Most small businesses don’t have unlimited funds available to take advantage of all the many marketing strategies out there. That’s why blogging is a great way to get noticed online as it doesn’t cost anything to write and publish articles to place on your blog. Blogging is a great way to draw new customers to your business website and one of the most effective ways of getting your business listed at the top of the organic search results. A great business blog consisting of helpful and interesting posts shows customers why they should choose your business over your competitors plus it helps establish you as an expert in your industry.
Everyone who writes on a regular basis from seasoned authors to bloggers experiences writer’s block every now and then. Sometimes it seems like no matter how hard you try to come up with a topic to write about, you fail to make a decision. If you’re a small business owner who is struggling to come up with ideas to write about, here are a few tips for brainstorming new topics for your blog.
Think of Your Industry for Inspiration
An obvious source of article topic ideas many small businesses overlook is the industry in which they work. You have an endless amount of possibilities here starting with writing about something that’s changed in your industry in the past 5 or 10 years. Regardless of what industry you’re a part of, there’s bound to be some things that have changed recently that your audience would like to learn about.
Another industry-related idea is to search the news online for trending topics within your industry. When you find a story, write about it taking a different approach from the original source. For instance, if you find a news story that tells about a new product category within your niche, create an article about that category and how its induction into the industry will benefit your customers.
You also could interview someone who is well known in your industry and then publish the Q and A session on your blog. You could then write a summary that tells how the person has influenced the business you’re in. Other industry-related ideas include attending an industry event and then blogging about it, creating a poll and blogging the results. You could also post a who’s who list of industry game-changers and include a bit of background info about each.
Your Business is a Good Source for Interesting Topics
A good idea is to write about some of your most popular products or services. This is a great opportunity for you to let people know how they will benefit by buying the things you sell. You could talk about how your products/services have helped past customers solve problems they had and about any new products/services you plan on offering in the future. Just be sure you don’t come across as being too pushy wherein you’re obviously trying to get people to buy from you. Instead, simply introduce each product/service and then include the main features and benefits it offers. Remember that your most popular products and services should be able to sell themselves. Don’t forget to include photos and videos as people want to see what they’re reading about.
It’s always good to mix things up a bit when blogging as everyone enjoys some variety. To offer your readers a bit of amusement, write an post about your biggest blunder with a customer and how you made things right. Using humor is a great way to keep your readers interested plus it shows that you’re not all about being very business-like but rather a person who enjoys a good laugh now and then.
Consider listing a few good reasons why people should sign up for your newsletter. This is a great opportunity to toot your own horn by talking about the best things your business has to offer. You also could write about the things that make your business different and better than your competition. Just don’t name any names but instead discuss all the great attributes that make you stand out.
You could write about the technology you use to make your business better. Think about the gadgets, software and other innovative technologies you’re using to help enhance customer experience. For instance, if you run a retail store that uses mobile technology to deliver a better in-store customer experience, highlight that technology so people understand how it works.
Draw Upon Your Own Experiences and Background
A topic your readers will find interesting is your personal background. Write about how you decided to start the business you’re in. You can cover how you learned to do what you do, how long you’ve been at it and what or who inspired you. Tell your audience about where you came from and mention some of your past work experience that may have led you to where you are today.
Write a post about what you enjoy most about being a business owner. Mention those aspects of your job you find the most challenging. You could also talk about the perils associated with trying to do everything yourself and how delegating work has helped your business grow. Mention the achievements you are the most proud of as well as your future business dreams and goals.
Another idea is to create a blog post that explains how people can connect with you on social media. This allows you to kill two birds with one stone as you’ll gain followers while showing you’re interested in staying connected with your customers. People appreciate being able to connect with the people running the businesses they frequent. Be sure to take a casual approach to your writing to show you’re human and not just some kind of content creation machine.
Highlight Your Team
Many consumers read ‘About Us’ pages when visiting business websites because they’re interested in knowing who is running the show behind the scenes. Consider creating a blog post that introduces your team members. Have some fun with this by including photos and mentioning your staff’s favorite things like movies, foods, etc. Talk about what each member of your staff does, how they ended up at your business and why you consider them a valuable part of your team. You could also use this opportunity to describe your working culture and even include a video tour of your workplace.
Why not ask your staff members to each write a blog post about how they enjoy working for you? You could ask each person to include a bit about their personal lives, their likes and dislikes and the things they do for fun when they’re not working. Ask them to mention their favorite products/services your business offers. You could also have them share some short stories they’ve heard from customers who’ve found innovative ways to use your products/services.
