We are so proud of you! Starting a blog is not easy, and it's even more difficult to keep it going. But just like an attempt at losing weight, if you keep to the strategy and make it a part of your routine, you'll see the results you're looking for. Don't get discouraged if you don't see a steady stream of readers in the first week, month, or even in the first three months. It can take some time to build your audience, but with simple search engine optimization tactics in place, good content and the right promotion, the visitors will come.

Blogs are a great way to attract potential buyers to your website, and it's simple. All you want to do is think about what someone would “google” when they are in need of your service, and write about that! Use the most suitable search terms and keywords that relate to your business and include those in your copy, and most importantly, include those words and phrases in your title. It is also best to turn some of your keywords into clickable hyperlinks called anchor text.

Now let's talk about the content. When creating great content for your blog articles, you want to make sure to keep in mind the three “T's”:

• TEACH – Make your writing educational for your readers. Show them something new that demonstrates your expertise.

• TOUCH – Be inspiring. Reach for the emotional side and stimulate their senses.

• TICKLE – Make your article enjoyable to read. Include pictures. Be funny, be casual, be direct. And when you're really feeling comfortable, be confrontational, it's a great way to engage your readers and capture a response.

Once you've got a few of your articles posted that meet the criteria of one of the “T's” above, now it's time for the fourth “T,” you have to TELL people about your blog.  Some people may stumble upon your blog but, especially in the beginning stages of your blogs existence, you're going to need to promote it. Here are some ways to do just that:

• Make it a part of your routine to post a status update in your Facebook, Twitter and LinkedIn accounts about the new article and include a link. There are applications you can utilize so this process is automated. The set-up is different depending upon the blog publishing platform you use.

• Look for LinkedIn groups that may include members of your target audience and post your article as a discussion topic in those groups. Be sure your article is relevant to the group, don't just post it everywhere.

• Submit your article to social news and bookmarking sites such as Digg, reddit and StumbleUpon.

• When commenting on other blogs, look for opportunities to tell the blog writer about an article that you wrote that relates to the same topic and insert a link to your article.

• Publish the first part of your blog article in your e-newsletter with a “read more” link that requires them to click through to see the full article. Be sure to include a link to your RSS feed in your e-newsletter as well so those that enjoy the article can subscribe to read more like it.

• Keep your RSS feed for your blog on the homepage of your website. There is simple HTML code that may be inserted for this, but you may want to consult your webmaster for assistance.

• Send an e-mail to your contacts inviting them to visit your blog and ask them to provide feedback. You'll capture more visitors and just might get a good suggestion for your next article.

Some of you may now be thinking, “gosh, I wish I knew about this before!” Don't worry, it's not too late! It's never too late to tell others about your blog or to post the articles to a LinkedIn group discussion. You can also reference older articles in your social media updates. No one will mind that you are just now telling them about an article you wrote months ago.

And for those of you that are thinking, “I'll never have time to do all this!” There is help for you too, just send us a message.

 

Photo courtesy of pjern.