My best source for blog topics is the questions that my customers ask me on a daily basis. With every week that passes, it seems that there is at least one question that emerges as “The” question of the week. Last week the question was “Do I really need to Blog” and this week the question is “What should I blog about?
Often one of the first obstacles business owners encounter is the concern about sharing information that they feel they might otherwise be paid for. Why share? Here are three good reasons.
- Your goal is to become an authority in your field. You want to become the go-to resource for information on your industry. By providing useful, relevant information you will also be helping your competitor’s customers and they just might decide to switch teams.
- I use the internet like a Ouija Board, plugging complete sentences into search engines as I look for answers … and I am rarely disappointed. It is safe to assume that if one person is looking for answers to a question that there are other people who are struggling with the same problem.
- Sharing information helps to build trust. Potential customers will see that you are a reputable business owner and the next time they need a product or service in your industry you will come to mind.
Blogs are presented in several different formats.
- There are lists where the blogger elaborates on such topics as the Five Best WordPress Plugins.
- A How-To blog is more of an ordered list that explains how to do something such as How To Export My Database.
- Comparison Blogs compare two products or services weighing the advantages and disadvantages of both. I recently used a Blog to make a camera purchase and the information was valuable.
There’s no need to worry about your creative writing skills – if you are good at what you do then you should be able to speak (write) about your own industry with authority. If you write in a conversational tone as you are speaking directly to a customer you will find success. Go ahead and try it … you will find the process rewarding and it will add value to your business.
