If you decide to write your company’s blog, what are the top ten things you should know?

You’ve likely begun to form a clear picture of why you’re blogging, what the goal is, and how you are going to track your success. But what takes a blog from being ordinary to becoming a customer magnet?

Here are 10 tips on how to write your blog:

1. Choose Your Blog Content Wisely.
Blog content runs the gamut, from highly personal to strictly business. Be sure to remember who your audience is, and who you want it to be. If all of your blog posts are about cool apps for Android phones, that’s great…but not if your business is tax law. Give your audience what they want! Your posts should offer valuable information – that’s why your reader is visiting in the first place.

 2. Be Personable.
Injecting a little “you” into your blog allows you to connect with your customers on a personal level. But beware – there are pitfalls to avoid! It’s okay to bring in personal elements of your life, but this is your brand we’re talking about. Being personable is important; people want to like the person with whom they do business. But remember your readers are potential customers. Avoid the inflammatory (unless that’s your thing), and be the likeable ‘business-you’ that helps you land customers in person.

 3. Blog Post Length.
Your readership is just like you…they have no time to read everything, so they skim. Blog posts generally run 200 – 1000 words in length, though a standard informative blog post typically ranges from 300 – 700 words, which is ideal from an SEO standpoint. Keep it simple.

 4. Make Your Headline Great!
You have to grab your audience right up front, and promise something valuable that will make them read on. This is what your headline is for – so make it interesting. ‘A Treatise on the Causes of Poor Coating Durability’ doesn’t come across nearly as well as ‘What to Do When Your Exterior Paint Peels.’

 5. Use Keywords.
I’m guessing that part of the reason you’re blogging (or considering blogging) is to generate awareness of your brand. After all, you do want the search engines to locate your content and improve your website or blog rankings, right? There are many rules about the use of keywords (none are absolute, and they’re constantly changing!) Remember to place important keywords in the title of your post, in the subheads, and in the first paragraph. Make sure you choose keywords that reflect your business; if the word ‘Toyota’ shows up in your post about selecting fencing nine times, and the word ‘fence’ only shows up twice…well, simply put – that’s not good.

 6. Write Well.
Make your blog easy to read; a well-written blog is more likely to attract readers. Google – and most others – measure your readability, and adjust search results accordingly. Spelling, punctuation, word choice… everything matters. Don’t sacrifice readability by overloading your content with keywords…the search engines will find out and your rankings will suffer!

 7. Consistency is Key.
Starting a blog is like a contract with your readers. If you state you’ll be posting to your business blog every week, make sure you do. Your audience will expect your entries. Don’t disappoint them – keep your word!

 8. Sign Me Up!
Make sure you have a sign-up form on every page of your website, so visitors can easily join the mailing list for your blog or newsletter.

 9. Blog Pictures
Don’t forget about the images in your blog posts (and on your website!), and make sure you fill out the ALT tag information. Use your most important keywords here, and enter a description of the photo and related post.

 10. Links
Use links to other related web content where it makes sense in your post. When you link to information related to your subject matter, it helps improve your search engine rankings.

Do you have questions about business blogs? Ask away!