We start today with a quiz. How many of you have heard the following statements (in some shape or fashion) before?
We believe that these statements are true, but with a caveat. Blogging just to blog accomplishes nothing.
Tweet This: Here are 5 ways to ensure that your blog gets the viewership and reaches the audience that you desire.
1. Ask others to promote your blog.
It is not shameful to ask people you know to share and promote your blog. Asking for help may not seem professional, but there is great value in asking for help. Make it easy by having ways to share via social media options on your website (in particular at the bottom or the side of your blog). Quick tip: Be purposeful in who you ask to share your blog. Ask people to share whose audience aligns with your audience. Asking your kids to share the blog with their friends and followers who have no interest in your brand may not provide you with any value.
2. Embed tweets in your blog - Click to Tweet.
This is an effective way to take a quote or a main point and have it easily shared on Twitter. You have probably seen a blog that has “Click to Tweet” or “Tweet This” after a quote. (We even have one in this blog!) The key is finding a short quote or key point that you want to have shared. Keep it close to 100 characters so that others can retweet it. Here is a useful blog by Blog Tyrant that clearly details how to implement the “Click to Tweet” link on your own page.
3. Use the Facebook Quote Plugin.
This varies slightly from the “Click to Tweet” because, instead of the writer pre-choosing what quotes to share, Facebook allows the reader to highlight any section of the blog and share that directly to the readers’ Facebook page. Here is an example:
You can see that once you choose a section of text, a quote box appears with the Facebook logo and the words “Share Quote.” This plugin does require some work to make sure it is installed correctly, but it gives your readers the ability and flexibility to quickly and easily share the thing that stands out to them.
4. Create memorable images.
It is no secret that tweets with images get more engagement. We’ve known for a while that this is true of photos on Facebook. Even images on LinkedIn see more likes, comments, and clicks than posts/updates without images. Three of the “newest” social networks, Pinterest, Instagram, and Snapchat, are based entirely on images. So why aren’t you leveraging the visual when promoting your content? Create not only a branded “featured image” to share with your post, but also create separate images for each of the main points in your content so they can be shared when you repeatedly post them to social media. Which leads to the next point…
5. Share and share again!
When you write your blog, think of ways to keep it alive (on social media). A blog should not be a “one-and-done” piece of collateral. This blog, for example, has at least five unique tweets in it. Each point you are making is a tweet. Then add in the bolded/highlighted quotes and there are 3-4 more unique tweets. Not only that, not everyone is on twitter throughout the day, so spread the same/similar tweet out throughout the day. Now, we have only mentioned twitter, but the same is true for Facebook, and LinkedIn. Remember, you took the time and energy to write your blog. You have to believe that your audience wants to read it - so give them every opportunity to do so.
Extra Tip: Have a link to your blog visible in as many places as possible. Have a link on all your social media profiles, the About Us page, etc. Give people an opportunity to find your great content that will make their lives better, easier, more informed, etc.
Blogging should be a joy for your small business. It allows you to share what you are passionate about and how your products and services meet the needs of your customers. Don’t dread it and don’t make the mistake of believing writing a blog is enough. Be purposeful in promoting and sharing your content. Don’t let this overwhelm you. You don’t have to do this alone. We can help ensure that you reach your audience. Contact us today. Allow us to focus on our expertise so you can focus on yours.
Want more? Here are additional resources on writing and promoting your blog:
Get the Most out of Your Small Business Blog
How to Get Your New Blog Noticed in the Big, Bad Blogosphere