Are Blogs Dead?

For years, “experts” have said that blogs are dead. It’s as though blogs were dinosaurs, lumbering through the forest, just waiting for the meteor that was e-mail marketing, or video marketing or AI to slam to Earth and knock them dead. It’s always fun, and fashionable, to proclaim that the next big thing has knocked the last big thing off its perch. In the case of blogs, however, that’s simply not true.

Websites with blogs tend to rank higher with search engines than websites without blogs. There are reasons for this. Blogs provide fresh content on a regular basis and we know search engines value that. A potential customer is also more likely to click on and visit a blog post link than they are a sales page. Blog posts allow people to gather information and learn and sell more subtly. A sales page is a straightforward plea to buy. Blog posts are also more likely to be shared on social media and backlinked, which gives a website more social credibility, which search engines take into account when ranking sites.

Blogs are also a great way to communicate with customers and prospective customers. Write posts about how you create whatever it is you create. Give your reading public a peek behind the curtain and let them see the cool machines you use or how you create your amazing designs. You don’t have to share proprietary secrets, but small glimpses into your world can have a big impact. Don’t forget that blogs are also a useful way to ask questions and do market research. Encourage commenting and make sure you’re responsive when people do comment.

How to Blog Well

Post #1: Find your message - A good blog will have a point of view and a main topic. A well thought out blog will talk about something specific. Maybe it’s a skill set you have. Maybe it’s what’s happening at your company. The trick is to pick a message and a viewpoint and stick to what you’ve selected. Don’t talk about what you ate for breakfast one day and national politics the next day. Stick to the subject matter you’ve selected and stay on point.

Post #2: Remember, blogs don’t grow overnight - I’m probably going to say this enough in this newsletter that eventually you’ll start repeating it with me, but blogging is a marathon, not a sprint. You have to post consistently and you have to expect to wait a while before you start getting comments. Conventional wisdom says that there are probably ten people reading for every one that comments. Be confident you have more readers than you know about, and keep putting out the content they want to read.

Post #3: Vary your content - I’m a words girl, you’re looking at exhibit A which confirms that, right now, but the best blogs vary the types of content they showcase. Short form video. Some posts that are purely pictures. Polls. Change up how information is presented on your blog regularly. Even if it’s mostly words, make sure to include a picture with the post to break up the space.

Post #4: Inform, don’t sell - Yes, a lot of companies use blogs to sell products and there’s nothing wrong with that, as long as it’s done well. The first goal of a blog should always be to inform, but informing can also include a lot of subtle selling. In the course of explaining what a new piece of equipment will do for your business, also spotlight what it can do to help you provide product to or serve your customers. Make sure the posts are about education first, with a heaping helping of subtle selling on the side.

Action Items

Find a Blogging Platform - Forbes - This infographic lists the best platforms for starting a blog. Most work with Wordpress. I recommend Wordpress, it’s what I use for blogging. My blog is also hosted on Bluehost.

Start Finding Topic Ideas - Blog Hands- This article lists seven tools you can use to do research regarding blog topics. The sites included all have free options.

Learn the Secrets of Successful Blogging - Blogging Explorer - There are a ton of “secrets to successful blogging” posts out there. I tried to find one that had useful information and was not too salesy. I also happen to agree with the advice about not blogging on free platforms. It’s an attractive idea, but having content you own is a better option.

About Me

My name is Kristine Shreve. I’m a writer, a marketer, an editor, and an educator. Visit my website to learn more.