Blogging
101 - A Business Owner's Guide to the Components of a Blog
By
Michelle VanSlyke
The
term "blogging" is one that most of us have heard by now and many of
us have a basic understanding of what it means, at least from a reader's
standpoint. But understanding what a blog is from a business standpoint
requires a few more details. Before hiring a copywriter to manage your
businesses blog or before deciding to go for it on your own, you will want to
gain a deeper understanding of the intricacies of the "blog," in
order to reap all of the potential benefits of your hard work.
The
simple definition of the term "blog" is that it is a website on the
internet on which a person or multiple people make posts relating to a specific
topic, although many blogs these days do cover a wide range of topics. For the
sake of simplicity, though, we will discuss blogs that relate to a single
topic, specifically those that are designed to be used by a business. These
types of blogs differ in that they have a purpose beyond solely sharing
information about a particular topic, because the goal of a business blog is to
drive traffic to your website by providing informative content to readers.
Throughout the remainder of this post we will discuss what fundamental
components are needed in order to reach that objective.
The
Blog Title - The title is the most important component of every blog post, not
only because it is the first thing readers will see, but also because it will
tell readers what is contained within your post. So, first and foremost you
want your title to be catchy but not over the top. It's important to make sure
that your title doesn't sound like every other title out there that relates to
the same topic you're posting about. In addition to making your blog title
stand out to the reader, though, you will also want to make it stand out to
search engines. This is where keywords come in, but it is certainly not the
last place you will use them. Keyword research is important because you need to
determine which ones will make your content stand out and where to place them
in your title to get the best results. A copywriter that adheres to these blog
title rules will provide you with the best results when it comes to content
marketing.
Keywords
for Your Blog - Once you have done your research regarding keywords, not only
for a specific post but for your blog or website as a whole, you will need to
strategically place them in your blog posts as well. There are some pretty
specific rules regarding where keywords should be placed but you shouldn't over
think it, or over use them. Headings are great places for keywords, for
starters, but they should not make the heading confusing or too long. The
beginning and end of a post should also contain one or more of your keywords if
you can fit them in without compromising the content. A copywriter managing
your business blog will handle all of this for you, but learning more about
keywords can still be beneficial to you and your business.
Understanding
the Significance of Appearance - The appearance of a blog is often an
afterthought for many business owners and it isn't until it's too late that
they realize the importance of this major component. Not only do you want the
appearance of your blog to say something about your brand, but you want it to
not annoy your readers either. Having a lot of clutter on your page, a lot of
flash that makes it difficult to read, and a design that makes it hard to
navigate will likely make readers leave and go find informative content
somewhere that doesn't give them a headache. Your copywriter should take this
into consideration when developing your blog.
Content,
Content, Content - Your Highest Priority - Finally, the most important element
of your blog is the content. This cannot be stressed enough and should always
be on your mind. A blog is nothing without the content contained within. If
your copywriter is to be successful at getting you more traffic, and ultimately
more business, then they need to be a master of content, because this is what
your readers are there for. Your blog should have good content and it should be
provided to your readers regularly, and if it is your readership will quickly
grow.
Conclusion
- The concept behind the idea of a "blog post" is not very complex,
but the elements that make a blog perform its intended function are a little
bit more difficult to grasp. There are many components that come in to play in
order to use blogging as a way to increase traffic to a website. Fortunately,
there are many tools out there that you can use to start your own blog, if you
have the time and patience to learn how to use them. For some, it simply makes
more sense to hire a copywriter, but if you decide to go it alone be sure to
include these very important components.
Michelle
VanSlyke currently works at a timeshare resort in Daytona Beach, FL and is also
a freelance writing with nearly a decade of experience working in the content
marketing niche. She has also written about travel-related topics extensively.
Michelle attended Jefferson Community College for Liberal Arts, American Public
University for Political Science, and is now continuing her education in the
marketing industry. See how Michelle can help you with your internet marketing
needs by visiting http://www.sayitinwriting.com/.
Article
Source: http://ezinearticles.com/expert/Michelle_VanSlyke/2178949
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