Any company or person thinking about starting or re-starting a small business blog, would be silly not to ask themselves the question: Does the world really need another blog?
For many reasons, my answer, particularly for almost all those in travel and lifestyle businesses, is still a resounding, “yes!”
Often filled with lofty goals, the big picture of “blogging” can be pretty overwhelming. I suggest that you look at starting a personal or small business blog or picking up a dropped effort at it, as if you were an aspiring novelist. You’re finally starting to write that book you’ve been talking about for years, even though you know going in, it will take you years to reach the New York Times’ bestseller list.
Like writing novels, blogging is a long haul project. So instead of just thinking about where you’ll be next Friday, remember the big picture. Think where you’ll be a year from now with a plan scaled to suit your resources.
Establishes you and/or your business as an authority.
Through search and social media your “people” and potential customers are already looking for you. They’ve got questions and you’ve got answers. Blogging is one of the best ways to own your expertise as an authority in your niche. I’m enjoying following Brian Clark’s thoughts on “authority” that distill lofty concepts down to the heart of matter. (Check out his post, Thought Leadership is a Synonym for Attention.)
Regularly updated, reader optimized blogs are still at the heart of a strong SEO strategy
The playing field has dramatically changed, but rumors of the death of SEO, following Google’s Panda and Penguin updates are greatly exaggerated. . Fortunately the changes are in favor of those creating quality, reader friendly content.
The small business blogs that do the best job at helping readers find the current and specific information they are looking for, and that earn relevant links from other sites and social media, will be rewarded in the rankings. On the other hand, keyword stuffed blogs with information that is not reader friendly, as well as those with over optimized or dubious back-link profiles will suffer consequences.
It’s likely that you already have “content” that with a little creativity and some tweaking can be repurposed.
Travel businesses in particular often have accumulated lots of photographs and video that begs to be shared with your community through a blog. Perhaps there’s a post or two in an existing Slide Share presentation or white paper. Another option is to utilize new curation tools to integrate content and social media updates from within your organization or industry into your blog.
Having a regularly updated and well done blog will establish a marketing mindset within your organization.
Over time this will help your company unleash the power of content marketing. Key partners, new and old, will not only intuitively begin to know what’s “blog-able;” they will feel part of the larger mission.
A blog is a magnet and you control it.
Think of your blog or company website as a “media channel.” By producing, highlighting and promoting high quality content that is in line with your core messages, your best clients will find you. All paths lead to your reader optimized blog. And remember that no one can tell your stories better than you.
