I love blogging about the art of blogging.  It seems circular somehow to me.  Like if I do too much of it, I might cause some sort of a loop that affects the world as we know it.

Ok, that might be a bit dramatic (I blame my husband – he has made me watch far more Sci-Fi than I ever imagined I would in my life).  But the fact remains, blogging can be the single most important thing you do for the success of your business.

And no, that’s not being dramatic.  We still talk to potential clients almost daily and find out that they have not yet delved into the blogging world.  They often spend money on SEO, and more often than that, have spent larger amounts on some sort of a marketing endeavor.  And yet, I know that if they would just commit to blogging on a regular basis, they could see results.

How does increased web traffic, a better engagement with customers and tangible leads sound to you?

Just keep in mind, your efforts at blogging need to go beyond just the occasional ramblings of someone on your team.  You need to keep certain practices in mind as you write:

Who Are You Writing To?
This is a huge question that is often overlooked.  You need to know your audience in order to reach them effectively.  You also need to know how your audience will use this information that you are giving them.  If you have no goal in mind, you are sure to hit it!

And Speaking of Goals . . .
Just exactly what do you want to accomplish by blogging on a regular basis?  Are you trying to increase traffic to your website?  What about educating within your industry?  Are you trying to build brand loyalty?  Are you attempting to set yourself up as an expert in your field?  These are just a few of the questions you need to answer before that first word is ever typed.

Don’t Be Over-Zealous!
A good, enthusiastic plan is a must – but a plan that puts too much strain on you just won’t hold up for long.  How many times have I gone to someone’s blog, hoping for new and fresh ideas, only to find out that the last time they posted was in July!  And frankly, I can’t be too hard on them.  Blogging takes time and effort.  And that is time and effort that is taken away from the endless list of other tasks you have.  So set your sights on a reasonable amount of blogging – and then commit to it like your life depends on it.  The life of your company just very well MAY depend on it!