Now would be a good time to audit your content marketing strategy
When it’s done correctly, content marketing is a powerful tool. When it’s done incorrectly, it’s an expensive hobby. An effective business blog allows you to tap into audiences that you may not be able to reach through traditional marketing channels, as well as track and measure reach and conversions. What’s more, once you create content and publish it on your site, it continues to deliver results over time, unlike a marketing campaign that’s over the moment the funds dry up.
But a business blog isn’t just about throwing keyword-rich content on your site and hoping that folks will find it and want to read it. The content has to be well-written, informative and appeal to the people who may be interested in the products you sell. If Google’s June 2021 core update affected your website traffic negatively, it might be a sign your blog needs a refresh – or at least a content audit.
For more than a decade, Google has made it clear with each update – good content will be rewarded, bad content will be pushed down. Steve Sheinkopf’s blog on Yale Appliance is an excellent example of content that serves up what he knows his customers (and Google) want. You can read product reviews – real product reviews that disclose the good, bad and ugly. He shares which brands are returned most often and which manufacturers offer the best customer service policies and practices. His blog is honest, authentic and customer-focused.
Is your blog delivering the results you need it to? If it’s been a while since you audited the content on your business blog, let’s have a closer look at some common business blog mistakes.
Business blog mistakes – and how to correct them
You know your business but do you know what your (potential) customers are searching for online? Before they enter the sales funnel, they’re probably doing research on the products they’re interested in and how those products can improve their lives. Are you doing these things on your blog?
Are you bragging about your company or the products you sell?
Save the marketing speak for your “About Us” page. Remember, your blog is about your customers and what they need. If you want to write about your amazing company on your blog, how can you do it in a way your customers will care?
- Write about community outreach programs that your business or employees support
- If you have a scholarship program, for example, write about some award-winning students you’ve helped
- If you’ve just finished renovations or opened a new location, create a vlog (video blog) and take customers for a virtual tour
- If you hold events in your store (like book signings, for example) write about those events – and include lots of pictures and video
Are you only writing about products you sell?
If the point of your blog is to sell product, it’s an advertorial and neither Google nor readers will find it useful. If you want a product-focused blog, how can you make it customer-focused?
- Share new product launches with detailed – and honest – information about what makes it different than it’s predecessors
- Compare competitive products, outlining strengths and weaknesses
- Compare manufacturer customer service accolades (and fails)
Are you adding links that aren’t relevant to the topic?
We know the link farm strategy doesn’t work but it’s amazing how many business blogs fall victim to it. A link in a blog post should help a reader understand the topic better – not lead them a product information page. If you want a deep linking strategy on your blog, how can you get there?
- Practice smart deep linking by pointing to pages deeper in your site that offer more information
- Link to manufacturer websites that may offer additional information on product usage or warranties
- Link to authoritative sites, such as government, medical or recognized organizations that offer more information without a sales pitch
Are you writing without an SEO strategy
For a business blog to successfully drive website traffic, a firm SEO foundation is a must. And while keywords are important, SEO is about so much more. What can you do if you don’t have an SEO strategy? The simple answer is to hire an SEO specialist but you can also begin educating yourself by reading expert blogs. Here are some of my favorites:
Blog audit checklist
Now that you know what not to do, this checklist will help you stay on track when creating new content.
- Your blog posts are customer-focused. You know your customer’s biggest questions and you answer them honestly and with expertise. This is a good time to review headlines, content and meta-descriptions to ensure they’re engaging and persuasive to consumers.
- Your content is optimized for search engines. With keywords artfully woven into headings, copy and meta descriptions, your blog posts are as attractive to Google as they are to customers. Two of the biggest mistakes when it comes to keywords is using them too much (spamming) or not using them strategically enough.
- Your brand voice is consistent and recognizable. Consistency creates authenticity, which builds consumer trust. Your blog posts should be on-point and a reader should be able to land on any page on your site and recognize it as your content.
- Your blog content is error free. This should be a no-brainer so consider this a simple reminder – typos and spelling mistakes have no place on a business blog.
- Your blog is effectively using social proof. When you can integrate what your customers say about you on your blog, your content becomes even more persuasive. Testimonials, influencer endorsements and product reviews are a few examples of social proof.
If you’re struggling with your digital strategy, I’d love to hear your questions and how I can help. Drop a comment below or shoot me an email and let’s start talking.
In the meantime, these posts might help you begin your content marketing journey:
- How to work with guest bloggers
- 10 things you should never do on Facebook
- What is branding on social media – and why does it matter?
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