7 Tips for Business to Business Blogging
7 Quick Tips for B2B Blogging
The popularity of blogging is on the rise, and you’ll see evidence of this if you visit the website of any progressive business-to-business company, large or small. Blogs are part of a standard marketing mix for any business that knows that the web is more than just an option for growing their company—but a necessary and crucial part of a modern business sales and marketing strategy.
Keep these tips in mind whether you are just thinking about starting one, or are a seasoned blogger.
- Don’t Try to Sell
Your B2B business blog should be the one place on your website where the main goal isn’t to sell to your customers, but to inform, educate or entertain. Your intention should be to create content that brings value to your audience so that they start to see you as an authority in your industry. Keep your posts natural and light with an emphasis on news, tips, and advice.
- Be Consistent
One of the most common mistakes you will see with B2B blogs is a business with loads of initial enthusiasm for writing and posting, then once the novelty wears off, the frequency noticeably drops. Gaining and maintaining credibility takes consistent effort. Create a posting schedule you know you can stick to. More posts could mean more traffic, as long as your content offers value, and search engines always prefer a site that’s consistently updated with unique, relevant content.
- Keep Variety in Mind
Not every post needs to be a long, information-loaded article. Nor should it be a 50-word blurb you toss up every other day just because you feel you need to post. Providing a variety of styles in your blogging keeps readers from getting bored of your style and giving them a reason to look elsewhere. Include visual elements for variety, such as photos, lists, charts, and graphs.
- Don’t Forget Your Sources
Sometimes we find ourselves a little dry for content ideas and end up scouring the web for some inspiration. In some cases, you may find an article so well-written and useful that you would like to expand on it and add your own thoughts on the subject. This is allowed, but sources must be cited. Aside from being common courtesy, linking to the websites from which you found the idea and information can help you get noticed and build relationships with the business owners or webmasters. You may want them to link to your site or blog some day.
- Keep It Interesting!
Just because you’re running a B2B blog doesn’t mean you need to keep the tone of your post dry and uninteresting. Have some fun! Your blog can be a reflection of your personality, sense of humour and can reflect your opinions and values. This is a chance to add a voice to your brand and let people see what you really stand for.
- Don’t Ignore Comments
Most blogs come with a comments section for readers to post their own thoughts or follow-up questions. This is a great opportunity for you to engage your audience and build a community around your website. It’s also a way to continue to showcase your authority, as you’ll be able to post relevant responses that add to the discussion. If you see people commenting on your articles, follow up and reply with detail. Otherwise you may find your readers slowly straying away if questions or issues aren’t addressed.
- Use Visual Media
In a longer post, pictures or other graphics can add visual breaks in what may otherwise be walls of text. Including infographics, short video clips or high quality photos add visual texture and character and can also help keep the attention of the reader. But make sure they are quality additions and that they add value to your post.
What do you think? Do you have a B2B blog? What are your rules for blogging? We’d love to hear your thoughts!