Why Blog?

15 thoughts on the benefits of Blogging:

1. Blogs offer greater visibility in search engines. There are more keyword opportunities and your business/blogs can take up a majority of the top spots in search engines if optimized correctly.
   
2. Blogs help you build credibility as an expert. Media like companies that have blogs because of the perceived credibility they offer. The more you link up with other blogs and resources, the more credibility you are given.
   
3. Blogs can drive more traffic to your website and ultimately, educate readers about your business offering.
   
4. Blogs are a brand asset – remember that your blog is an extension of your business so treat it just like you would treat any other part of your marketing plan. Be consistent in your message but don't be blatantly sales-y.
   
5. Offer posts via email and optimize your blog by securing repeat visitors – Wordpress does this automatically. Blogger requires a third party gadget like feedburner.com
   
6. Write with care: use a large enough font for people to read your post easily, use paragraph spacing freely, include photos, bolded words, bullets, numerical lists, anything to break up a big chunk of copy (something I need to work on)
   
7. Appreciate the English (or Spanish, or French, etc.) language. Be careful to use the proper grammar and spelling. Typos happen but take the time to catch them if you can. Little annoyances like misspelled words over and over again can lose a reader.
   
8. The more you post, the more search engines will find your blog. Be consistent. Not only will you optimize your search results but you will legitimize your blog. If you don't spend the time to post, it will seem like you don't care about your readers. Be loyal to them and they will be loyal to you.
   
9. Submit press releases about your blog to relevant media who regularly look for subject matter experts… remember to keep in touch with reporters and inform them of posts that apply to current trends, industry, news topics…
   
10. Link your blog in relevant forums or discussion threads. Make people aware and drive traffic to your blog
    
11. Monitor statistics – Google Analytics is easy and will help you understand what posts are informative and where traffic is coming from.
    
12. Set up Google Alerts so you know when your blog, your business, or you are getting mentioned.
    
13. If you are mentioned on another blog – send a quick thank you to the author. Keep up relations, just like you do in traditional PR.
    
14. Twitter and Facebook are great marketing tools – and an easy way to share your blog with a group of your peers.
    
15. Put your blog address in your email signature, on your business card, anywhere you would put your website – use it as a marketing tool. 

Go create. 

Your Chief Inspiration Officer