In Field of Dreams, Kevin Costner built a baseball field to watch the ghosts of old baseball players. Why? Because a voice told him, “if you build it they will come.” I loved the movie, but it was just a movie. The simple advice doesn’t always work in real life.
As we wrap up web design projects we tell our clients, “we built it, but now you have to drive traffic to it.” That is where blogging comes in. The steady stream of regular content gives a website owner something to share on social platforms and something new for Google to index and present in search results.
As a starting point, begin adding content. Write about industry trends and company events. Share pictures of products and customers. Once you have a foundation, you are ready for advanced blogging tips:
- Start with a Good Title – Keep it short but interesting
- Promote it through social media – In order for this strategy to be effective, you have to build a community or following first
- Pay attention to what your readers like – Check your stats, look for clues in search terms and popular posts. If one theme seems to generate the right type of response, add more of the same types of posts
- Connect to other relevant blogs – The inspiration for this post was an article by Jack Humphrey on the Friday Traffic Report
- Add photos – And be sure to title them appropriately. The visual images attract visitors through search, and engage them as they scan your blog
- Engage with visitors. When someone posts a comment on your blog, respond. And if they have a blog, take a minute to visit their site as well
Want to learn more about blogging for small business owners? Join us for one of our two blogging seminars – Blogging Basics on 2/23 which is part of our Winter seminar series. Of if you are a Roundpeg web client, attend a smaller, more focused session as part of our PressRefresh Series on 2/21. These programs are offered at no charge by Roundpeg, an Indianapolis social media firm providing web design and marketing services for small business owners.