Since the early days of the internet, blogs have been a way of sharing information across the web. Whether you prefer recipes, articles, or Buzzfeed listicles, a lot of the published content you view online is considered a blog.
But there’s a right way and a wrong way to blog. Some people see blogging as a way to spout off on the internet about whatever strikes their fancy. However, as a business owner, writing blogs and developing a blog marketing strategy can be a key move for your business. It can attract the right audience to your site and even boost your site’s rankings in Google searches.
In order for that to happen, however, you have to know how to blog the right way. In this article, we’ll show you how, including what blogs can be used for, what types of blogs to write, and how to structure your blog content.
Table of Contents
What is a Blog?
A blog is a regularly updated website or webpage that features information relevant to a brand, product, or service. Blogs have many uses. In fact, “blog” is short for “weblog.” Some people use blogs as their own personal diaries, while others find a niche and write about it. However, businesses should use blogs in a unique and strategic way.
Why Do Businesses Use Blogs?
Businesses use blogs for a number of reasons—honestly, there are too many reasons to name! We are going to highlight the most valuable reasons businesses use blogs and create blog marketing strategies:
- Share information. This is pretty straightforward. Businesses use blogs to convey information to their audience. It should be information that’s relevant to them and the product they sell. For example, a landscaper might share a blog about how to winterize a lawn.
- Promote a service. Businesses can also write blogs that promote a service they provide. For example, a home builder might explain what Computer Augmented Design (CAD) is in homebuilding while promoting their design services.
- Engage with their audience. Blogs are a great touchpoint for your audience, no matter where they are in the funnel. It establishes your authority as a guide and creates a hub of resources your audience can access on your website at any time. It’s good practice to email your latest blog to your CRM, keeping the connection between you and your audience alive.
- SEO opportunities. Well-structured blog content can help your business’ webpage rank higher on search engine results pages (SERPs). Using a combination of the right keywords, headlines, and alt text, you can create content that reaches the right audience for your product or service.
Who Should Have a Blog?
As you’re reading, you might be wondering who should have a blog. Should everyone have a blog? We certainly don’t recommend that! In order to be effective, a blog should have a purpose. It shouldn’t just be a few hundred words of whatever comes into your head. It’s important to have a blog marketing strategy before you start typing away. What do you want your audience to know? What do they want to know?
Creating A Blog Marketing Strategy
Let’s cover just the basics of creating a blog marketing strategy. Your strategy should include different types of structured blogs—this will help you figure out what to say and how to say it, as well as boost your rank in search engines (Google loves structured content!)
Types of Blogs
Depending on what type of business you’re in, you want to make sure you have the right kind of content on your blog. Believe it or not, blogs are more than just writing down whatever content you want! It’s a unique combination of art and science. Let’s take a look at the science side of blogs—the types of blogs that are out there on the internet.
How-To Blogs
What Is It?
A how-to blog describes how to do something. Usually following a step-by-step process, how-to blogs guide the reader through a procedure that’s easy to follow. It establishes your business as an authority on a topic and a guide for your business.
How It’s Used
How-to blogs are used by service- and product-based businesses alike. They are a great way to describe a process that you specialize in. Do you sell washing machines? Write a how-to blog on how to remove a clog from your washer drain. Are you a caterer? Write a how-to blog on how to throw the perfect bridal shower. Then, you can promote your services at the end of the blog—call an expert to help you fix your washing machine. Hire a caterer for your next bridal shower. It’s a great way to demonstrate authority before asking for a sale.
How-To Blog Example
How to Add Users to Your Google My Business is a clear example of a how-to blog. Read through it and you’ll notice information is organized into steps with relevant images. In walking users through the title process, it delivers exactly what is promised (and what’s often searched!)
What-Is Blog
What Is It?
A what-is blog is a blog that describes what something is and how it works. This sort of blog also explains why the thing is important.
How It’s Used
As you can probably guess, what-is blogs can be used in a number of different ways. As a service-based business, you could use them to explain a service you provide—what is deck sealing, and why is it important? As a product-based business, you could explain one of your products or ways to use your product—what is the pour-over method for brewing coffee? These are great blogs to use to introduce a new product or service.
What-Is Blog Example
What is SEO and How Does It Work? is an example of a what-is blog from the Hughes Integrated team. Aside from the obvious title, notice the way the article clearly breaks down SEO and explains its importance.
List Blog (Or Listicle)
What Is It?
A “listicle” blog is a list of related topics, trends, or items. These types of blogs segment information so it’s more readable and digestible for people who view your blog. You’ll see listicles on websites like Buzzfeed or other pop news sites.
How It’s Used
Listicles are used to share tidbits of information that are easy to read. These types of blogs tend to be lighter in content but still informational. Typically, listicles don’t describe a process. Instead, they present information in no particular order. A listicle for a business blog could be something like “10 Paint Colors to Consider for a Trendy Living Room” or “5 Ways to Make Your Next Job Interview Stand Out.”
List Blog Example
4 Benefits of Outsourcing Marketing for Small Businesses is an example of a list blog we published a little while ago. Notice the number at the beginning of the title as well as with each section. Each benefit is scannable yet offers opportunities to learn more.
Pillar Blog
What Is It?
A pillar blog is a long-form article that acts as a “pillar” or the foundation of your blogs. These types of blogs will link off to many other blogs on your website, acting as a central hub of information for a specific topic.
How It’s Used
Pillar blogs are used to anchor lots of information into one place. These types of blogs are often titled something like “the ultimate guide” or a “101” blog. They should be easy to navigate so users can find the information they want instead of scrolling through the entire blog. An example of a business blog could include “The Ultimate Guide to a Happy Retirement” or “Puppy Training 101.”
Pillar Blog Example
Launching a Brand Part 1: How to Create a Clear Brand Message is a great example of a pillar blog. Notice the comprehensive approach to messaging and brand strategy, both in the length and breadth of content.
Best Practices for Your Blog Marketing Strategy
Now that we’ve covered the different types of blogs you could write, let’s cover some best practices for your blog marketing strategy to get your business blog on the right course.
Research Topics Your Audience Cares About
When you sit down to write a 1500+ word blog, you want it to be about something your audience cares about—and a problem you can solve for them. Google will be your best friend here! Start by searching for your general product or service offerings. For example, simply search “central air conditioning installation.” Then, scroll just a little bit to find the “People also ask” section. This section can be so helpful when it comes to outlining your blog. You’ll find questions like “Can I install a central AC myself?” or “How much does a central AC system cost?” Congratulations, you have the topic of your first blog: “Your Ultimate Guide to Central Air Conditioning Installation.” You can use this blog to position your brand as an authority and answer questions that your ideal customer has.
Search for Relevant Keywords
Once you have a topic you know your audience cares about, it’s time to do some keyword research. Google’s “people also ask” section is really helpful for this as well, especially if your blog directly answers a question. Since there are so many blogs and resources out there that probably rank for shorter keywords like “central air conditioning,” you’ll want to focus on what are called long-tail keywords. These are longer-form keywords and key phrases that your audience searches for. Resources like Google Search Console, SEMrush, and Ahrefs are great places to start for keyword research.
Use Google to Help with Headers
Google can also help with your headers! The questions you find in the “people also ask” section translate perfectly into headers for your blog. And Google will continue to generate more questions the more you click on them—so click away! Once you have a question, like “What is an air conditioner?” answer the question directly in the text: “An air conditioner is…” Google loves content that’s structured like this.
Know How to Optimize Your Blogs
Search engine optimization (SEO) will take you far if you know how to incorporate it into your blogs. And once you’ve got the hang of it, it won’t feel as intimidating. Well-structured content, strong keywords, and links will get you halfway there.
Include CTAs in Every Post
A Call to Action (CTA) should tell the reader exactly what to do after they’ve read the blog. You don’t always have to ask for a sale when you write a blog—it depends on what stage of the marketing funnel the ideal reader is in. You could simply ask them to download a lead gen or subscribe to the blog for more tips. Congratulations—you just got an email address, which is worth about $25 in and of itself!
Have A Plan to Track Performance
You can’t win a game if you don’t know the rules. That’s why it’s important to track your blog metrics. Set a goal for how you want your blogs to perform, then keep track of the metrics. It might take a few months for a blog to gain traction since SEO doesn’t work overnight, but if you send out a link to the blog in an email to your CRM, check in on how many actually clicked through the email to read the blog. Here are a few other metrics to track:
- Number of readers and subscribers.
- Number of page views per post.
- Number of conversions. (How many people answered your call to action that you wrote in your blog?)
- Number of backlinks. (This is how many links in the blog link back to your website. Google loves seeing backlinks.)
- Number of referrals.
Bring Your Blog Marketing Strategy to Life
Blogs are a great and simple way to get the right eyes on your website using relevant content and SEO. It’s content that is constantly working for you and driving people to your website.
If you want an expert in your corner to help you bring your blog marketing strategy to life, schedule a call with us. After all, there’s a reason we’re doing all these blogs about our rebrand! We’re trying to practice what we preach: using a mixture of art and science to create content that our potential clients (you, perhaps?) want to read.
