There may be some online marketers today who no longer believe in the power of blogging to promote their business. However, there are a lot more who argue against this position. Many remain steadfast in their belief that blogging is one of the most valuable elements that every business must invest in and continuously develop in order to get ahead.
Understanding the Importance of Blogging
Through blogging, you get to have a constant voice that your potential and existing customers will be able to listen to. You can speak your mind not just with regard to your products and/or services, but also on other related matters, and in the process, you will be able to engage your audience even more. After all, you won't be posting mere texts but a variety of media to keep people interested and attract new visitors and followers.
What's more, blogging is a great way to show that you care and that you are able to provide external help to those you are trying to reach out to. When you're able to convey your concern and extend help, your readers will trust you more and are likely to become regular customers.
If you make sure that each and every one of your blog posts provides relevance and value, you will surely be able to build your readership and increase your chances of success in online marketing. You can use this readership to encourage feedback and interaction while slowly but surely developing and maintaining a good relationship with your customers.
Growing Your Blog’s Visitors
Now, of course, there's a good chance that you'll stumble along the way, especially if you are not yet an expert blogger. To help you come out of the gate with a fast start, here are 5 mistakes you must avoid if you wish to increase the relevance of your blog:
1. Cheating With Your Content
Gone are the days when you can actually "cheat" with your content. There were some who used to stuff their blog posts with keywords and write about irrelevant information just to ensure that there's a post every single day. Google has long detected such activities and made adjustments in order to give the best rankings to those who produce truly significant and valuable content.
These days, there are still a few that practice low quality blogging. Don't be one of them. This will prove to be just a waste of your time. The fact that you'll also be wasting others' time will not help your business reputation and sales.
2. Focusing on Strategy Instead of Content
Many Internet marketers make the mistake of focusing too much on strategies rather than ensuring top quality of content. Even if you are very good with social media marketing and you're able to get the word out about your website, people will not likely stick around if you do not provide great content and if you do not have good products and/or services.
Yes, strategy is also important. You must remember that amazing content will be of no use to anyone if you don't market it effectively. Balancing these two factors is the key. They must go hand-in-hand and side-by-side as you work out your blog. This will help you grow your visitors and keep them around long term.
3. Sticking to One Style and One Plan Only
So you were able to gather plenty of blog visitors at the beginning. Hence, you've kept up what you were doing for several years now and you're confused and frustrated because your previous "formula" isn't working anymore.
Sometimes it is good to simply duplicate what used to work. However, if you have been noticing that it doesn't work anymore, then it's time for a change. What's more, you must keep up-to-date with the latest blogging trends. For instance, do you post infographics and videos to accompany some of your articles? Have you tried interviewing industry experts, featuring customer testimonials, and/or modifying your blog headlines? If not, then you're probably lagging behind.
Variety is of utmost importance in blogging. Combine it with relevance and value, and you'll attract more visitors.
4. Doing Too Much Hard Selling
Some businesses put out a blog that seems like a never-ending sales pitch. This can definitely drive people away. Perhaps there may be a few who will show interest for a while, but they too will eventually leave. Research shows that people generally do not like being sold to.
Even if you will be using your blog to promote your business, you ought to do it in a subtle manner. From time to time, you can talk about your newly launched product or how your service has changed the life of a customer. You can feature a few events or perhaps divulge some exciting plans, campaigns, and/or contests. You have to provide value to your target audience. What would make them sit up and take notice, nod in agreement, and feel appreciated? Use the answer to this question to help you craft your blog posts better, going for soft sell and just plain value.
5. Neglecting Your Email Marketing
Here's another common mistake--- neglect of email marketing. If you want your blog visitors to balloon to thousands and later on to millions, you have to start an email list and come up with your own newsletter. Learn how to grow your email list continuously and maximize this strategy to develop loyal followers and return customers.
Email marketing is still very effective. There are numerous marketers who continue to promote this tactic because it can really drive more customers to your site and help you build and sustain relationships with customers. What's more, you can use your email updates or newsletters to let those on your list know of your latest blog post.
Once you're able to consistently avoid these common mistakes, you'll start to see an increase in readers. When you check your stats, you'll discover that taking the above-discussed items from your practice will greatly improve your number of visitors. So always take note of these no-no's in blogging and good luck.
