To Blog Or Not To Blog? Now That Is A Question

During my time working with clients I’ve noticed that the mere mention of the word blog causes many an eye to glaze over!

“I don’t have time” / “I don’t see the point” / “I don’t know what to write about”, are all statements that I’ve heard time and time again.

But the simple fact is that if your customers and clients are using the Internet to source information, then a blog could really benefit your company:

• They’re a great way to keep in regular contact with clients, because if you post a blog to your website you can re-jig it as a newsletter or a social media post;
• They highlight your services and establish you as an expert in your field;
• They are a great way to humanise your business (especially if you deal with tough subjects such as money, death, sickness etc.); &
• They help propel your company name to the top of search lists.

Here are some pointers:

Blogs (or web log’s) should be short pieces of commentary that tell your story. They deliver your thoughts and advice on a subject and are not meant to be overly technical, ‘stuffy’ or full or jargon.

If you’re wondering about what you could blog about… one idea is to start by thinking about the financial conversations you’re currently having with clients — write down the advice you’re giving and turn it into a blog.

Still stuck for content ideas? Then make a list of all the keywords and phrases that people might use related to your services, e.g. “best investment options in Ireland, 2017” or “how do I make the most of my money?”. Then, create a blog using one or more of those phrases. (This is a great exercise because when search engines, such as Google, return a list of results, the ones that come top of the list are those that use the keywords in question. So if you know what people might be searching for, make sure to use those words within your blogs and website).

If you’re stuck for some inspiration about what keywords might be applicable to you — dig around in the Google Adwords’ Keyword Tool because it’s a good place to explore possible keywords related to your core topics.

Try to post regularly because search engines love to see activity on a site. As far as they’re concerned, regular updates on your site mean that your business is active so they are more inclined to place you higher up the page when prospects search for your type of business.

If you go to the trouble of writing a blog then make the most of it. Post it to your website, share it on social media, include it in a newsletter and send it to any partner organisations you work with so that they can share it with their clients if applicable.

Finally, always remember to conclude with a ‘call to action’, so ask the reader to get in touch if they need more info.