looking for a landscape designer and they go to a site that says, “We are Landscape Designers!”, then they go to another site that has services and articles on “What does a landscape designer do?”, “How to choose a qualified landscape designer”, and “Top 10 Landscape Tips You Can Do on Your Own”, which do you think will get chosen? Which creates trust?
Recommend or Comment on Other Articles and/or Videos
If you are an expert in your field you read articles and watch videos about your industry. You know what is true and what is false. Recommend the good ones on your blog and discuss the ones you disagree with.
Discuss Changes in Your Industry or Laws Relating to It
Obviously SEOs blog all day everyday because something is always changing, but that isn’t the case in all industries. Discuss any changes and discuss changes in the law. Inform your readers, clients and potential clients!
Define Tough Definitions
What is the difference between a truck accident and a big truck accident? Should someone hire a lawyer for a traumatic brain injury or wrongful death? Explain what the basics are for, because they are not the basics for us. Educate us!
Blog About Your Business News, But Not Too Often
If you have exciting business news blog about it. If you have a huge sale you should mention it, but don’t spam your blog with crap about sales and stuff we don’t care about.
Create a Contest or a Poll
You can create contests and market them around the web or create a poll that will interest current clients/customers or new ones.
Give an Opinion on Recent National News
I gave my opinion on the Nick Hogan Car accident and the amount of traffic and links I have received is sick. Plus, I have been indexed a ton of different ways and got #1 placements on google, yahoo, msn and more. It brings in traffic and you need traffic. It might cause you to gain or lose clients, but it makes the blog more interesting. Look at my ranking for my article about CNN. Tons of traffic still.
Put Videos on Your Blog
You can add your own videos or embed videos from other sites. Either way you can either educate or make someone laugh. I have one client that needed a #1 placement in a major metropolitan area for a certain type of vehicle. His dealership couldn’t get there, but his blog did. #1 for 2 different good selling cars and I didn’t write anything! I just got videos from YouTube that compare the cars and described their features and BAM! #1 for 4 major keyword phrases in an extremely difficult location.
Restaurants…
What kind of fish is good for…whatever? What do all those weird sauces mean? Can I order it without the wine in the sauce? It always looks good until I read “wine”. Tell me about food. You don’t have to give things away, just talk about food!
What Not to Do
Don’t write about your dog, your cat or your kids too much. Your education really doesn’t matter; I can read your about page. Don’t talk about your favorite golf course or which house you have for sale every other article. Focus on educating your readers on what you do and what they need to know about what you do.
These are just a few ideas on what you can and should write about.
Good luck! Melissa Fach – SEO Aware
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