Heidi Chamberlain-Jones Founder and MD www.eatsleepliveherefordshire.co.uk Publisher of The Ultimate guide book series of visitor guides
www.minxmedia.co.uk Business Development Consultancy Training, Coaching, Agency in Marketing, Sales, Leadership & Management
We do all these things, for the county AND for you... PUBLISHING MEDIA BUYING SOCIAL MEDIA DIGITAL MARKETING WEB CONTENT PR EXHIBITIONS
Blogging for Business
Some people perceive blogs as being a genteel diary of their life, interest, travels, but they can be a powerful business tool.
A great blog will really elevate your online presence.
Blogs help you to engage with an audience.
A blog can make you a ‘Thought Leader’ – a Go-To source for specific information and expertise.
Ultimately this attracts business leads.
Blogs give you valuable content to help drive traffic to your website and keep it ‘live’.
Google loves ‘organic’ web traffic
Where to start Choosing your topics
What does your audience want to know?
People Google questions – they’ll find your blog
What do you want to be known for?
Solve problems, present new ideas and solutions, maker your topic very specific not general.
Don’t ‘sell’ ...CHAT
Have a conversation with your reader.
Google likes ‘natural’ content
Keep it relevant to your industry.
Business doesn’t have to mean stiff, stay on topic.
"Your blog is a honeypot, not a megaphone. Make a point to position your content around what your audience wants to discover, not what you want to tell them." Amanda Sellers, HubSpot's Historical Optimization Writer
Give your Blog a specific title
People look for specific not broad Google likes specific
It’s easier to stay on-topic
Google likes relevant
You’ll digress and lose your reader if you are too general
People don’t read, they scan ... make your piece compelling and engaging
What makes it Good? How long should it be?
No less than 300 words or a side of A4 in 12pt
Google likes well-written content
Don’t make your intro too long
Get to the point or readers will bounce off
Google doesn’t like lots of bounces
Include some good quality images that tell your story further
Label them well as another source for finding your Blog
Reference your other Blogs (if relevant)
Add links to them
This gives your blog authority and keeps readers on your site
Make it credible
With stats and facts (remember to state your source) Readers value numbers
Or experiential examples
Give your readers something to take away
Something real they can do right away
This empowers people and makes them FEEL positive about you
They will leave a positive review ... and they’ll return
What makes it Work Keywords & SEO
Keep finding different ways of repeating your topic throughout your Blog
When people Google a subject they’ll do it in different ways and you’ll have more chance of them finding you
Proof you work
Google penalises spelling mistakes and your readers will notice
You’ll lose credibility with Google and your audience and they won’t return Sleep on it and read it through again and amend before posting
Get someone else to proof it
Get it seen and use it
Promote it
Put links to it on your social media, as content in your e-newsletter, upload independent blogs to sites like HubSpot or Reddit.
Ask for sign-ups
This is a CTA to capture returning readers Google will rank your website more highly if people keep returning to it.
Returning/committed readers are more likely to become customers.
What to blog about Think about who is reading and why – what do they want from your blog? Who do you want to attract?
Accommodation
A-Day-In-The-Life
Your interior design
projects
Top 10 things to do in your local area
Your interesting guests
Hygiene tips and hints
An inspector calls
Food & Drink Producers and Restaurants
Recipes
Your back-story
Your local suppliers
Behind the scenes
Meet the team
Things you’ve learned
Attractions & Activities
How to get the best from a visit
Covid safety measures & facilities
Gardens: About the different plants
History and heritage
Behind the scenes
In depth special interest
Do they want to learn practical stuff? Are you feeding a passion? They need inspiration? Simply enjoy your tales?
Still too much for you? Heidi can do your blogging for you Heidi@minxmedia.co.uk 07713 243869
Ask about Eat Sleep Live membership There are SO many benefits @eatsleepliveherefordshire Heidi@eatsleepliveherefordshire.co.uk 07713 243869 @EatSleepLiveHfd
Ben Kinnaird Supported with over 500 businesses to do better in business Marketing strategy - Web design - SEO - Video - Data Analysis Host of Inventive Marketing Club Podcast Love working with people to help them be more effective
1. Understand Customers 2. Engage with Customers* 3. Convert Customers
*Focus area for this presentation
Great content can provide an insight into you and your business, and provide credibility that you know your stuff.
Aim to help people
Ask for action - Click, Signup, Find out more
Content Types
Helpful
How to file VAT return
How to plan your business cashflow
How should I price my services?
Topical
What does Auto Enrolment mean for me?
What is IR35 and how will I know if it affects me?
Product (do less of this)
Do I need an accountant?
Benefits of cloud accounting with Xero
Content ideas
Help someone - Hints and tips
Questions you get asked a lot - FAQ
Misconceptions people have of your industry
Insider info / secrets
Mistakes people make and how to avoid them
Things you wish more of your clients knew
Provide insight into you and your business
Customer interviews and case studies - Testimonials
Benefits of your product - What makes you different?
Planning
List relevant topics you want to write about
Research competition. What titles do they use?
Can you add value?
Is the content desirable and sharable?
Find keywords with Google Keyword Planner
Or check out the related searches on Google
Writing
Write the headline and description first
Outline key points. May become headings
Write the conclusion at the beginning Write for your best customer
Make the content remarkable
Ask for action: Download, Signup, Find out more
SEO(ing)
Add keywords to Title tag, Meta, URL and Heading
Keyword variations in the content
Make description compelling
Mixed content: text, video, lists, FAQs, images
Link out to a landing page on your site
Use Yoast on WordPress site
“If you create a page on a keyword that is 10x better than the pages being shown in search results (for that keyword), Google will reward you for it, and better yet, you’ll naturally get people linking to it!”
Refine content on each page to best enable a visitor to achieve their objective.
