Small business blogs are pretty common these days, but some entrepreneurs question how a small business blog can help them. I hear questions all the time like:
- Sure business blogs are great, but for me?
- I just put up a new web site. Now I need a blog?
- Who would read it?
- What would I write about?
- I have to write?
When catching up with a friend of mine recently, he mentioned his new online business. He’s designed a handy, pocket device to help amateur photographers to (actually) use the settings on their SLR cameras.
Of course, this entrepreneur has a beautifully designed website—he is after all a photographer and amateur photography instructor—so that’s expected.
His new web site (developed to sell his new product invention) is not just beautiful but it outlines the problem experienced by many amateur shutter bugs and clearly explains how his product solves the problem.
Excellent!
Now the next step is to make his new site more “findable” by online amateur photographers.
He has the opportunity to now build up content and interest, outside his domain. To place his content in a few other online destinations of his target customers–photographers.
Here are my suggestions:
1. Upload his excellent demonstration video on as many video-sharing sites as possible in addition to YouTube.
2. Set up a Flickr presence with his photographs
3. Launch a blog to tell the stories of how amateur photographers can improve the story they are telling with their photos. Topics like:
– Top 10 questions asked by every amateur photographer
– Top 7 problems of new photographers when purchasing a SLR camera
– How to take better pictures
– How to work with exposure factors
– How an amateur photographer improved her photos by learning how to set the SLR
Did I miss anything?
Why take all these extra steps, when he already has a great website? Humm, glad you asked:
Benefits of building content outside of your small business domain (your website):
– Make your small business more “findable”. The more places you are outside of your website, the easier it is for buyers to find you when they’re searching for your products, services.
– You can update your blog easily a few times a week without going through your web programmer.
– Search engines (still) like ‘froth over’ frequently updated content
– Blogs make it easy to tell stories about the folks that use your products. We all love stories.
– You build trust. Visitors to your blog, (future buyers) can post questions, you can answer and become a trusted source of information and how to articles.
– Generate leads.
What’s not to love? Small business blogs are for every entrepreneur that wants to establish a relationship with his/her future buyers. (I will keep you posted on his progress when he begins his blog.)
Put your toe in the (social media) water…you’ll love it.
Or, maybe I’m missing the mark? Is a small business web site enough? Do you really need a blog if you’re selling to online buyers? You know the drill. Leave your comments below and set me straight.
> Did I miss anything?
Er… the URL of his new website? 😉
Hi Chris–humm…Good catch. He has not launched the new site yet, so I have refrained from posting the URL. He has promised me an “exclusive” when the new site is live. And of course, there is the matter of the future blog. Check back.
Cynthia