Competitor Research
Your business blog is your chance to really set your firm apart from your competitors and you need to bear that in mind when choosing a subject for a blog post. Take a look at what your rivals are blogging about. Is there anything they are missing? Is there anything that they have written about, but which lacks detail or clarity?
You don’t have to steer away from the same subjects, that would be difficult if you work in the same niche, but you do have to do it better. Remember, a large amount of the potential traffic out there comes from potential customers using search engines to find out information before they make a purchase or take on a service.
The more authoritative your professional blog is, the better chance you have of ranking well and claiming a larger portion of that search traffic.
Work Out Your Unique Approach
There is no point in writing a post that features exactly the same information as someone else’s. You need something unique in there to give people a reason to read your musings over your competitors’.
Take a look at your competitor research and work out the plan of attack that fits your business best. Are you a disruptor? If so, find some received wisdom in your industry that you disagree with and tell people why you think it’s wrong. Look to say the unsaid. What do people in your niche understand but never mention?
It doesn’t have to be so dramatic though; you could simply bring your own individual experience into a topic and provide an angle on it that no one else has published. You could also collate disparate pieces of information that you found interesting from other business blogs and compile them in one place, adding your own tips too.
Look at it Like a Customer
Now you have your topic and you know how you are going to approach it, you have to think about how to present it in a way that will interest your potential customers. They are the people you want to entice to your website, so you need to channel your energy into piquing their interest.
This is where you try to channel your ‘user persona’. Maybe look at your website as a visitor, rather than as someone in the business. Consider what a user might be looking for when they arrive at your homepage and work your way through the site to find it. What questions might they have that aren’t already answered on the site? What else might they want to know before they finally hit ‘Buy Now’? You could also look into the queries inputted in your site’s search facility and try and answer any that crop up often.
Tailor your business blog to answering those questions and letting readers know how reading it will help them. Highlight the pain points it solves, explain why they need to click onto it. Pinpoint and target the exact audience you want to talk to when you blog for business as they are the ones who are most likely to convert.
Keyword Research
With all the information you have decided on so far you can write an excellent professional blog, but your potential customers need to be able to find you. Now is the time to find the keywords that relate to your business blog and that you can rank for.
Tools such as Google Keyword Planner and Google Trends help you discover the terms that people are searching for in relation to the topic of the blog. Pick a word or phrase to act as the focus of your article and then maybe one or two additional keywords. These could be variations on the focus keyword phrase or simply other related terms.
Business Blog Structure
The structure of a business blog is important to know before you start writing. If you can visualise the throughline of the article, it is easier to stay focused and prevent yourself from wandering on to tangents that either add nothing or even distract the reader from the main point of the blog.
There is no perfect structure for a blog for business, but there are certain elements that need to be present. A striking title is a must. It has to capture attention, address an issue that readers might have and promise a solution. It also must be clear. You only have one chance to make that first impression and an engaging headline encourages the user to move on to the blog below.
In addition, make sure you have a relevant and striking image to go with the blog. It is all about capturing the user’s attention at this stage if you want them to read on.
Add in internal links to get people moving about your site, especially to the places where they can make a purchase. You should also make use of H2 and H3 headings to make it easier on the eye and to give Google more of an idea of where your article is going. Aside from that, the structure of your argument is up to you, but do remember to keep yours to your point. A professional blog needs a clear voice if it is going to convince people to buy.
Need Help With Your Business Blog?
Of course, planning an effective business blog takes time and effort. In a small or medium-sized business, you might not always have that kind of time to spare, even though a professional blog can be one of the most effective forms of marketing.
If you love the idea of getting your blog for business up and firing on all cylinders, Supportal can handle your posts for you. Our expert Content team research and understand your business, find your voice and write unique, carefully tailored posts to suit your needs and targets. Contact us today to find out more about our business blog service.
