Blogging for business: Tips to get started

It seems as though blogs—those Internet-based diaries that allow writers to express their thoughts on a range of topics—are now being written and talked about by most everyone.

Not exactly true. But there are a growing number of influential blogs coming from businesses of all sizes. Your competitors may even have blogs, which, as a result, may be prompting you to consider starting a business blog of your own.

If you don't have one, how do you get started and make the most of it? Here are eight ways to do just that.

1. Relax—it's easy to do.   Blogging may seem like bypass surgery to some, but it's really rather simple to get started. There are many Web sites that automate the process entirely, walking you though every step to get your blog up and running. For example, one straightforward spot to create your blog is on Windows Live Spaces.
2. Map your blog to your business.   A blog without a specific focus can seem like a rambling, pointless conversation—one that goes on and on without ever making it clear why it's there in the first place. Before you start blogging, consider why you want to do it.

   "Small-business owners should use blogs as a way to open and sustain a conversation with their customers and suppliers," says Rich Hanley, an assistant professor of journalism at Quinnipiac University in Hamden, Conn. "It provides the opportunity to keep the company name in the communications channel and gives people a reason to visit a company’s Web site. Updates on products and services, news about new hires and other topics are perfect subjects for blogs."

3. Make your content unique, and fresh.   However ubiquitous blogs may be, there are scads that discuss the same topic in the essentially the same way. Don't let yours be one of them. Think carefully about what you want to write about—and how it segues back to your business—and inject it with as much fresh perspective and insight as you can.

   "Be authentic and offer interesting content that is uniquely yours –a perspective that is not covered elsewhere," says Sally Falkow, a Pasadena, Calif., brand strategist who has written a blog for several years. "It's the value of the content that keeps your audience reading."

4. Commit time to keeping it fresh.   Outdated news is to a blog what a cigarette is to the human lung. Never let your blog sit for too long—say, a few days at most—before posting an update or some sort of fresh news, however brief. Fail to do that, and you'll likely lose readership. "Don’t start a blog unless it can be frequently updated at a consistent level of content," Hanley says. "A stale blog suggests a stale business. Then the blog is self-defeating."
5. Watch your keywords.   Blog readers come from a variety of sources, including hits from search engines. One way to increase your search engine traffic is by paying careful attention to keywords within your blog—"keywords" meaning the common terms and phrases that suggest the central topic of your blog. Use these carefully. For instance, if yours is an executive recruiting business, use the words "executive" and "recruiting" as often as reasonable—in headlines as well as in the main copy. That can help boost the likelihood that a search engine will pick up your blog.
6. Pay attention to feedback.   One common feature of blogs is a tool that lets readers post comments or refer others to different blogs that may relate to yours. Pay attention to the comments you receive. Not only will they help you pinpoint whether your content is working or not, but also you may often find vital information hidden beneath the chatter.

   "They'll be talking about the industry or space they—and you—are in," Falkow says. "There's much valuable market research and insight to be gathered from listening to what people are saying."

7. Position, and develop, yourself as an authority.   Although the ultimate aim of your blog should be to attract both interest and, ultimately business, that can come via several avenues. While it's great to chat about new products and services, don't bypass the opportunity to develop a knowledgeable voice—being as much a source of information and guidance as an advocate for your business.

   Notes Falkow: "It can give you expert status and provide a human face to your business."

8. Don't forget about mentioning your good works.   These days, more and more consumers are interested in not just what a business does but the position it occupies in the community as well. If you're involved in the world around you—say, you’re active in fundraising or community affairs—your blog is the ideal means to share it with others.

   In fact, Hanley notes, some well-known figures are leveraging their blogs in just that fashion: "The baseball pitcher Curt Schilling uses his personal blog to support his favorite charity. Small-business owners can do that, too."

About the author   Jeff Wuorio is a freelance writer, author, and speaker based in southern Maine. He writes about small-business management, marketing, and technology issues. You can find Jeff's business and finance blog at http://wuorio.blogspot.com.