Is Small Business Blogging Dead?

Do you have a small business, have little extra time and even little(er) money?

If you are too busy with paying work to breathe, stop reading and enjoy your current situation. If you still need to produce customers, then read on.

Blogging is often talked about in the travel and lifestyle circles, but not as much in the small business space.

The biggest objection most business owners have to blogging is “I don’t have anything to write about”, then a close second, “I don’t have the time”, then third “I’m not a good writer”. Ok so all these objections are basic and super easy to overcome.

Content

Write about your business like talking to a customer. Target 700 words (a sheet of paper) for the length of your article. Shoot for once per week, but a 2000-word article once a month is actually even more powerful.

·     Tell a positive customer story about someone you helped.

·     Give a DIY about what you typically ask customers before you help them (a list form).

·     A day in the life.

·     Make a list of questions customers should ask competitors.

·     Write about personal things you are OK with sharing that relate to your business (charity work, sponsorships)

·     Showcase a product or service.

·     Explain something your customers are asking about that is topical (Did recent regulations change prices, etc…)

·     Highlight a great employee (they will share this!)

·     Any new capital expenditures that will help you provide better service (new truck!)

·     Make a list of online resources that your customer might be able to use before they hire you.

·     Compare you versus a non-professional and why hire you.

Time

You likely may never have a full hour or so to write an article, so chunk it down.

·     Plan your posts on a calendar so you can keep an eye out for content.

·     Dictate in a car on a commute. You can use rev.com or temi.com for cheap transcribing.

·     Write an outline of the title, concept and short section titles, then fill in later.

·     Write a paragraph at a time between scheduled calls or off hours.

·     Have employees write parts then put them together.

·     Take pictures with your phone as you are working or doing things.

Ability to write

People hire you because they like and trust you to help them. Give people your personality in your blog. Write like you talk. Don’t be stuffy and treat blogs like school reports or homework. It’s ok to have opinions and thoughts, this is you!

If you are really self-conscious about your writing, get on fivver and have an editor revise your blog for spelling and grammar without changing your voice. It’s literally 5 or 10 bucks.

Conclusion

Google and potential customers want to see recent content. Google will rank you better the more recent content you have. Customers will know that you are relevant and care about your business.

Business blogging is definitely not dead!