Blogging Like A Pro

Blogging may well be the last thing on the list for a busy entrepreneur, which really isn’t that surprising.

Blogging is not a medium in which you can often see an immediate return.

But the truth is that blogging does, in fact, make a substantial difference in your business. It can expand the reach of your business and take it to the next level.  This is an opportunity to not just brand yourself an expert but to be labeled a thought leader in your niche.

Coming up with blog topics may feel a bit daunting, but it’s easier than you may think. Ask yourself these questions to narrow down your focus.

• What are the top 10 trending topics in your field? This is an easy way to choose topics. Simply plug your industry into a Google search and hit news. A plethora of recent articles and trends in the industry will appear.
• Have you selected topics will solve people’s problem?
• Will this topic add value to their lives?
• Think about questions that your clients are constantly looking for answers to? What are they? Create an in-depth list. This can become your blog idea bank.
• Is there someone in your company you can profile? Dig into your company’s mission statement and community involvement. These are all great blog topics.

For example, if your niche is plumbing, a simple Google search in early September will reveal the following industry trends:

·        Should you put your plumbing online?

·        Plumbing Poverty

·        Creative ways kids have caused massive plumbing problems

·        Global industry projected to double in size

Keeping with the plumbing niche, if customers are constantly asking you how they can solve relatively mild leaks around their homes, create a blog with step-by-step instruction on how to do so. This is where providing value comes in. You want clients and media to see your blog as an educational resource that gives tips-and-tricks of the trade but also provides news and commentary on current industry issues.

One of the most important things that you can do for your blog is to increase SEO by linking back to earlier blogs. For instance, say you wrote a blog on a new certification that has become available, you may want to link to an earlier blog you wrote about how your industry would be doubling over the next two years. This is easy to do with Google analytics. Simply type in UTM URL and enter the blog link into the form. It will then provide you with a shortened link that will allow you to track the number of hits. This is great for marketing and planning future blog topics.