Blog like your brand depends on it

What is stopping businesses from treating their blogs like publications? Giving them the time, energy and attention they deserve? Because, as we should all know by now, branded blogs are extremely important. They play an important role in content marketing and with the right content marketing tools and a good writer and editor, they could play an important role in your business. 

But why are we talking about treating blogs like publications when we could be talking about treating blogs like advertisements? Well, for a number of reasons. One being that the hard sell is dead and another being that people don’t purposefully read ads. On the other hand, people definitely purposefully read articles on publications and blogs work precisely because they aren’t going for the hard sell. 

So, how do you think like a marketer, act like a publisher and blog like your brand depends on it?

It’s about the reader and not the consumer
It’s so easy to tell the difference between a blog created for consumers and a blog created for readers. The former puts the product front and centre, often building the topics of their posts a

round their products. The latter is filled with interesting content that relates to the industry, answers questions they may have and offers advice they need. The brand is very much present, but there’s no visible price tag, very little mention of products (if any) and absolutely no calls-to-action in the body copy. You may be wondering what the point of having a blog is if you’re not going to drive sales. But that’s the thing, content marketing does drive sales and in a more direct way than you might think. These days people vote with their wallets and support brands they have a connection with. 

Professional writing and editing
Want to know what the best content performance tool is? Here’s a clue: it’s not a software program or sneaky SEO tactic. No, it’s just plain old, good-quality writing. And, no, that doesn’t just mean the spelling and grammar need to be correct. It means every single one of your blog posts needs to be written in a way that makes the content easy to digest, easy to engage with and easy to read. It needn’t be poetry, but it should be legible. If your reader (note: not “consumer”) has to work in order to comprehend your posts, they’re not going to bother trying to make it to the end. So, here’s an expert tip, hire a professional writer if you’re serious about your blog. 

Regular content
Publications have to have regular content because, without it, they don’t have anything to sell. However, business blogs should have regular content even though they’re not selling it. Why? Because you want “readers” remember? And if you are creating content that is worth reading, people will want more of it. And the more quality content you create, the more brand awareness you’ll receive. And the more people are aware of your blog, the more they’ll trust it. Think about it, if you went onto a blog and there were four blog posts, each months apart, you wouldn't think of it as an authority, would you? And, of course, search engines are all about authority. And having authority means you show up on Google’s radar, which means potential readers are more likely to see your content. 

Treat your blog like a publication and give it a chance to thrive. You may be surprised at what a good business blog could do for your brand. High-quality and regular content will not only make it easier for readers to find your blog, but also to connect with your brand.