Liesha Petrovich — November 15, 2016 Follow @lieshapetrovichEvolution takes time.
The evolution of business blogging is still in it’s earliest stages. What started out as one thing has morphed into something incredibly different. And we really don’t have any clue of business blogging’s true potential.
Think about how much the internet has changed since the inception of social media (something else we don’t really understand yet). We have witnessed the birth of the technological age and we have a lot of growing to do before we understand how each piece fits into our businesses.
Today, we have to opportunity to do more with our business’s blog than ever before. We just need to rethink our perceptions about blogging in general and showcase ways that shifts your dull, boring blog into an actual asset for your business.
Change Your Blog’s Goal
Let’s be honest. In the past, a business blog was considered boring and stale. Maybe you did it because you felt it was expected or you wanted to increase SEO. Or maybe you just used it to show the world how awesome you were and thought it would somehow miraculously increase sales. It had little to do with actually connecting with your audience.
The eCommerce platform Selz just launched its new blog FounderU. Instead of sharing their newest features, Selz chose to rebrand their blog as a teaching tool. Of course, this increases their value by focusing on sharing ways to sell different products (like eBooks, clothes, videos, crafts, etc.) and creating how-to-guides for social media and email marketing.
Perhaps turning your business’s blog into an educational platform isn’t the best choice for your business. But if it’s not reaching customers the way you want, it’s time to try a different focus. There isn’t any right way to do this. Just be creative and inventive.
Do Old Things in New Ways
In the past, you offered some kind of eBook when you bribed people to join your email list. While eBooks still do convert readers to email subscribers, it’s not always the best or most effective way to reach readers on your blog. Instead, you can use the same technology to reach different goals.
Hello Bar still has the ability to attract readers to your email incentive with their simple scroll at the top of any web page. But you can also use the same bar to promote a sale, get more social media likes or create a completely unique goal. And this goal can change depending on the needs of your business. Start rethinking about the elements you’re already using to see if there are new and inventive ways to create more value and ROI.
Mix Up the Content
In Start Building Your Video Empire Now, I explained how only 25% of you will read an entire online article. More than half of you will only spend 15 seconds on this page. But almost all of you will watch a video until the end – because you simply love video.
You are not stuck with written posts, articles, and how-to guides. If your readers prefer video, then start building your video library. Plus, it’s completely affordable. Video Panda’s explainer videos start at $ 100 and they have a 50% upfront, 50% on delivery policy. There are a million ways to apply explainer videos to your business. Again, just be imaginative and focus on delivering something valuable to your readers.
Revitalization Through Evolution
Seth Godin shares the following thoughts on The idea awareness cycle:
Ignorance—We’re too busy doing our jobs to notice that.
Dismissal—That? It’s trivial. Kids.
Poor Copies—See, I told you it was no big deal. Our new model is almost the same.
Admiration—Wow, look at them go. Every once in awhile, someone comes up with something special. Good for them.
As business owners, we never want to be dismissed or seen as a poor copy. We always want admiration.
Stagnation is the killer of any business. You risk becoming irrelevant whenever you take your eye off innovation. Your business blog isn’t just part of your website. It shouldn’t be an obligation or just a way to increase SEO. Done right, your business blog can become a real asset to your business and a real reason your customers choose you over the competition.
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