‘Blogging is the way to go’ you were told by that marketing consultant. And so excited by the prospect of engaged customers and more conversions, you set up a company blog. Several months down the track and the reality is something different. Far from being inundated with a vibrant community of followers, you’ve struggled to reach a readership of double figures. Plus you’ve had just a handful of likes, shares and comments. It’s a familiar story across many businesses. So, what’s the deal? Why isn’t blogging having the impact you thought it would? Well, here are four common reasons why blogs fail. We also look at some tips on how to improve your blog’s performance.

  1. Poor topic choice

A blog shouldn’t be all about you and your product. If you want people to read your articles, then there has to be something in it for them. It has to add value in some way to the reader. We’ve recently started creating content for an office cleaning company. Not much scope for interesting content there you might say. And yes, it’s true that cleaning is a pretty dry subject. And so, a certain amount of creativity is needed to select topics that will entertain and inform the reader. We wrote an article on how to protect employees from dust-triggered allergens thereby minimising staff sickness and absence. The topic still offered scope for the business to get their product message across, but also provided something of value to the reader.

So, before hitting the publish button on your blog, ask yourself what value will readers get from this post?

  1. Not posting often enough

Another mistake companies make is not posting new articles often enough. If you want to build up a loyal following and get noticed by Google, then you need to set a posting schedule and stick with it. Weekly is ideal, but if that’s not possible then once a fortnight is the next best. Your readers will come to expect your latest update. And Google will also reward you with improved SEO rankings with each new article.

  1. Lack of self-promotion

Take every opportunity to promote your blog. After all, if your target audience doesn’t know about the blog, how can you expect to build up a decent readership? If you have a Facebook or Twitter page, then use these platforms to share content from your blog. As well as driving readers to your blog, you will also be simultaneously generating content for your social media feeds. Make sure that your blog is in a prominent position on the company website. And use any communication with customers to highlight its existence. What’s more, take advantage of any guest blogging opportunities on popular industry-relevant blogs. It’s an easy way to engage with a much wider audience.

  1. Your headlines are too boring

The title is what initially draws the reader in. Make it boring and the reader is likely to swipe away. Make headlines eye-catching and you have got them hooked.  In fact, headlines are so important that it’s worthwhile spending time on getting it right. Generally people like headlines that summarise what the reader can expect. Try something like ‘three ways to increase traffic to your website now’. Alternatively, look to offer bite-sized pieces of advice. For example, ‘are you committing these common marketing mistakes?’

Blogging is indeed the way to go in today’s digital marketplace, BUT and it is indeed a big BUT, you need to get it right. If you’re not reaching the audience you hoped, then review how your blog addresses these four issues.

It could be the difference between a following made up of your mum and few mates to a lively, engaged readership.

And if you need some expert help and advice, get in touch with us here at Write Solutions.

 

 

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