A2X Consulting

Most businesses have realized the importance of developing an online presence insomuch as it pertains to building a website. There’s just no denying that the majority of consumers now look to the internet for all of their buying needs, whether they are seeking a listing of stores in their area or a website that they can buy from directly without ever leaving the comfort of home. And they’re bound to choose the retailer or service provider that offers up their goods in the online arena as well as the real world. So if you don’t at least have a website to showcase your wares you’re decidedly outdated (and likely losing out on a lot of potential customers). But once you’ve got the website up and running, you may be surprised to learn that there’s a lot more you could be doing to expand your web presence, increase traffic to your site, and ultimately boost earnings. And one of the first things you need to consider is blogging. Here are just a few mistakes that many small businesses make when it comes to their onsite blog.

1. No blog. There is simply no good reason not to have an onsite blog. In most cases it costs you nothing but your time and effort, which you should be only too happy to put into any pursuit that will bring you more customers. A blog attached to your website will increase traffic and direct interested parties to your website, provided you manage it properly. And unless you’re paying someone else to run it for you, it shouldn’t cost you a dime.
2. Lack of content. Once you’ve got your blog up and running you need to ensure that it is set up for success. This means adding content in a timely manner. If you want visitors to return frequently so that you can build a devoted readership you need to provide updated materials for readers to peruse. You can offer industry (and related) news, tutorials, product reviews, giveaways, and all kinds of other content, but you must keep it fresh or people will stop coming back.
3. Lack of GOOD content. It’s not enough to vomit up the angel-food-cake equivalent of content (half air, all sugar). Readers want to get some value out of their time, and if you’re not offering them something worthwhile they’ll go to someone who will. So skip the fluff and get yourself a good writer to keep your content engaging.
4. Failure to use SEO. Search engine optimization is a complex system by which you can make your blog appear more desirable in order to increase traffic and raise your page rank on search engines. You can learn it on your own through the use of guidebooks and online tutorials or you can pay a professional to do it for you. Either way, it is imperative if you want to get the most out of your onsite blog.
5. Failure to connect with customers. Many businesses view their blog as a tool for promotion. This is a big mistake. You wouldn’t like it if a UK news blog you frequented bombarded you with requests to apply for a UK credit card, and by the same token your visitors will not be pleased to discover that all of your content is geared towards getting them to purchase your products or services. So think about what you might want out of a blog similar to your own, what would keep you coming back, and then provide that for your visitors.