12 Business Blogging Do's and Don'ts

By Carol Tice

Does your business have a blog? It seems like every small-business owner I meet either has a blog or wants to start one.

Unfortunately, many business-blogging efforts don't succeed. Many business owners don't understand how to write a strong blog post, or don't have the time to post frequently enough to make a difference, or don't know how to use social media to promote their blog.

In my work blogging for small businesses, I've found the same problems crop up time and again. Here are some rules to follow to help your business blog achieve its goal -- bringing you business.

1. Do write a strong headline. On the fast-clicking Internet, your headline is make-or-break. If your headline isn't fascinating, I'm not coming over to your website to read it. One of the commonest problems I see is headlines that have no key words in them for your niche. Your prospects can't find your posts unless you include some key phrases in your headline. To learn about the psychology of what makes people click on headlines, read Psychotactics' great report, Why Do Some Headlines Fail?
2. Do write a strong, keyworded opening paragraph. Realize that many search engines will include an 'exerpt' of your post with your headline in search results -- and that excerpt will be the top of your first paragraph. So key words in those first couple sentences help your post get found, too.
3. Do include images. If you want to make your blog look more professional in five minutes flat, add an image for every post. You can find free images on Flickr Creative Commons and Stock Exchange.
4. Do make your posts scannable. This means including bullet points, lists (like this one) or bold subheads. Know that most readers scan posts, they don't read them. If your post is scannable, these readers will still check you out.
5. Do respond to your readers. If you get comments on your blog, respond to each and every one. It'll double your comment threads and make your blog seem busier -- and readers will feel cared about and become loyal fans.
6. Do offer free stuff. The conversion rate for blogs that offer subscribers a free download in return for signing up is massively higher than for those who offer nothing. People love free stuff! Think about what material you have -- maybe even older blog posts -- that you could package into a free report for subscribers to entice them to join your list.
7. Do ask your readers what they'd like to know. Don't guess at what topics your blog should cover to attract interest -- ask your readers to tell you. Have a contest and give away something for the most interesting answer. You'll soon have all the blog topics you need to keep your blog lively.
8. Do persist. Many entrepreneurs don't understand that blogging is not a marketing strategy that brings instant results. It's a tool for building your company's credibility over time. Even if you can only post once a week, just keep at it, and be consistent -- try to post on the same day of the week at a set time, so readers come to count on you.
9. Don't ramble on. Internet readers love short posts, short paragraphs, and short sentences. If you have a lot to say, consider splitting your post in two or creating a series of posts on the topic.
10. Don't yell. Know that writing in all-capitals online is considered yelling. Don't drive readers away or come on too strong.
11. Don't hard-sell your blog readers. It's hard for many business owners to accept, but your blog posts shouldn't end with a paragraph of sales talk and "So call us today!" Blatant sales pitches are bad form on blogs, and will turn off readers. The secret? Just provide useful information to your readers. Code your contact page into your byline, and trust that readers will look you up if they like what you've got to say.
12. Don't be too formal. I've seen business blogs that end with the author's full name, professional certifications, street address, and phone number! A blog is not a letter you're going to mail. The tone is much more casual.
13. Don't forget to promote your posts. If you don't get out on social media and post links to your blog post, you might as well be blogging in a dark closet. I've had too many small-business owners who hire me to create blog posts, but never have the marketing team get on promoting their blog. Then, nothing happens and they want to pull the plug three weeks later, never understanding why blogging didn't work for them. Get on Twitter, LinkedIn and Facebook. Update your status. Ask people to retweet you. Get friends to comment to get a conversation started.

Is your business blogging? If so, leave a comment and let us know how you use your blog to attract new clients.

Carol Tice blogs about the business of writing at Make a Living Writing. Her blog was recently named one of the Top 10 Blogs for Writers 2011.

Photo via stock.xchng user svilen001