So, you’ve got a blog.
You’re way ahead of many other companies in your niche who do not yet have a blog. Congratulations!
Now for the bad news: there are lots of other companies out there in your niche who not only have a blog, but they are managing to build whole communities out there. People are reading their blog regularly and commenting on them rather than trying to sell them blue pills!
How do you get there?
There is no quick fix to this. A brand new blog is not taken much notice of – it’s something that happens every day, every hour, every minute, even every second. There are steps that you can take to bring your blog and therefore your company website to the attention of the world.
1. Tell everyone about it. Friends, family, colleagues, employees and particularly customers.
2. Invite comments. Start a discussion, ask a question, even run a poll.
3. Post regularly using relevant content
4. Post comments on related blogs
5. Guest post on related blogs.
Those last two are some of the most important things you can do. If you can post comments on related blogs which feature highly in the search engines and leave a link to your site, then quite often these are the first pages that Google will feature.
BUT just leaving spam links is not good Netiquette!
Actually read the article, comment on an aspect of it and make a salient point. That way you are seen as someone who is able to make a contribution to a conversation rather than just spam and leave. Do it regularly, every time you have a new post up if possible.
It will still take time.
The next step is to guest post on somebody else’s blog. Most blogs accept guest posts. Check out their guidelines for what they are looking for, then consider what you could write for them. Choose a subject where you are confident, knowledgeable and can offer information. Wrap it up attractively with an attention-grabbing headline and offer an outline to the blogger.
They can only say. ‘no’.
They might say, ‘yes’.
And if you get accepted, then you will bring a whole host of new readers to your blog, hoping to find a similar mine of great information.
Don’t disappoint. Make sure that your blog is up to scratch too. Put just as much effort into your posts as you do your guest posts and your blog will soon be on the way up.
By the way, the irony of this has not escaped me! This is a fairly new blog, clawing its way up through the ranks of millions of business writing blogs. I’m in it for the long haul. I’m always delighted when occasionally blogger heroes come to call, but I’m still developing my regular community. Bear with me and we can do great things together.
And if you need any little blue pills? I get offers every day!
Photo Link: Suession Megaphone