Blogging is everywhere now. What was once considered to be the inane ramblings of people who spent more time online than was sensible, has now become a legitimate way for people to voice opinions, and in some cases, make a living. Almost everyone has a blog, and if you don’t write one yourself, you probably read one. All you need is a computer, internet access and a keen interest in a particular topic, then you can get writing.
We’re so used to blogs now, that it’s unusual when a business or an organisation doesn’t have one. We expect to be able to read the thoughts and opinions of any company, from a local cinema to a multi-national insurance company. It’s also expected now that B2B companies will have their own blogs. Some may not have seen the light, but those that have realise that a B2B blog is a vital tool for any B2B company.
What’s the point?
Why should you bother with a blog? No one’s going to read it anyway, right? Never mind that it gives you the opportunity to direct people towards your website, allows you to impart good, useful information in your field of expertise, or that it can help to generate leads. A B2B blog can be very useful if it’s done well. There are just three very simple things you need to remember if you choose to start one.
1. Serve the reader
When you write a blog, your main priority is to provide your reader with something useful. Any B2B blog can ramble on about a particular topic, say nothing of worth, and stick a sexy headline on it. Then you can just watch the views count shoot up. Sometimes this tactic succeeds for a short while. Headlines like: “5 Things You Need to Know about Ink Cartridges That Might Kill You!” may succeed in making an unappealing topic seem important, but people very quickly cotton on and realise they’re being duped.
People are online every day. They recognise what’s legitimate and what isn’t. Some blogs might lure in the odd calf that’s strayed from the herd, but eventually those that are naïve enough to wander end up finding their way back. The main thing to remember is to keep your content useful and maybe even entertaining, then start filling in the rest of the puzzle.
2. Serve the reader
Your blog is not your very own virtual market stall. You don’t dedicate 600 words to telling people how amazing your new-fangled product is. Of course you want the reader to be interested in what your company does, but don’t shove it into their face from the first word. You want your blog to be something that people find useful and that they return to. It’s very unlikely one blog is going to net you $20 million dollars, so you can instead focus on building a good core of readers and subscribers with quality content. In the long-run, this means more readers, which means more people that will potentially share your content, which means even more readers which means more potential sales. This B2B blog stuff is easy, isn’t it?
3. Serve the reader
What a shock. I think you’re getting the idea.
I know I’m making a hilarious list-related joke here, but the premise still holds true. If you don’t provide people with good practical information in your B2B blog, then it’s not going to fulfil its purpose. Putting yourself before your reader benefits no one. If you’re good to them and you write a blog that is consistently good quality, then they might just be good to you in return.
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