Most of us have been told that we should be writing blogs, but we have no clue where to start. Sitting down to write a blog can be overwhelming.
Where do you start? What do you say? How do you say it? What if no one reads it? What if I'm not a blogging expert? What do I even write about?
So why do we put ourselves through this? Simple. We want to be known and heard. We have thoughts, products, or services that can be beneficial to others, but we feel isolated or invisible. As a business, you need customers to know that your product can change their life, but they don't even know it exists.
Blogging is a tool that most companies know they are not taking advantage of. Almost all of the clients we work with understand that they should be writing blogs, but are not sure what they should be writing about.
Writing and publishing blogs is not only a great way to attract more customers and bring authority to your brand, but it also is a fantastic way to do some "free" marketing.
I want to remove the pressure of blog writing. Let me give you 5 TYPES of blogs you should be writing. Once you understand WHY you should be writing them, the process can become easier, allowing you to produce more and have your voice heard.
5 TYPES OF BLOGS YOU SHOULD BE WRITING
1. Blogs about your customer's lives
Here is the first thing you should know about blogs: You aren't writing about yourself. People are searching the internet for information that helps them win the day. So write about that!
Let's say you run lawnmower company. You would be very tempted to write about why you started the company, why your lawnmowers are the best, and how your company runs on integrity. After 1 or 2 blogs, you've pretty much said all you need to say. But here is the truth, as a customer, I am not looking for a company with integrity. I've got a lawn, and I want it to look it's best for summer. What do I need to do to have that prized lawn that everyone in the neighborhood will be jealous of?
Write about the areas of your customer's life that matter to them. This adds authority and empathy to your company and solidifies the idea that you understand the customer's needs. Plus, it's just more interesting to read.
Blog Idea: 5 Tips for getting the lawn that is the envy of the neighborhood.
2. Blogs that bring value to your customer
You have expertise and knowledge that your customers do not have. Share that knowledge.
At this point, most of our clients push back and say things like, "we don't have that much knowledge to share," or "everyone else has already shared that information," or "it's too complicated to share."
You probably assume that "everyone already knows that" about your industry, you would be surprised. You may think your competitors are talking about the basics, but they aren't. You may think your customers understand these basic concepts, but they don't.
Writing about the basics allows you to claim the spot as the expert in that field while bringing valuable information to your customer. So, back to your lawnmower company. You probably assume that everyone knows how to cut their yard. Maybe they do, but there are a TON of first-time mowers as well as mowing "experts" looking to hone their craft. What simple, basic knowledge can you bring to them that would be valuable?
Blog Idea: 3 Mowing patterns to get that golf course look
3. Blogs that explain the "what" and "how."
If ever I get stuck on what to write next, I like to go to the What-How method.
What is...
How does...
Most business owners are so close to their own product that they forget that not everyone knows what _they_ know about their industry. Explaining the "what" and "how" puts the cookies on the bottom shelf and invites the customer in on the conversation.
Do you find yourself explaining common concepts or ideas to your customers? Are you "translating" terms to them? Write it down and put it into a blog. This allows the customer to learn about the concept and why it matters.
Blog Idea: What actually is fertilizer, and how do I use it?
4. Blogs that connect you with phrases people search for - a.k.a. SEO
There it is, those three magical letters -- SEO. The holy grail of the digital age. We are all seeking it, need it, have to have it, but it always seems to be like a mirage in the desert. As soon as we think we have it within reach, it disappears.
Let me give you a VERY basic definition of SEO. Search Engine Optimization (SEO) is promoting the right kind of information to people searching for things online. Google (the Search Engine) is trying to provide a service. People are searching for things online, and Google has the job of searching the world for this answer. Search Engine Optimization is helping Google decide whether or not what you have to offer is what the person is searching for.
So, how does this apply to blogs? Think about what types of phrases your customers would be putting into Google to look for products like yours and write about them.
Not sure what your customers are typing? There are plenty of cool tools on the internet to help you discover those phrases.
My favorite tool for this is Answer The Public (https://answerthepublic.com). Just type in your product, industry, service, and it will show you all the phrases people are searching for that specific topic. Take one of those questions, put it as the title of your blog, then answer the question.
Blog Idea: Can lawnmower blades be too sharp?
5. Blogs that explain how your product helps the reader solve their problem.
We spend an incredible amount of time explaining how our product works, but we forget to talk about what success will look like after we have used the products.
People don't want to know if it's the right tool for the job; they want to know if they can overcome the problem and experience success. Your product, service, skill is the tool they can use to achieve that success.
Blogs that describe what success would look like are fantastic to read. It helps the reader envision a better world, which leads them to ask, "How do I get that?".
If you are not painting a picture of success for your customer, you are missing out. One easy way to do this is by sharing success stories from other customers.
Blog Idea: From eyesore to backyard paradise: Ted's backyard transformation.
Coming up with blog ideas doesn't have to be overwhelming. Simple, valuable pieces of information that connect you with your customer's lives will not only help you with your SEO but help you become a trusted brand.
Wanting to get SUPER NERDY about blogs? Let me introduce you to a fantastic article from Neil Patel on what your blog should include to bring the best SEO results.
Most incredible, growing companies are so close to what they do that they aren't able to see how to communicate with their customers. Riches Consulting helps companies just like you discover how to connect with their customers and become a trusted brand through the right kinds of marketing. Great companies should be known.
If you need a fresh set of eyes on your company, schedule a Discovery Meeting with Riches Consulting today.