7 Tips for Taking Your Company Blog to the Next Level

You may have started a company blog and found that the results of your hard work aren’t what you expected. Maybe it’s time to step up your game and step into Web 2.0: Involve your customers.

Will Davis, co-founder and managing partner of Baltimore, Md.-based Right Source Marketing, which helps businesses implement online marketing strategies, says there are several simple ways you can make the most of your blog—without spending money on a consultant.

Michelle Salater, owner of small business Sumèr LLC, a Web copy-writing business in Charleston, S.C., uses her company blog, Copy Doodle, to bring in a quarter of her clients. Here are tips from Davis and Salatar.

• Make your blog easy to follow. Add a large, bright RSS feed button in the top right or top left corner of your blog. By clicking on this button, says Davis, readers will be notified automatically when you add content. If the blog platform you use doesn’t offer this capability, called an RSS widget, try Feedburner—a Google application that allows you to add RSS functionality to any blog.
• Know your audience. Ask yourself, how old are my target readers? What industry do they work in? Where do they live? The biggest question: what do they struggle with? To find out, ask clients questions like “What frustrates you the most?” and “If you had an ‘easy’ button for one thing, what would it be?” when you meet with them. Also, check out the Q&A section of your industry LinkedIn groups, says Salater. Once you understand their problems, use the blog to address clients’ problems and answer questions you hear over and over from them.
• Track your progress. Adding a form of analytics, like Google Analytics, to your blog, will help you to track who visits your blog, what they read, and how long they stay, says Davis. To add analytics to your blog, visit http://www.google.com/analytics and choose Access Analytics.
• Encourage interaction. Don’t be afraid to invite people to comment. “It surprises me how often we see blogs where comments are turned off,” says Davis. “I know sometimes people are reluctant to open themselves up to feedback and criticism, but blogging is [supposed to be] a social media.” Ask questions of your readers at the end of your posts. Other ideas: Create polls or surveys, offer discounts for your readers, or create a competition. All of this keeps readers engaged and brings them back.
• Help readers spread the word. Social bookmarking is another great way to foster interactivity on your blog. Try the “Add This” (which you can see to the left side of this page) and “Share This” applications, which allow readers to share your blog posts through platforms like Twitter, Facebook and e-mail—with the click of a button. These features will also boost your search engine optimization, providing greater visibility for your blog and your company, says Davis.
• Make posts easy to find. Categorize and archive your blog posts. Most blog platforms have the capability to archive posts, and many allow you to categorize based on keywords, but be sure these features are turned on, says Davis. That way, readers can browse your posts by date or by topic, meaning it will be easier for them to find the information they need.
• Plan a consistent editorial schedule. Write on the same day every week, or every month, so readers know when to expect new content. “We’re creatures of habit,” says Salater. “It’s polite, especially as a business, that when you promise something, you deliver. What does it say about your company or your brand if you can’t post your blog on a Monday like you say you’re going to?”