Small Business Blogging Tips

To blog or not to blog? If you're a business owner who wants to connect with customers, generate new business and be recognized as a leader in your category, blogging is a must. And while TV spots, print ads and flyers are costly, setting up and maintaining a blog is free. Here are five simple tips to make your blog engaging and your business grow as a result.

Include a brief "About Us" section that tells your reader about your business. You are a person selling to people; let them know why you started doing what you do and how your business will help them. Do you sell, service and repair bikes? Let your reader know that your fascination with bikes started as soon as your dad took the training wheels off your two-wheeler. And your knack for repairing bikes has been a big plus, especially when you blew a tire on that ride on the Grand Canyon's South Rim. Telling your story online starts a relationship with a reader, and this connection may turn that reader into a customer.

Your postings should always communicate something relevant to your business. Be informative, and steer clear of the hard sell. Were you featured on the local news? Blog about when it will air, but also give your readers a behind-the-scenes account. Did you attend a conference and found one of the speakers inspiring? Tell your readership; it shows your interest in your business category, your willingness to network, and your desire to stay abreast of category trends.

Make sure your readers can connect with you. Blogs include a comment section under each post. Regularly monitor these comments and reply - to answer a question or simply to thank readers for their interest and suggestions. Additionally, you should include a "Contact Form" and your business email address on your blog. This allows readers to add their names to your company's database or other business owners to suggest partnership opportunities. Lastly, enable the RSS Feed on your blog; when readers subscribe, they will be informed when you've updated your blog, thus increasing your blog's traffic. You'll also know which readers have subscribed and you may choose to recognize their loyalty by emailing them coupon codes or invitations to private sales.

Showcase your business by posting photos and videos frequently, and consider linking them to a larger gallery. The pictures should not only be visually appealing, but drive business, too. Are you a bakery owner? Introduce your red velvet cupcakes by posting pictures to your blog, then offer free cupcakes to the first ten customers who show to your bakery that evening starting at 5 p.m. Invite customers to submit their photos, too, with an incentive to do so. A seed company can host a best garden contest and the winner, as voted on by your blog readership, gets 25% off their next order.

Your blog may start off as you putting a face to your business, but with timely and relevant posts, you may be sought after as the voice for larger efforts that benefit both your business and your community. Do you sell fishing gear? Be a regular and vocal proponent of cleaning up your local waterways, using your blog to raise awareness and lobby for change.

Launching a blog may at first seem daunting, but commit to posting meaningful content and interacting with your readership. Your business will certainly benefit from your online efforts.

Nicole Rodgers has been blogging for three years; she encourages all business owners to get a free website and start a blog so that they can communicate with their customers easier and increase brand awareness.  She also wants businesses to update their phone system to one that supports twenty-first century technology.