Embarking on Your Blogging Journey
Welcome to this 6-part series on the world of blogging
This all began as a helpful email to a client asking for help with her website. After discussing the options for growing the number of visitors to her site she quickly warmed to the idea of blogging. Topics or ideas for articles came easy for her but a structure to make it an efficient and pleasurable process was lacking.
That has become this series that now in 2024 includes two of my templates I use with all my clients. The ‘blog vault’ template is the most sought-after template I have made. It makes some nervous when they first open the file but with a little explanation and adjustment, they all agree this template makes blogging a joy!
This series includes:
If this is your first article, check out the others and see if anything triggers your blogging spirit!
So, You want to blog
Blogging or posting articles, photos, checklists, or almost anything on the web is part of Content Marketing. This ‘content’ is the pieces of information you share. You might have an Instagram or Facebook business account and post items about your business. Great! That’s content.
Blogging is mostly typically on your website. You have a website, right?
Since you are a local service-based business, getting found online is your greatest challenge. How easily can potential customers find your business over the competition? That is our starting point.
When people search, they will ask Google, “How do I fix a clogged sink?”. Google will respond with a list of items it feels will best meet the person’s request. How would you like to be that top tip on how to fix a clogged sink?
How important is all this?
Blogging or creating content is important for small, local businesses because it helps improve online visibility and connect with potential customers. When these businesses create and share high-quality, relevant content, they can show up in search engine results when potential customers are looking for information or services they offer. This increased visibility can attract more visitors to their websites, potentially leading to more customers.
Regularly updating content on a website signals to search engines that the site is active, which can help improve its ranking in search results. Also, the content serves as a useful resource for potential customers, helping to build trust and establish the business as an authority in its field.
"I WANT MORE SERVICE-BASED COMPANIES TO BE SUCCESSFUL WITH THEIR ONLINE ACTIVITIES!"
How can the Internet help?
The Internet is not only about selling your skills. It is for making useful connections with potential customers. Just imagine. Someone finds your article (blog post) on how to fix a clogged sink. They try your tips but it doesn’t solve their problem. In your article, there is a note that this might need professional attention with your phone number listed. Bingo!
I am sure this example is easy to understand and perhaps you have had similar experiences online. The big challenge is getting that article high enough on the initial Google search. If you are on page 12 then almost no one will ever see it.
How does Google work?
How does Google decide what to display? Yeah, a good question and it is complicated. There is one fact that influences this - the currentness of the website. Said in another way, how recently has the website been updated?
It’s complicated
This is where blogging comes into play. Blogging let’s you to add new items to your website at your convenience.
You did say you have a website. Updating your landing page, and your services page is a big and risky task. It might even come with a cost if you pay someone to do this for you. Adding an article to your blog costs only your time. Google sees a blog post (article) as an update to the website. This triggers freshness. That is what we are looking for.
So, why blog? Well, you don’t pay your web developer friend every week to make changes to your website to post a blog.
If you are still with me here, then let’s step through a few things you might want to consider in advance. first up, how do you want to blog. Yeah, sounds weird but it’s important.
See you there!
TL;DR
Blogging is a crucial part of content marketing for local, service-based businesses as it enhances online visibility and enables connection with potential customers.
Regular content updates on a website can improve search engine rankings and establish the business as an expert in the field.
This article explains the importance of blogging, how it can help your business, and introduces a series of articles that delve deeper into the blogging process.
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