To blog or not to blog?

Just ask Shakespeare, that’s what he said.

OK, so maybe I’m paraphrasing to bring a famous quote bang up to date, but you get it, right?

I’ve been doing a fair bit of blog writing recently. Not all for myself, but for a number of clients in my local vicinity. I love writing blog posts. They’re little pieces of writing that require research and planning and can help businesses to tell a story, inform their customers or sow a seed to win new business – in short, they’re little pieces of genius!

Anyway.

My recent blogging got me wondering. Do you have a blog? They're a great idea for small businesses - here's why.

Have you ever thought about setting one up and writing about your business?

Do you already have a blog on your website? Is it well tended like a beautiful walled garden? Or is it just gathering dust, languishing in the ether, alone and neglected? Are you struggling to find the time to post regularly or are you simply unable to muster the inspiration for blog posts?

Blogging should be fun.

Blogging should be informative.

Blogging should provide a function.

It can be a fantastic way of communicating with potential and existing customer, dispensing hints and tips relating to your industry, spreading news and sharing knowledge. A good blog can bring in and retain customers, reinforce the expertise of the writer and provide guidance and knowledge to a wider audience.

So, I ask again.

Do you have a longing to create a blog on your website, start a new blog from scratch or inject a little life into a blog that’s been left wanting?

OK, here’s what you should do. Set aside an hour (yes, just an hour) to sit down and plan a 12-month schedule for your blog.

Think about the special times of year for your business, what do you need to talk about, when?

Do you have new products or services coming up before Christmas? Schedule a blog post about them.

Is it National *enter industry related topic here* day next month? Write a blog post about what your business is doing to celebrate.

Have you just finished a successful project? Gather some fantastic images and tell the world about it in a blog post.

There are so many things you can talk about on your blog.

The best thing about regularly updating your blog? Search engines love to see fresh, new copy on websites – it makes them think they’re well looked after and they rate higher than static, non-updated websites.

Here are just a few more benefits of blogging:

• You’re building a trusting relationship between your business and your customers – they can see that you’re active in your business and that you know your stuff too.
  
• You can open up a dialogue with readers – by asking questions and inviting comments, you’re allowing your readers to interact with your business on a more personal level.
  
• You’re setting yourself up as an expert in your industry – next time your customers want to know about something relating to your business, they’re more likely to remember you.
  
• You’re putting a human face on your business – especially if your blog posts are entertaining or humorous. People buy from people.
  
• You’re writing copy that will give you endless amounts of golden nuggets to share on social media, thereby exposing your website and your business to increased traffic. Boom!
  

So, there you have it. Blogging rules.

Why not give it a go?

But if you’re still unsure about committing to a blog, why not get someone else to write your blog for you?

It could have many advantages:

1.A fresh perspective on your industry sector

2.Clear, concise copy that’s written in layman’s terms

3.It frees up your time to do what you enjoy most within your business

4.It provides an excellent, regularly updated blog to support you and your business.

Oh, and did I mention that I write other people’s blog posts?

Here’s what one of my customersthinks about my services:

“I brought Helen on board as the blog writer for my photography business. As my business grows I’m finding I need to outsource several elements and Helen slipped easily into the blog writing process. We sat down to discuss potential blog posts and Helen came back with a 12-month schedule, which eased my headache considerably. Now, every month, we have a brief conversation about the theme of the blog and she sends me something back, written from the vaguest of briefs, and I really enjoy reading what she comes up with. And the best thing is that she’s adopted my personal writing style so that her posts fit in beautifully with my old posts and any new ones I squeeze in when I have the time. Helen definitely keeps me on the blogging ball and my business blog fresh and up to date.”

Tina Stobbs, Captured Forever

Go on, give it some thought…

Yours, in words,

Helen