12.23.19 - How To: Blog Like a Pro
Hi guys! So today I want to talk about some ways that blogging can be successful for either individuals or businesses. The main goal is to show some tips of how to help a business when they decide they want to blog. I also want to dive into an example of a business that demonstrates a great use of a blog! This will just help give a greater perspective and visualization of what a successful blog looks like.
So here's my take. Although I am new to blogging I think these are great tips that I will implement into just my casual blogging now. Here are the links to the awesome websites that helped me find why you should blog, tips on how to blog, and the great example of Zappos:
So here are 5 tips I found on FreshSparks that anyone making a business blog should know!
Tip 1 - Know Why You Are Blogging
It is important to know why you are blogging. If you are unsure of why you started the blog in the first place then you have no goal in mind. The goal is important so that way you can best serve those who will access it.
Tip 2 - Know Your Target Audience
Your audience holds importance and in order to reach them you have to know them! This allows you to write in a defined way specific towards the people you have in mind.
Tip 3 - Know What Value You Want to Offer
What value you offer goes back to tip one! Readers and customers will not visit your blog unless they find value in it. Sometimes you have to give value in order to receive the results you are looking for. Make sure you are giving something first!
Tip 4 - Know What Voice or Tone You Want Your Blog to Have
How you articulate your business means a lot. Blogging is kind of like an online way of introducing your business. If it is confusing, boring, or arrogant, then that is what others will see. This is a great way to make a first impression, try to make it a good one!
Tip 5 - Know What Success Means
It is hard to know if your blog is beneficial if you do not know what you are trying to aim for. Guide out what your definition of success is. Whether that is interactions, subscriptions, follow up action, or any other option. Once you have the definition of success it makes the in between easier.
Zappos does a great job of having a successful blog. Their blog is called Culture. Culture shows that Zappos is about more than growing and running a company. It shows that company culture is what determines success and failure for them. They started this blog to show their customers what their culture is. The blog is for those wanting to know what their values are, how they built their culture or just how your business can benefit from it. Some of their most recents posts include some of the following: Zappos CLT: Powered by Service, Wellness Benefits That Keep Zapponians Happy and Healthy, and How to Decode Your Culture: A Q& A With Zappos Insights. These are just a few examples of the variety of posts that they include on their blog. These all show a great way of how they incorporate culture outside of their business.
So now that I have given a few tips and some details on Zappos Culture here is my view on it! I think that these tips are super beneficial. There has to be a reason for anything you do. Also success has to be determined by someone, it just depends on if you are going to define it yourself or let someone else do it for you. I think it is super important that you are the one defining that from the beginning because without it where would the structure come from? Also without readers what is the purpose of a public blog. Knowing who you want to read it is a great place. If you just throw it out there with no structure then it could go anywhere, but with a direct group it becomes easier to market and get views. Also my favorite tip was the tone. I did not think that tone was that important, but after seeing that tip it made sense! I would have never thought of it as possibly being a good first impression, but it totally is. If the blog I click on seems like the writer is too good for me then I will probably assume everything else associated with that business is too good and not worth my time.
Also Zappos sharing what makes their culture is so unique and awesome! I would have never thought of a blog about what a business does would be successful, but it is! They are all about sharing what they have and why it makes them so great. It highlights what is good about the business and why it is a business you should be a customer at. They provide so many cool stories that are sentimental along with informative. They show that they care about more than just money and I think that is really important and really cool. For sure makes me want to buy more shoes from there!
Thanks for reading my blog! Comment below if you have any questions or anything you want to add!
xx
Mollie
That is interesting that Zappos has a blog focused so much on their company culture! That is a neat way to allow customers to learn more about the company and interact with representatives.
ReplyDeleteI really appreciate that you had such a focus on the importance of knowing yourself, your goals, and your target audience. Knowing these things will provide much needed direction for the business. I also liked that you chose Zappos. It's a neat perspective on corporate blogging. Them choosing to focus on sharing their company culture is probably a huge win for their marketing! I definitely find it super cool. Thanks for sharing! :)
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