Inexpensive Yet Effective Marketing for Your Mompreneur Business Series: Blogging
Marketing for your small business does not need to be expensive neither does it need to be dull. I am always trying to come up with low-cost yet effective ways to market my online mompreneur business that actually can be fun at times too!
This is part two of our marketing series. If you missed the last post you can check it out by clicking here.
Blogging for Your Small Business
Blogging can be an extremely effective tool in your marketing tool box. Blogging is not only inexpensive but can really establish you as a specialist in your industry.
Potential clients get an opportunity to learn all about you and your business simply by reading the information you have provided on your blog. Information can be in many forms starting with an entry about your business and what its mission is or secret tips industry experts use or a simple image of the latest product you are excited to offer.
Blogging is certainly not an opportunity to pass up.
Why Blogging?
Google Searches
Without going into too much detail, Google wants you to blog. Blogs are updated regularly (daily, weekly, monthly) and Google’s search bots are always looking for fresh stuff to put in the searches.
If you are one of many women who sell cosmetics from home in the Atlanta region yet you are the only one who blogs regularly about it, who’s name and company do you think will be at the top of searches? Yours, that’s who. That fresh content gets noticed by Google bots and they like to place you in the top spots for people to find.
Simplicity
It is so simple to blog. Today’s blog software is super simple to set up and write with.
And if you have a passion for your company and product you will never have a shortage of topics to write about.
Builds Loyalty
The more you write the more your clients will know you. Familiarity is the beginning of potential loyalty in a customer. And loyalty is the cornerstone of a strong business, it leads to repeat sales.
What You Need to Start
Set aside a few hours to get started.
1. Blogging Platform
You will need to head to Blogger if you want a free blog or WordPress.org if you want your own domain.
What is the difference? There are many. The bottom line lies with how much freedom over your blog do you want, now and in the future.
Having your own domain allows you complete control over your blog. But there is a longer set up involved. Your domain will look like this: AllieBlogs.com (Not my blog, not even sure if it exists)
If you go with a host like Blogger, the set up can happen in a few minutes but your domain will always be owned by Blogger. It will look something like this: AllieBlogs.blogspot.com (Again, not my blog, not even sure if it exists)
Whichever you choose is fine as long as your main concern is to get information out about your company.
2. Banner/Header
If you don’t have one already made for your other marketing efforts like business cards or a big magnet on the side of your car, you will need a good image that represents your business now.
You can go the DIY route and try to create one with image software or PicMonkey and such.
Or you can go with a professional. Check out Nicole, she does design for websites.
Do not skip this step, the banner at the top of your blog is the first thing people see.
3. Contact Info
Hey look! An easy-peasy step!
Got ways for people to contact you? Phone number and email? Create a tab at the top of your blog that simply says “contact”, create a “page” (not post) that has all the vitals to contact you there.
That’s it.
4. About Section
Yes, back to set up and thinking. You will need to write a strong “about” post or page and place that at the top of your blog just left of the contact tab.
What do you write? Think about what your customer would want to read? You want to make sure you come across as someone they trust and your product is awesome. You’re not selling here but telling a story.
Read more about how to write an about page here.
What to Write
This is the big question.
Get creative. And write about everything you can think of that clients would ask or need to know. Here are ideas:
- Introduce new products
- Videos or images of your products and how they work
- Special discounts you are giving
- Tips for certain seasons
- Tips of the industry
Want More Info About Blogging?
Check out these wonderful posts:
Why a Self-Hosted WordPress.org Website
4 Important Blog Rules You Should Follow
Step by Step Blogging All you need to know about starting a blog
