What does it take for a small business owner or independent artist to increase their brand awareness? How do they go about telling people about their services?
As a freelance photographer, my biggest challenge was getting more clients. I posted my photos on Facebook, handed out business cards, asked friends to refer me to their friends – but the return was small. Then it clicked. I added a blog element to my site and the rest became history.
Why Is Blogging Such A Big Deal?
Blogging is popular tool that is usually maintained by an individual with regular entries regarding a particular subject, or it can function as a personal diary. Interactivity in blogs is the key feature that sets them apart from other static websites; blogs should allow visitors to comment and message other readers within the site itself.
If utilized correctly, blogging can be a powerful marketing tool in increasing brand awareness. The best part about it – it is a very affordable and can be added to your website at little to no cost!
Where Do You Start?
If you’ve never blogged before, don’t fret! There are a few techniques that you can use to grab the attention of your target audience.
1. Connect with people on a personal level
People want to see a level of authenticity when reading blogs. Don’t write content in a way that seems overly scripted or too complicated to understand. Readers go to blogs wanting to learn something, so present your blog in a conversational manner that both experts and novices in the subject can comprehend2. Invite people into open discussions
Engage your visitors with discussion topics or even asking a simple question within the post or leaving the entry open ended. Invite them to post their thoughts, answers, or questions in the comments section of your entry. Be sure to engage with the readers in the comments as well so they know their input is valued.3. Add visuals
Adding a visual element to a wordy blog post can help break up your topic and make it easier to read. Videos and photos can be helpful in addressing the topic at hand as well. For example, if you are giving a tutorial, it will be helpful to have a video or photos with the step by step process to make the information easier to understand. Keep your visuals relevant to the subject at hand.4. Check your analytics
Make sure you look at the analytics of your blog. You can figure out what your followers are looking for and which content they are most interested in. This can be useful and open up your blog for experimentation when you are writing new content or wanting to assess the success of a particular feature within your blog.So the next time you are thinking about adding blog to your site, remember there is some maintenance associated with it in order for you to increase brand awareness. Keep your consumers engaged by keeping the tone of your blog authentic and responding to any inquiries or comments. Your visuals should be relevant in a way it adds another dimension to your post instead of being too repetitive. Lastly, check back on your analytics so you know what works and what doesn’t work for your blog.
Considering using Twitter to drive traffic to your blog and building connections with other bloggers. You definitely want to make sure your blog is a place where likeminded individuals can connect with each other.
Ivy Chang, 10.27.11
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