In the world of business, as in life, those who do go forward while those that sit stay present. The act of publishing your ideas, thoughts and information to the world can seem daunting at first, but taking the time to present to the world, most importantly to those you’d like to do business with or continue to do business with, is an opportunity to become a true thought leader in your niche.
“There’s a way to do it better – find it.” – Thomas Edison
Whatever your measure of success for your business; monetary, legacy, change the world, one thing is certain, you have a lot to offer the world.
Blog writing increases traffic, but also increases loyalty
I have talked many times on this blog about the analytical perspective of blogging and how it drives traffic to your website through keywords that your prospects are searching for. When they land on a blog post and potentially convert into a lead, you want the experience to be as smooth as possible.
Over time however, to fit in alignment with your company/individual mission in life, offering more than just a lead generation machine (well optimized blog with fresh content), is sure to fit the suit.
3 things that can position you as a thought leader
Have you heard of the term A-list blogger? It’s a term to describe a more obvious mover and shaker in each blog niche whether it’s on personal development, business, and sales, or blogging itself. A few that undoubtedly are familiar to those that follow these trends are: Dharmesh Shah, Seth Godin, David Meerman Scott and Dan Schawbel. These are a few of many, but I invite you to check out their blogs and see the mounds of traffic they are getting and the volumes of comments and interaction they receive on their social media accounts as well.
First, do NOT focus on becoming an A-list blogger
Many people do not become an A-list blogger, nor do they care to be.
In fact, many of the most popular bloggers never actually set out to be as popular as they have become.
The beauty of writing and creating is that while it is an outlet, at the same time, it gives content in its juiciest and rawest form to those that are ready to consume it.
Focus instead on that which matters, community
Those who you write for and interact with are the “community”. These are the individuals that could be movers and shakers in their worlds and help strengthen your network of opportunities in business.
Often there are those that silently read a blog for some time without commenting, but eventually by nurturing that relationship over time, they will come out of the cracks and engage it up!
Step 1: Write consistently, but on your terms
Setting expectations by telling your audience how often you intend to write could be worthwhile. It sets up some expectations and how often to receive a tip from you that there is new content.
Fit blogging into your schedule by using an editorial calendar. It doesn’t have to be anything fancy, at the minimum just actual times blocked out on your calendar. Other times it may take a collaborative effort across a shared blogging team so project management software can be used too!
Step 2: Spend time reading other blogs too
This might seem initially like a silly way to fast track becoming a leader in your blogging niche and creating exposure for your business but hold on for a moment to see why.
When you not only read others’ blogs but also comment and share the information you will build a relationship between another force to be reckoned with.
Bloggers like to help each other out, so don’t be surprised to see some fresh inbound links from others you have engaged with in the past and do so back in return for max exposure!
Step 3: Talk as yourself, focus less on product
Website copywriters that are professionals often write in the second person. This works great for marketing material and providing information, but when it comes to building a lasting relationship, write in the first person more. This sets apart a product focused nag blog that no one wants to read and a interpersonal blog that also features information from time to time on products and services.
Use more I, we, you in the writing. While your 8th grade English teacher might come back to haunt you in your mind, remember that blogging is traditionally less formal, and people have come to expect that. It’s more conversational.
Focus on results too
Taking the time to blog, putting together an editorial calendar, maintaining your website are all factors to put into consideration when publishing a blog. In addition to that, a community doesn’t just grow overnight. In fact, it could take months or years. But using some of the above ideas can help fast track it some. The benefits are clear, more increased website traffic and conversions to your product and service, while building brand loyalty!
A few resources I recommend to help you sharpen up on your blogging skills and learn more about the ideas talked about in this blog post:
- Copyblogger
- HubSpot’s Campfire Blog
- The Sales Lion (Marcus’ old blog now redirects to his personal page, but still great resource including his book)