Everyone and their mother seem to be blogging these days, but if you’re considering writing a blog for your business (and you really should), you want to make sure that your blogs effectively drive customers to your site and help generate sales. If used correctly, a blog can be an incredibly powerful marketing tool to help you build your business. And the good news is that you don’t have to be Shakespeare to write an effective blog.
Whether you’re just getting started blogging or you feel like you could use some help honing your blogging skills, this guide will help show you how to write a blog that drives traffic and sales to your website.
Quality content is king
Many people are often intimidated by blogging, fearing that they have to be an Ivy-league wordsmith to craft a blog that woos customers. Thankfully, the conversational tone of blogs makes them accessible to write even if you weren’t an English major. However, that said, your blogs should be well thought out, creative, and (triple) checked for spelling and grammar.
The key is taking the time to create quality content that will resonate with your target audience and offer them information that they will find valuable. Which leads us to the next step in creating an effective blog…
Cover trending topics
Writing blogs that attract readers and potential customers will require some research. Covering major events within your industry can be an effective way to garner attention and establish yourself as an industry expert that people can reliably turn to for coverage. Utilize Google Trends to learn more about what topics people are looking for at any given moment, but be sure to write about topics that relevant to your business or connect them in a way that logically makes sense.
You’ll also want to keep an eye on what other blogs in your industry and prominent publications are covering by using Google Alerts. You can set up your alerts to notify you when certain topics relevant to your business are mentioned and stay up to date on the latest trends. Be sure to establish your own voice and perspective on these popular topics as well, so that you stand out from the competition and aren’t just regurgitating the same stories.
Write effective blog headlines for people and search engines
Take the time to research and write blog titles that not only appeal to your target audience, but are also optimized for search engines. Learn what keywords and phrases your potential customers are searching for and incorporate those into your blog headlines in a way that reads well to a human being as well as a search engine. Keyword Tool, WordTracker, and Google Ads Keyword Planner are great resources to get you started. The title should be compelling and engaging to grab the reader’s attention and make them want to click on your blog to learn more.
There are some classic, tried-and-true types of headlines that help drive traffic and attract sales, such as Lists (Top 10, 15, etc.), Predictions (industry trends), The Best and Worst (provides a strong point of view), and How To (sound familiar?). But don’t be afraid to branch out beyond the predictable to write a creative, magnetic headline that stands out from the rest.
Write in a conversational tone
If you’re writing for your business, it may be tempting to use more formal language in your blogs. But don’t. Blogs should have a casual, informal style to them, so that readers feel like they’re having a conversation with you, rather than reading an essay. As a result, they’ll also be more likely to comment on your blogs and engage with you, which in turn helps drive more traffic and ultimately conversions.
If people are commenting on your blog, it means they’re engaged with what you have to say and are more likely to share your content on social media. Here are some suggestions for keeping your blog tone informal:
- Ask questions throughout your blog post.
- Use “you” and “I” in your posts to engage the reader.
- Keep paragraphs short and to the point.
- Make sure anyone can understand your content.
It’s also a good idea to minimize the number of bloggers on your site, as readers tend to engage less if they don’t feel a strong and consistent connection to a particular writer.
Collect emails
Blogs are an excellent opportunity to build your email database, which can in turn be used to help bring more traffic back to your blog and help drive sales as well. There are a variety of ways that you can collect emails on your blog, including using pop-up plugins, sidebar offers, and opt-ins that encourage readers to stay up to date on all of your latest content. By turning visitors into email subscribers, you’re much more likely to build a larger audience that visits your website regularly, engages with your blog and shares what they read on social media.
Make sharing easy
When your visitors read your content, there should be plenty of ways that they can share your blog with others. Make sure you utilize, social media sharing buttons (Facebook “likes”, Tweets, Pinterest pins, email shares, etc.) that are relevant to your business. This should be a one-click process so that they can easily and quickly share your content before moving on. Most CMS platforms have a variety of plugins for social sharing buttons.
Promote your products and services
While you want to avoid being overly “salesy” on your blog, there’s no reason you can’t mention your products and services or direct them to those portions of your site. The key to promotion is that it should be relevant to the blog post and not just a blatant pitch. The overall goal of the blog should be to add value to the lives of the readers, so there are likely to be opportunities to show how your business can do just that. Make sure that your website is easy to access from your blog and that you use keywords to link to relevant pages on your site.
Conclusion
Blogging is a powerful marketing tool that, if done effectively, can help drive more traffic to your site and generate sales. Devoting the time to writing quality, well-researched blogs with steady frequency is well worth the investment for the return that you can potentially garner. But keep in mind, building your blog readership and converting those visitors into customers takes time, so be patient. Engage with your readers and find out what topics they want to learn more about, and continually refine your blog strategy as you go.
What techniques have you found effective for writing a blog that drives traffic and sales? Let us know in the comment section below.
Resources
- “How to Grow Your Blog to 100,000 Visits Per Month in 18 Months” (QuickSprout)
- “How To Harness the Marketing Power of Blogs” (Entrepreneur)
- “5 Creative Tips to Help Increase Blog Traffic and Boost Your Business” (Social Media Examiner)
- “Increase Traffic to Your Site with These Tried and True Blogging Tips” (WPMU Dev)
- “How To Write Magnetic Headlines” (CopyBlogger)
