It doesn’t matter what business you’re in, a good blog is an effective way of boosting your reputation and attracting new customers. To write a really great business blog that will help you convert readers into customers, you’ve got to understand your target market and create content they will find useful and engaging. Here are my six top tips for writing a great business blog.

1. And the point is …?

The objective of any blog is to give readers a window on a particular topic and to provide them with an opportunity to interact with the author (you!) You should plan your blog in exactly the same way as any other advertising or promotional activity and it should support the aims of your wider marketing strategy.

Before you start on your blog journey, it’s important to think about what you want to achieve:

raise the profile of your business
position yourself as an expert
engage with existing customers
convert new readers into customers

2. So what goes into it?

Good blog posts should be focused and deal with one topic only. Narrowing in on what you feel most passionate about will help you inject your personality into your writing. Remember too that answering customer questions is a great basis for a blog. For example, if you’re a hairdresser and your customers ask you how often they should get their hair cut, you’ve got your first blog post.

3. How often is too often?

You should blog regularly, not least because it keeps your website content fresh (and Google loves new content), but also because you want your readers to know when to expect your updates.

Start slowly, say once or twice a month, and create a simple editorial calendar to keep yourself on track.

Short blog posts normally work best. Online readers lose interest very quickly, so try to keep your posts to no more than 600 words. Create a catchy title to generate interest and entice people to read more. You may want to include video clips or imagery to give your blog more personality and to encourage reader interaction.

4. Contributions

If you have staff members try to get them involved as well. This is a great way for you to show the breadth of knowledge that exists within your business and it also takes the pressure off you occasionally.

Consider inviting contributors from outside your business to provide a blog for you. Ask them to promote it on their own social media channels - a great way to extend the reach of your blog.

5. Guest blogging

Once you are comfortable with blogging, why not offer to write a guest blog for another business? This is a great way to introduce yourself to a wider audience and to attract some new interest in your business.

6. Promotion

Ideally, you want people to interact with your blog and share it with their friends so you are introduced to new readers who will ideally become new customers. In order to do this, you need to let people know about it.

Whenever you post a new blog, update your other social media feeds and invite your fans and followers to read it or share it.

Finally – don’t forget to enjoy yourself. This is your opportunity to blow the trumpet for your business. Let your passion shine through and your blog should do well.

Six tips for a great business blog