Heck yeah! Even if you’re not a talented writer or inspired to blog regularly, it’s the water that makes your business bloom. Here’s why.
When I started exploring my own online business, pretty much every guru in digital marketing advised to blog regularly. It seemed an overwhelming commitment, but when you want to climb a challenging mountain, you ask those who made it to the top how they got there. Among lots of great advice: Write a blog.
The Things I’ve Learned by Doing
I decided to do whatever I must to reach my mountaintop. No one has to write every day as I do, as long as you do it regularly, and your followers/tribe come to look forward to it. What I’ve learned so far about blogging: It makes you commit to your business’ online presence. I decided to do it it every day in 2018 because I believe the old saying, what you think about, you bring about, for better or worse. I choose to fill my head with positive, nurturing, and helpful ideas that will help others, as a way to inject some power into Tala Arts. Every month in my planner, I write down what topic I’m going to cover each day (using a mind map helps a lot here!). That way, I don’t even have to think about it, just start writing. To be fair, I happen to love to write, but I know for many, it’s a chore. Like cooking is a chore for me, but God bless those who love it! Don’t let the idea of writing deter you from blogging! You can hire a copywriter to do it for you, or you can do it yourself in your own way (see yesterday’s blog post) and make a joke of it – people will love your self-acceptance and self-deprecating humor. Another alternative is to have a proofreader or editor clean it up for you. It doesn’t have to be perfect! “Done” is better than “perfect.”
Your writing doesn’t have to be impeccable if it’s not your talent – but your facts and the way you present your products or services should be. Writing in your blog presents you as an expert in your niche. You want to be seen as incredibly focused on quality products and customer service. Obviously, if your business sells word skills such as copywriting and editing, your writing must be flawless. But if you’re promoting yourself in an industry that has nothing to do with writing skills, then let your visitors have a laugh with you about that, then concentrate on what you do better than anyone on the planet (like being authentic!). The fact is, websites rely on writing. You learn a heck of a lot when you have to write about it.
You have a ton of knowledge in your brain. You know what you know, but can’t explain it in a logical way that others would understand. Getting it all down on paper (I know…..keyboard, but “paper” sounds more intellectual somehow) forces you to organize your thoughts into categories filled with supporting facts and ideas. Suddenly, you start to appreciate just how much you actually do know, and have expertise about. I started playing violin in high school, so I’ve been doing it for a long time. Want to know what improved my playing more than any single thing besides practice? Teaching. When I had to start verbalizing and showing exactly how to do it, it made me reconsider different aspects of my playing, and question certain things. Also, because I had to start being an “expert” violinist (in quotes since I feel far too inadequate compared to the greats) in the eyes of my students forced me to learn a lot of things I didn’t already know from my traditional, classical training. Blogging will do the same for you.
If Those Weren’t Enough Reasons, Here Are More
Blogging keeps an open line of communication with your visitors and customers. People like accessibility. When they feel comfortable with you, you’re the first person they’ll want to do business with.
It helps your SEO. Trust me on this, that is a very good thing.
A Hubspot survery recently came out with this – 60% of businesses that blog regularly attract more customers.
Remember yesterday’s post where I talked about your business’s “secret sauce,” your very important personality? Blogging gives your personality a voice and is the best way to convey it.
It can be just plain fun to do!
It makes you research new topics, trends, ideas, news. Good for you and your visitors!
It builds up your confidence as an entrepreneur, as an industry expert, and to be self-expressive.
Blog posts are free advertising, especially when your content provides value, is interesting, funny…..in other words, is shareable!
You get immediate feedback from your visitors and customers. We might think we know what they want, but what they actually want can be quite different. Let them tell you, and they’ll appreciate it.
Once you commit to blogging, ideas will pop up all around you. It’s quite amazing, the ideas we stumble over on the daily once we’re willing to write about them!
Photo by Alexander Filonchik on Unsplash
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