So You Want to Start a Small Business Blog…
Whenever the question is asked to me: what’s the best way I can drive traffic to my site? Or, gain more exposure for my business.
My automatic response…Start a Blog.
I doesn’t matter how big or how small your business is, local or national, brick & mortar / digital…starting a website (if you don’t have one) and launching a blog is paramount to driving traffic – should you not have the budget for a mega ad campaign.
Even then, it’s a good idea to start blogging. Not only is this great for search engine traffic, but it shows your customers two important principals….commitment and communication.
Once you’ve made the decision to start one, here a few concepts to consider before getting started:
Who are you trying to reach?
Before choosing a platform or developing an SEO plan, ask yourself some basic questions
* Where do my visitors come from?
* What kind of content will be most beneficial?
* What type of online properties (social networking sites) do my customers utilize?
Choosing a Domain.
Will you stick with your company name, or choose one related to a keyword. For example, if you own a lawn service…will it be BobsLawnCare.com or QualityLawnCare.com (even if the company name is Bob’s Lawn Care.)
Better yet, how about localizing the name DallasLawnCare.com or BostonMaRoofing.com.
All of this should be considered before developing the site.
Standalone blog or site extension.
If you already own DallasLawnCare.com, than integrating a blog into your existing site is probably your best option…if you like traffic coming to your site, that is 
However, some companies want their blog totally independent of their company site so they don’t distract from educating a potential customer and closing a deal.
It’s your choice.
Don’t Forget Social Networking
Since the likes of Facebook and Twitter are so entwined with our lives, I’m sure none of you will forget this one.
Be sure to register with as many (within reason) social networking sites as possible.
Here’s a good list to start with:
The more eyeballs you can get in front of, the better….a little extra exposure never hurt anyone…unless you’re this guy.
Get Ahead of the Game
If you think you’ll have trouble coming up with content, start writing posts now. Even if you’re blog isn’t ready – it won’t hurt to start thinking about what you want to say. Start with an introduction to your company, the core products you offer, advice on using your product, how it can be integrated with another service, how the product is different than the competition…start brainstorming. Just like I did.
I hope the above tips give you an idea of a few extra things to ponder when starting your company blog. I know there’s a number of things left out, but I’m sure you don’t have time for a novel.
As always, feel free to drop my a line…even if you think it’s the best post or I need to be institutionalized – just let me know.
