To Blog Or Not To Blog

What is Blogging and Can It Help Your Business?

Blog: Short for “weblog,” a blog is a journal or newsletter intended for public consumption. Updated frequently, they consist of posts listed in chronological order, and they generally represent the personality of an author or organization.

They’re everywhere these days. People have personal blogs, political blogs, travel blogs, health blogs, corporate and small business blogs, etc. (And here are just a few of what Forbes.com calls the best of the small business blogs: Duct Tape Marketing, Church of the Customer Blog, Small Business Trends, Small Business Brief).

But do you really need a blog? They’re easy and inexpensive to set up; the difficult task is in keeping them updated. And the question remains: is the effort worth the benefits a blog can bring to your small business? You be the judge.

BloggingBenefits
Small business blogging is sweeping the country. For zero dollars, depending on the blogging system you choose, you can have your own blog up and running today. Most blogging publishing sites require no software installation, and maintaining a blog requires no help from tech support—creating a blog and adding posts is just about as easy as sending email. That’s why there are literarily countless blogs out in cyberspace. But the point is not just to get a blog out there; the point is to have it rise to the top of competing blogs. And that takes a bit more work (see “Blogging Basics” below).

Besides next-to-nothing startup costs and easy maintenance, there are other benefits to blogging. If done right, it works as a great marketing tool. You can generate interest in your business, connect with potential clients, build stronger relationships with current clients, and demonstrate your expertise.

Blogging Basics
To start, all you have to do is visit a few blogging sites (Blogger, Moveable Type, WordPress, and TypePad). They all list blogs created with their blogging tools; take a tour and see which appeals most to your needs. Then follow their instructions and start blogging.

But here are a few do’s and don’ts to help you do more than just start a blog, but start a successful one:

Do:

Be yourself. Readers want to know there’s a human being behind the blog rather than some uptight business person. Infuse your voice and personality into the posts.

Update frequently: people expect to find new information on a blog, so you’ll loose readers quickly if you neglect it.

Build in numerous links. Not only do visitors find that useful, but those same sites just might return the favor by adding your link to their site, increasing your traffic.

Include free and practical information for your readers. Not only does it demonstrate your expertise, but it shows professional generosity which current and potential clients will appreciate.

Keep posts short and sweet. The nature of blogging is to abbreviate rather than blather on and on.

Respond to comments. The great thing about blogs is that they are conversational. Readers can post feedback to the blogger and visa versa. Encourage that interaction.

Don’t:

Engage in shameless self-promotion. Most readers know that your small business blog is a marketing tool. Let the content promote your expertise rather than oozing on about yourself. Nobody likes a smarty-pants.

Use elevated tax-lingo that will alienate your readers. Your content should be reader-friendly and directed to your target audience. Don’t worry about what other tax professionals will think of your site because you don’t want their business anyway.

Take a look at it and see how this would fit in to what you are doing for your community and how it would benefit not only you, but others who will be ultimately reading what you have to say. Key to having success with this marketing tool is to have it benefit everyone who reads it.

Once you get your blog up and running, share the URL with current clients, have it printed on your business card, include it in your email signature, and provide a link to the blog from your website. You may discover that blogging might be one of the best marketing tools you’ve used in a long time.

Last week we highlighted Allen’s Blog and what’s been on his mind, perhaps in the next following weeks we could be highlighting yours and your success with the blogging for clientele.

For more ideas in marketing your Tax Practice, consider Universal’s DVD, “The Art and Science of Getting Clientele” Click here to order your copy right now! Don’t delay!