Probloggers and marketing
By Beth Graddon-Hodgson
A couple weeks ago you got a look at it just how all-encompassing the term blogger is and some clarification regarding the “blogger” stigma. So this week, let’s explore what a problogger actually does for your blog. If you’re planning on doing your own writing for your business blog, don’t turn away! The approach that probloggers take to make your blog an effective marketing tool is one that you can learn and apply yourself. Just remember that your business blog, whether in the hands of a problogger or the face behind the business, is a powerful way to enhance your brand awareness. Keep it relevant, and avoid getting too personal. Ensure you use these problogger strategies in mind to make the most of it.
- Strategic marketing
Hire a problogger and you get someone ready to take your marketing ideas and apply them to the blog by focusing on topics relevant to your prospective customers and your brand. Depending upon your requirements, many will come up with that marketing slant to apply to your blog, sometimes determined by results like which posts draw the most traffic and interest for brand awareness.
Contrary to popular opinion, you’re not hiring someone to chronicle simply what their children had for lunch on your dime. That’s what a personal blog is for (or a business blog where it’s relevant to the target market or audience)!
If you’re writing for your own blog, remember that the goal of your blog is to market your business. Be creative, but find that tunnel vision you used when putting together your website copy and other advertising materials. You want the same outcome from your blog so while there is more flexibility, always keep that end goal in mind when writing.
- Flexibility in writing style
On a personal blog, everyone has their own voice that is typically reflective of their personality. When you meet them in person, you’ll likely already have a feel for who these bloggers are because of their writing style and tone on their blog. This is not true of a problogger; yes they have personal styles (you’re getting mine here), but they’re also versatile when it’s demanded. Upon review of a single article, I’ve had some prospective clients say “I think I should work with another blogger because that’s not the right voice for our blog” due to a lack of understanding before they’ve seen a greater body of work, a sample, or allowed me to write something based on their vision). That’s not something you’d ever say to a professional copywriter because you’d expect that they can meet the tone and style that fits the vision for your business.
Well, surprise! That applies to pro blogging, too. If a problogger can only give you a single tone and style, then they’re probably not up to par. A great problogger should be able to meet your style demands or come up with that voice that would appeal most to your audience. You’ve got to give a problogger a chance to show you what they’re made of!
Blogging yourself for your business blog? Just remember that writing about the personal that isn’t relevant to your brand isn’t always the best approach to take and you’ve got to find the best voice to appeal to your audience.
- 3. Use of SEO and new media strategies
Personal bloggers aren’t as concerned about using Search Engine Optimization and new media strategies to draw traffic to their blog because they know that those who are interested in their lives will read and follow them no matter what. With a personal blog, it’s not the goal to attract a bunch of new readers with a single post; they want people to laugh and cry with them day after day.
A problogger (or you fellow business owner) want to draw in traffic where you can find it. Sure, you want people to subscribe and read regularly, but with a strong focus on SEO strategies in every post, a single post can effectively lead people to your brand. With a business blog, you can’t rely upon someone to read and become customers just because they’re loyal to you..that only goes so far!
Tags: blog topics, blogging small business, business blogging, problogger, promoting small business with a blog, small business marketing, small business promotion, starting a blog, writing a blog
