SEO Denver

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“Must Have Content” Inclusions for your Business Blog
Getting the most from your business blog requires providing unique and valuable information to your readers.  However, many business blog operators neglect a few key points.  For every post, there are a couple key inclusions that, if left out leave the reader with some good information and nothing more.
For those remembering high school journalism, each article or in your case – post – must contain the standard:

• Who
• What
• When
• Where and most importantly,
• Why

Consider the material you wish to present and make sure you cover these important points.

It is worth discussing the ‘why’ portion of this for a moment.  Carefully making the case for why a certain issue is important at the beginning of your piece can lock your reader and inspire her/him to read on to the end.  It is always a challenge to constantly compel your reader to keep reading.  Even after the viewer has selected your piece to read, he/she must be given reasons throughout the article to continue.  Remember that the internet is a constant source of distraction, so provide the main reason for reading and restate the value of your piece throughout the text.

Most blog articles contain good and useful information.  A business blog however, has a somewhat different function; that is to turn readers into potential customers. There are millions of websites that want something from each reader such as an ‘opt-in’ where the user provides an email address and some contact information for a later sale attempt.  A business blog though frequently has one opportunity to convert a reader into an interested and potential customer and must make the most of that chance.

So how does a business blog increase the opportunity to build a customer base?  In addition to providing valuable material there are three specific checkpoints that must be included with every business blog posting.  These are:

• Specific Call to Action
• Awareness of reader’s concept of ‘risk’
• Invitation to return along with a promise

Call to Action

What is the key sales point that each sales person learns in that first job?  Answer:  Always ask for the sale!  In this instance though, you won’t make a sale with your blog page.  However, make sure you always ask the user to take an action that will allow you to initite a provider-customer relationship.  This can be completing a form or even asking for the reader to contact you with specific information.  Of course many readers will not pick up the phone to call you, but you must ask and – most importantly – provide a convenient method to do so.  “Contact Me” pages or forms are probably the most common methods used, but at least take the time to direct the user to this form or page.  Telephone numbers for local sales or services may also be included. In any event, each post should invite the reader to do something that you want.  ALWAYS point out in each blog post, the specific call to action that you want the user to take.

The Concept of User ‘Risk’
Of course most blog pages don’t directly result in making a sale. However, you need to invite the reader to begin a relationship with your organization.  In the early stages of a business relationship, your reader will be very aware of potential risks of taking the specific call to action.  Being aware of the user’s risk, you as the author must provide an overriding reason to still take the action.  Usually this involves the promise of additional, free information.  Offering further or free details or a free consultation may lower the user’s sense of risk enough for him to initiate contact.  Be creative in what you can offer that potential customers may find valuable.

Invitation to Return
Always invite the reader to check back for future valuable information.  Also in understanding that each reader may not have seen other important information, you can include links in each post to previous blog articles that might be similar in nature to the one they are reading. 

Promising future value is important in building consistent viewer and reader traffic.  And sooner or later, you may begin inspiring significant numbers of readers to become customers. Converting readers to customers won’t happen overnight though.  Unless the reader has an overwhelming or critical need for what you provide, the reader will want to establish a relationship in which he is confident in your abilities and in your reliability.

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Check back this week for more information on using blogs to convey business information and win new customers!