How to write a compelling business blog that keeps customers coming back for more
Readers on the web have short attention spans. Very short. In fact, most of your site’s visitors will read a single page for no longer than 15 seconds. And that’s a generous estimate.
That means you need a strategy if you want to get your message across while your readers are scanning.
In the first part of this mini-series about content writing for your new website, we covered content planning and layout. In this post, we will cover one of the best marketing and communication tools a small business has in its arsenal: an informative and well-written blog section.
Do I really need a blog section on my new website?
This is one of the most common questions we get asked. And, we get it. After you have designed, planned and written the content for your new site- what more is there to say? No one wants to repeat themselves, and no one likes to feel they are yelling into a void.
Short answer? Yes, you do. Here’s why:
· Your Google ranking will thank you. Google loves updates. That means the more frequently you refresh your site with relevant content, the higher your site will appear on a Google search. On top of that, blog posts give you the opportunity to target keywords your intended audience is searching for – an incredible marketing opportunity.
· You can speak directly to your customers. While the tone of your web copy might be more formal and succinct, you can afford to be conversational on your blog. In fact, a conversational tone is recommended. This lets you speak directly with your audience, which is good communications practice 101.
· Blog posts are shareable. Bite-sized and hyper-focussed content like blog posts are more likely to be shared on social media than the pages of your site.
If you’re not sure what makes a great blog post, don’t worry. There are a few fail-safe tricks to make sure your blog posts connect with your readers.
How to write a killer blog post: a few simple rules
1. Plan your posts ahead of time.
Blogging frequently means constantly coming up with fresh ideas. Keep a list with you wherever you go and make notes of blog ideas when they appear. Set aside a day in the week or month to collect and plan out your posts.
2. Keep your language short and simple.
Remember: your readers are scanning! Keep your sentences short with no more than 25 words. Stick to one idea for each paragraph. And, use simple language. For example, never use a long word when a shorter one will do.
3. Use the inverted pyramid.
The so-called ‘inverted pyramid’ is an old journalists’ trick. All it means is putting all the most important information in the first part of the blog post and working down from there. If you’re struggling, plan out the body of the post before you get writing. Separate your points into paragraphs (remember – one idea per paragraph!) and number them descendingly by priority: the important first and so on.
4. Use an active voice.
Write like you are talking directly to a customer. That means using pronouns like ‘you’, ‘we’, and ‘I’. It puts the reader in the moment and heightens the feeling of connection. Confused about how to use an ‘active voice’? This article gives a good run-down. A well-written business blog is an unmissable marketing opportunity for a small business.
At Advantage Agency, we make it OUR business to support our clients in using as many relevant digital tools as possible to communicate with their customers on the Central Coast and beyond. Get in touch today if you want to find out how we can help you reach the next level in 2021.
