Why should a company blog? And why is called a “blog” anyway?
“Blog” is short for “web-log.” It’s essentially online log-book or journal. Blogs have made it easy to self-publish on any topic, and, used properly, blogs can be used to increase a company’s income 24/7.
With millions of blogs already existing, and more being added daily, it’s a wonder we aren’t buried in a mountain of (potentially) useless content. But thanks to search engines like Google and Bing, we can drill down to our desired answer in a flash, eliminating content we don’t need by only asking for what we want in the search terms.
Most everyone uses online searches to resolve problems. Don’t understand how online searches work? You don’t need to! Just type a description or a question into the rectangular search box and hit the “enter” key. Voila! Search results get delivered to your screen.
Why is this important? The fact that nearly everyone with a problem utilizes online search is the key to your online visibility! It’s a common denominator you can leverage.
Online Visibility and Relevance
Businesses showing up on the 1st page of Google have a better chance of getting called by an interested customer. Just think about your last Google-based search.
How many pages deep did you look on each search? 1-2 pages? Most of us don’t go beyond the 1st or 2nd page. Just because there are a million search results doesn’t mean we are going to look at all of them! First 10 results (one page) are about all I have the patience to wade through. Sound familiar?
And what did you do when you found the answer? Did you stop looking? Right this very minute, someone with a problem is looking for a solution that YOU have. You want to be the solution they find so they stop looking.
If they don’t find your site or online presence, you are giving away potential business to your competitors.
Whoever provides the best online search experience wins. If you can think like your customers (what terms they would enter to search for your product or service), and supply them with that information quickly, you have a better chance at winning the search “race.” In other words, you want to provide “Relevant Content,” which is content that is pertinent, applicable and connected to your potential customer
So we need the following to make progress towards online visibility:
1. The keywords/search terms your potential customers are likely to use.
2. Useful, relevant content that solves their problem.
Tools inside Google can show how often people search for certain words or phrases online. Understanding the results of that examination is another story! That’s when I call in our keyword expert aka an SEO (Search Engine Optimization) expert.
However you accomplish it, knowing what words and phrases people are using in their searches is invaluable, because it can help define what blogging content to create.
Ok, so let’s say we have at least 25 keywords and phrases our customers are likely to use when searching. Now we just need to show up on the 1st page of that search.
The Visibility Conquest Begins
Earlier I stated, “Whoever provides the best online search experience wins.” Another way to state it from the consumer’s viewpoint could be: I found exactly what I was looking for - fast!
Of course, when someone mulling over search results clicks on your website URL or blog, the last thing you want is to annoy them. I hope. Ideally they’ll stay for a while, educate themselves on the useful content you’ve provided that solves their problem, and then buy your product or service (because they chose you as the solution!). This system sure beats making 100 phones calls a day.
Your company showing up as a relevant solution to a searcher’s problem can be accomplished. In fact, all of your employees could help you achieve that goal. Now, why would you want all your employees to get in on blogging?
For one thing, Customer Service Reps might have stronger relationships with key customers and clients than you do, depending on their level of interaction. Ignore such relationships at the peril of the company’s bottom line! A great example of embracing (and leveraging) employees is a blog for Southwest Airlines, written at least in part by the employees of the company.
Blogware
One effective solution for your company is enterprise-level blogging software that allows all or most of your employees to contribute content. After all, who knows your products and customers better than your employees, customer service reps and sales people?
Yes, yes I know. I can hear executives and various other people in charge gasping for breath at the thought of relinquishing control of the company image, and it’s a valid issue. What if an employee has a bad hair day or gets fired? What if they use their access to the company blog to trash the company online and those search results stay online forever?
Hopefully your company culture is such that trashing by employees won’t occur anyway. But just to be safe, use a system where the control of the content is delegated to a single person acting as the moderator. If you ARE the company, well, you’re all set!
Scalability is important as well. Find a system that can grow as the company grows. Pasting together various freeware isn’t going to cut the mustard for long if you find yourself adding more and more keywords to blog about. Some companies have as many as 10,000 keywords (and a blog for each of them).
Wondering where to find these tools? Well, there’s always Google search! Or give me a call, and I’ll point you in the right direction.
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