The Internet is a great equaliser. Companies with relatively small budgets can compete with the big boys in terms of advertising thanks to clever marketing. Branding no longer applies solely to giant corporations such as Pepsi and Microsoft. In the modern era, online businesses of any size can create and promote their own brand and there are quite a few better ways of achieving this than by creating your own blog. Failure to correctly utilise your blog, however, means you are missing out on a substantial opportunity to create your own brand identity, an event that can significantly increase sales.
Below are 6 tips that will help you use your company blog as a means of establishing your brand.
1 - Niche Domain-ation
A suitable domain name could be the difference between being seen and complete invisibility. The domain name you choose MUST be closely related to your company’s niche. Don’t use your own name unless it is a personal log and you want your name to be the brand. Otherwise, use a catchy domain name that will linger in the memories of visitors and cause them to return.
2 - You Need A Logo
A catchy and recognizable name is not nearly enough however, you also require a logo to become synonymous with the brand. Almost everyone from around the world will recognize the ‘Golden Arches’ of McDonalds several miles away without ever seeing the actual brand name. You want prospective customers to see a symbol or logo and immediately think of your company. This is where a top quality graphic designer will come in handy. You will need to think long and hard about a logo that will become an accurate representation of your brand.
3 - Innovative Blog Design & Catchy Headlines
If you want to stand out in the crowd of bloggers, a generic design simply won’t do! You can’t expect to take a typical template and become successful. If this means spending some money to get a uniquely designed blog page then so be it. Think of it as an investment in your company’s future. Likewise, you need visitors to be intrigued by the blog right off the bat. A combination of a unique design and catchy headlines should bear fruit. Why do you think newspapers have sensational headlines? They want to get attention. Dull and bland headlines and taglines will be brushed off by the general public who initially scan blog posts rather than read them.
4 - Great Blog Content
This should be the most obvious point but bloggers around the world seem to forget about it and produce poorly-written posts with no redeeming features. If you don’t have the writing ability yourself, hire someone who does. Above all, you need a distinct writing style to draw in a crowd. Your posts should stand out for their uniqueness and not just be yet another mediocre voice in the crowd. For example, decide if you want short, snappy posts or long informative ones. Will the posts be written in a neutral tone or will they invoke controversy? There are a litany of different writing styles you can choose so pick one that best represents your company.
5 - Frequent Posting
You may not have the time to write a constant stream of blog posts or the money to hire someone else but you do need consistent content. The more regularly you post, the more often search engine spiders will visit your page thus improving your search engine ranking. Try and post at least once a week. If you have time, write several posts at once and schedule them to be released at certain intervals. The only issue with this is if you are writing about the latest news in your industry. If you take too long, your information could be out of date. Therefore, you need to keep your eye on the news as you write and schedule.
6 - Talk To Your Readers
Hopefully, you will get plenty of readers and they will leave comments. If they ask you a question, do your best to respond as soon as possible. Nothing irritates the modern Internet user more than the feeling of being ignored. If you can show that you are available to answer queries and do so frequently, swiftly and helpfully, then you will keep your existing readership and possibly expand as your current readers spread the word about how great your blog is. You can communicate through your blog or via a social media platform such as Twitter or Facebook, it’s up to you.
It’s important to remember that you will not create a brand identity with a blog in a matter of days or even weeks. It is a labour of love that will eventually yield rich rewards. Content must be consistent, unique and timely with a blog design that really catches the eye.
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