MightyRecruiterSmall Business Blogs: Is Blogging Worth It
You probably can’t go through an entire day without hearing or reading something about blogging, especially if you own a small business. New small business blogs pop up daily, but many of them are abandoned just as quickly. Still, some blogs go from nearly no visitors to making real money and bringing in new customers. With such a drastic range in results, you’re probably wondering if blogging is actually worth it. The answer depends on you.
Are You Committed
People who run successful small business blogs are very committed. At minimum, a blog that receives lots of traffic has new posts two or three times per week. Many bloggers post more often, even daily, to ensure readers keep coming back. If you decide to supplement your income by using affiliate programs, writing sponsored posts or otherwise using advertising on your blog, it is especially important that you post often and keep readers engaged.
A lot of bloggers choose to use editorial calendars and scheduled posts to keep new content flowing without needing to worry about it daily. Some bloggers use a paper planner to plan blog posts. Other bloggers use WordPress plugins or other online tools to plan and manage their blogs. They might spend one day per week writing the next week’s posts or they might decide to write an entire month’s worth of posts at once. The beauty of blogging is that you can find your own method to keep it relevant without having to write every day.
Are You Ready for the Initial Effort
Most bloggers who own small business blogs put in a lot of extra effort in the beginning. You’ll probably have to double or even triple your effort as you get your blog off the ground, but as time goes on, you’ll likely find that you have to spend less and less time on your blog to keep it lucrative. One blogger began by writing about two posts per day and commenting on other blogs in 2007. By 2010, he had thousands of subscribers and a book deal that allowed him to quit the traditional corporate world. Today, his blog does so well that he can afford to hire people to help him write.
Of course, these results aren’t what’s considered typical, but they aren’t impossible, either. If you know how to market yourself to the right audience and you do the work to get your name and your company’s name out there, you are much more likely to build an income using your blog.
Do You Know How to Build Your Brand
Small business blogs need to have recognizable branding to remain relevant. From the colors you use to the words you write, everything should be uniform across your platforms. If your blog uses pink as an accent color, your blog’s corresponding Facebook and Twitter accounts should use the same accent color for their headers. If you use ïemail’ in one post, you shouldn’t use ïe-mail’ in another.
Branding also requires interesting and shareable content. Imagine you go to a website that sells candles. If you go to their blog and each post is simply a lengthy product description, would you bother to read it Probably not. You definitely wouldn’t return. Instead of centering your entire blog on your product or service, center it on helping your customers. Blog about tips or tricks that might interest your readers, consider trends in relevant industries, or find other ways to make your content interesting. It helps to be personable, too. Use anecdotal writing where you can.
Are You Patient
No matter how lucrative a blog is, all small business blogs have one thing in common: they didn’t become successful overnight. Building up a following takes time and true effort. Writing a post and waiting for someone to notice it won’t work. You have to carve out time to visit similar blogs and leave relevant comments, to interact on social media, and to research your industry to find out what keywords are bringing in readers. Still, if you stick it out, you’re more likely to be successful. More and more, bloggers are leaving the ïtraditionalï blogosphere in favor of microblogging websites such as Tumblr. This means more room for your blog!
Are small business blogs worth it There is no simple answer. Are you willing to put in the work If so, then yes, you’ll likely see at least some kind of boost in business! If you aren’t willing to focus on building your blogging brand, however, it might not be for you. Blogging isn’t the only way to build your business, though. Find more ideas with the articles and tools on Mighty Recruiter.