the how & why of small business blogging
TRANSCRIPT
THE HOW & WHY OF SMALL BUSINESS BLOGGING
CLAIRE BROTHERTON @abrightclearweb
WORDCAMP LONDON, APRIL 2016
WHY BLOG?
• get more traffic
• help SEO
• build loyalty
• build trust & credibility
• help & educate others
• help yourself (!)
• gain new business opportunities
HOW?
• establish a schedule
• use tools
• join accountability groups
• prioritize the time
• write posts the right way
AND A 30 DAY BLOGGING CHALLENGE
• Run by Sarah & Kevin Arrow of Sark eMedia (www.sarkemedia.com)
• 1 email a day for 30 days with suggestions for posts
• Post 1 blog daily for 30 days
DISCOVERIES DURING THE CHALLENGE
• It’s time-consuming
• It definitely takes longer to write technical posts!
• But rewarding
• Need to be persistent
• Life can get in the way - it’s ok
• Designers/developers
• Students
• Lay people using WordPress or other online things
• People who have been to the same events
• Potential clients!
AUDIENCE
POSTING STRATEGY
• Research your posts
• Write long posts if you can
• Mark up your posts properly (title, headings, alt text, meta description)
• Only one <h1> per page - the post title
• Bullet points and images good to break up text
POSTING STRATEGY
• Write on a schedule you are comfortable with
• Needs to be regular to build traction
POSTING STRATEGY
• Call to action
• Leave plenty of time to publicise posts
• Email your list if you have one
• Reply to comments
• Comment on/share other people’s posts
WHAT TO WRITE ABOUT
FAQ
List post
Event report
Pricing+
How-To
Problem & solution
Review or comparison
- Rachel McCollin, WordPress developer and writer
“A blog is an invaluable tool for driving new visitors to your site.
I've often found that people researching
something online have found one of my blog posts on the subject and after reading it, they've
hired me to do it for them instead of doing it themselves.”
- Jo Waltham, web developer, CalliaWeb
“Be helpful. Write posts which either help solve an issue or educate. Our best performing
posts are when we write how to solve some glitch that we ran into.”
“Blogging helped me get to know my future ideal customers. I learned a lot about their motivations,
goals, challenges and struggles.”
- Paige Poutiainen, Create Blog Love
QUESTIONS?
• www.abrightclearweb.com/blog/
• @abrightclearweb
WHAT TO WRITE ABOUT1. Problem & solution
e.g. Four Plugins To Improve WordPress Accessibilityhttp://www.abrightclearweb.com/four-plugins-to-improve-wordpress-accessibility/
2. FAQse.g. ProBlogger FAQ: How Often Should I Post? http://www.problogger.net/archives/2015/04/21/problogger-faq-how-often-should-i-post/
3. How-to/Tutorial e.g. How to Set Up Yoast WordPress SEO Plugin [Updated] http://www.shoutmeloud.com/how-to-set-up-yoast-wordpress-seo-plugin-configuration.html
4. List post e.g. 25+ Free Responsive Corporate WordPress Themes for Business 2016http://www.codeinwp.com/blog/free-wordpress-business-themes/
WHAT TO WRITE ABOUT
5. Review or comparison e.g. Divi Theme Vs Thrive Themes vs X Theme - Pros and Cons http://madlemmings.com/2015/05/18/x-theme-vs-divi-vs-thrive-themes/
6. Event report e.g. My Take On WordCamp US In Photoshttps://serverpress.com/my-take-on-wordcamp-us-in-photos/
7. Pricing in your industry e.g. Why You Can’t Get The Best Website For £500 http://www.abrightclearweb.com/why-you-cant-get-the-best-website-for-500/
WORDPRESS PLUGINS I USE
• Better Click to Tweet https://wordpress.org/plugins/better-click-to-tweet/
• Broken Link Checker https://wordpress.org/plugins/broken-link-checker/
• Coschedule by Todaymadehttps://wordpress.org/plugins/coschedule-by-todaymade/
• Jetpackhttps://wordpress.org/plugins/jetpack/
• SumoMehttps://sumome.com
• Yoast SEO https://wordpress.org/plugins/wordpress-seo/
TOOLS I USE• Coschedule Headline Analyzer
http://coschedule.com/headline-analyzer
• Google Analyticshttps://www.google.com/analytics/
• Long Tail Prohttp://www.longtailpro.com
• SEO Edge http://seoedgeapps.com
• Grammarlyhttps://www.grammarly.com
• Hemingway Editor http://www.hemingwayapp.com