When Rex Richard talks with business owners and swimming pool business owners in particular they ask, “is blogging still a viable marketing tactic?” and Rex and the professionals at Peak Dynamics, say yes. They say “yes” with the caveat that you need to have a strategy behind blogging – as you do with any marketing tactic you’re attempting.
We realize the internet is loud and gets louder every day. You will have to shout to be heard and that is okay – especially if you have a unique niche and a unique voice and a unique way to talk about the same old same old.
Is Blogging Still A Viable Marketing Tactic?
We discovered there are more than 70 million posts – new posts – going live on WordPress alone every single month. Wow! That is a lot of new content and what can you do to stand out? It’s all about community!
Blogging and your website can influence sales
Blogging regularly will help you come up in a search by potential clients
Blogging regularly helps you be seen as a thought leader
How can you use blogging as part of your overall marketing strategy?
Blog regularly
Blog with a purpose
Blog to answer the questions your potential customers are asking
Share your blog content on your social media platforms and in your enewsletters
Use keywords for SEO but don’t keyword stuff. If you don’t know what your keywords are, or should be, reach out to us.
Make the content easy to read. Use bullet points, subheads and images.
Have a call to action in each post. Click here. Read this. Contact us. Download our ebook, etc.
Repurpose your blogs into videos or podcasts
Be and blog consistently.
Are you blogging? Is it helping with your search results? Are you sharing your blogs on your social sites? If you want more bang for your blogging buck, contact us.
Do you have testimonials on your website? Have you asked for recommendations on your LinkedIn page. Will you recommend me? These four words seem like they’d be easy to say, but many entrepreneurs find they can’t get them out. It’s not easy to ask someone to help you toot your own horn BUT you need to.
Chances are, none of your potential referral partners or those from whom you will ask for a recommendation will be someone you’re not sure about. Start asking for recommendations from people you know will be happy to do so. The more you ask, the easier it will get.
Will You Recommend Me?
Why do referrals matter? Because they show another potential client that you know your stuff, that you have clients and that they are happy with you. That carries a lot of weight.
How can you ask for a testimonial? Here are some ways:
Take a deep breath and ask. It’s that easy. If a potential referral partner or person you’re asking to recommend you asks for input on what you’re looking for, help them out. If you loved how I did XYZ would you mind writing a testimonial or recommendation for me?
Make it easy for them to do that. Remember, they may never have been asked before and might not know where to start, help them out.
When should you ask for one? Right after you’ve completed a job. Right after you’ve finished a project. Immediately.
Quid pro quo. Ask for a testimonial and return the favor. If you write one for a client, it may prompt them to say, “Hey, let me do that for you as well.”
Ask for testimonials. IfIf you’re not asking you won’t receive. When, and how, will you ask?
Do you find yourself scrolling through Facebook before your feet have even hit the floor in the morning? Do you check social media before you fall asleep at night? Does it wind you up? What is the emotional cost of social media? It may not be a question you’ve ever considered, but there are costs.
Social media is great if you want to find a recipe or check out the latest photos of a grandchild, but social media is also a place where people air their dirty laundry, shout at you if your beliefs don’t match up with theirs and is a great way for people to simply be obnoxious.
What Is The Emotional Cost Of Social Media?
Have you ever noticed any of these?
You feel emotionally drained once you stop looking at social media
Do you feel yourself getting tense when you start scrolling
Have you been involved in shouting matches with people who’s thoughts and values don’t align with yours?
Do you get angry or sad when you’re scrolling
Are most of your friends those you have on social media?
If you feel any, or all, of these, it is time for a social media break. I work with clients and tell them to do a social media detox. Do this by deciding that from 5 pm Friday until 8 am Monday or even a twenty-four hour boycott. You may even want to boycott the news for specific days and hours just to give your heart and emotions a break.
Social media is a great way to share information about your business and to perhaps connect with friends with whom you’ve lost touch, but if you find it is making you nervous, anxious or angry, it’s time for a detox. Have you ever stepped away from social media? How did it make you feel? Did you truly miss anything at all?
If you can find the time to blog for your business, it will pay off in the benefit of potentially finding new clients and showing your expertise. Also, if you have a website, it’s pretty easy to put a blog page up and write blog posts. You can also hire a content marketing professional to do your blog for you while you focus on your core competency. We have put together a list of 6 reasons to start a blog this year.
A blog is a great component in a your marketing toolkit.
6 Reasons To Start A Blog This year
Get found. With a blog you will have increased visibility with potential clients. When you make use of SEO keywords and key phrases in your blog posts, your customers will be able to find you in a Google search.
When you blog you can create your brand voice. The voice of your brand will show through in the style of blog posts you write.
Your blog is the best place to share your knowledge and show your expertise. When you blog you can share your industry trade knowledge. On a blog post you can answer FAQs from customers. A blog allows you to showcase new products and get feedback on current products.
You can build a community around your brand through your blog. Comment back to readers when they find your post and write to you.
It is a marketing tool that is inexpensive and will mainly cost you in time. However, you need to determine whether it’s the best use of your time to write blog posts or hire a content marketing individual to do it for you.
When you’ve written a blog post you can repurpose that content to share on your social media platforms. A blog post can be turned into an infographic or a video or even a podcast. The blog is the hub of all your other content.
Are you blogging? Have you blogged? Do you feel you need a better strategy? If so, contact Rex Richard today.
