The Blatant Truth Weblog

How to Have a Great Blog

When the word “blog” was created from “Web” and “log” back in 1999, no one had any idea that these online diaries or journals would be as powerful as they have become.  There are now millions upon millions of blogs on every topic imaginable – from political commentary to pet care. Businesses have jumped onto the blog bandwagon too, as a way to generate interest in their products and services and improve their online visibility. Multi-national corporations, small business and solopreneurs alike are creating blogs as a marketing, promotional, and educational tool.

Blogging can be an extremely useful way to “talk” to both current and prospective customers. Blogs provide a unique opportunity for you to define yourself as an expert in the industry, enabling you to communicate on a mass scale, but in a personal manner. They are also extremely helpful when it comes to search engine optimization. For those who aren’t familiar with this term; blogs can help you improve your ranking on search engines such as Google and Yahoo! This is a good thing!

While it’s quite simple to establish a blog, the challenge is creating a great one that attracts loyal readers. It requires more than just throwing some company news on a page. For a blog to flourish, it must be written with passion, enthusiasm, interest, and knowledge. It needs to be a “go to” site for advice and insight. Are you up for the challenge? If so, the rewards can be substantial. Here are some more tips to get you on your way to becoming a successful blogger.

Keep It Relevant

Sure, you can find countless blogs that detail the minutiae of their writers’ lives. But, if you are targeting your existing customer base and overall market, you’ll have to limit your posts to relevant, interesting information. It’s safe to assume your readers don’t have time to read about your dog or trip to the Bahamas. Instead, stay focused on valuable, newsworthy topics.

Keep Posts Current

Maintaining a blog is a commitment. If you don’t have time to stay current with your news and provide frequent posts, you’re better off simply sticking with a website. Readers expect blogs to have the most current information. If they consistently see outdated posts, they won’t return.

Keep It Reader Friendly

Don’t use complex jargon and make your points clear without ambiguity.  Use “real-speak” and readers will ENJOY reading your posts.

Encourage Comments and Dialogue

A blog isn’t just another website. It enables your readers to respond to what you’ve written. In fact, the best blogs become popular specifically because of the strength of their discussions between blogger and readers. Don’t be alarmed if you have someone disagree with you. Encourage the free exchange of ideas and opinions. You might even learn a thing or two from your readers!

Share Links

Don’t just stop with thoughtful, well-written posts. Encourage your readers to learn even more by supplying them with other related blogs or articles of interest. One blog can spread a wealth of knowledge.

Make It Visually Pleasing

Readers are more apt to return if your blog is easy on the eyes. Most of the blog publishing sites provide a variety of attractive templates that you can utilize or customize to resemble your website.

Promote It

Finally, once your blog is up and running, take the time to register it on the most commonly used search engines, as well as on a blog-only search engine, such as www.blogwise.com. And, don’t forget to include your blog’s URL in your email signature to encourage everyone to visit.

Now to the important question; are you up to the task?  If so, there’s no time like right now to get started!