Make Your Mark in the Blogosphere
You’ve probably heard how important it is to have a blog, either as a separate site or as an adjunct to your company website. A blog is a vital part of your business’s online participation, as it is the perfect platform for you to share your thought leadership and expertise, while interacting with your target audience.
The blogging game has changed drastically since its inception in the 1990’s. Originally started as a platform for self-expression, where individuals shared their hobbies, passions and interests online, it has become a major publishing business. Many blogs that started as humble, informal discussion websites or news aggregator sites have grown to become businesses in and of themselves, and the boundaries between mass media and the “blogosphere” have become considerably blurred. The Huffington Post, for example was sold for $300 million in 2011 to media corporation AOL.
Globally, 60 percent of businesses have a blog, and this number is growing as more and more companies get wise to its usefulness. The current wisdom in online marketing is that you need to create original content across a variety of platforms, to improve your brand’s online visibility to search engines, like Google. You can’t skimp on content for any of these media, and it’s no different with your blog. You should have a content strategy to ensure carefully constructed blog content and update your blog regularly (once a week at a minimum).
Search engines are becoming increasingly intelligent; Google picks up, for example, if the same copy has been used in more than one place, so don’t just post an article or press release from your website on your blog. You’ll rank higher on Google search results page if your content is fresh, relevant and informative. It should also be written in the informal style typical of blogs.
Remember, you are speaking directly to your audience, the members of which will share your post or comment on it – if it is of interest to them. By plugging into the sharing culture on social media, it’s possible for you to spread your blog – and your brand – widely.
