Table of Contents
- What Is Business Blogging?
- Related Reading
- What Does a Business Blog Work?
- Boost Your SEO With a Business Blog
- Establish Authority in Your Industry
- Support Your Other Marketing Efforts
- Nurture and Engage Your Audience
- Power Up Your Content Creation with Feather
- Key Features
- Why Start a Business Blog
- Blogging for Better Customer Engagement and Sales
- Blogging for Business Improves SEO
- Boosting Website Authority and SEO Through Blogging
- Improving User Engagement and SEO with Blog Content
- Blogging for Business Establishes Authority
- Nurturing Your Golf Audience
- Blogging for Business Helps You Connect With Your Audience
- Blogging for Business Increases Traffic
- How To Create a Business Blog In 13 Steps
- 1. Find Your Niche
- Find Your Unique Angle
- 2. Choose Your Platform
- 3. Pick a Blog Name and Domain
- 4. Invest in High-Quality Blogging Tools
- 5. Design Your Blog
- 6. Generate Ideas and Create an Editorial Calendar
- 7. Write Your Posts
- 8. Proofread and Edit Your Work
- 9. Set Metrics
- 10. Refresh Existing Content
- 11. Promote Your Blog
- 12. Establish Goals for Content Creation
- 13. Use Your Analytics
- 8 Best Practices for Creating and Maintaining a Business Blog
- 1. Focus on Reader Needs, Not Your Service or Product
- Building Authority and Understanding Your Audience
- 2. Optimize for Search
- 3. Write an Attention-Grabbing Headline
- 4. Prioritize Quality, Frequency, and Consistency
- Maintaining a Consistent Posting Schedule
- 5. Include One Clear CTA
- 6. Attribute Key Influencers
- 7. Engage Through Social and Newsletters
- 8. Do Your Research Before Outsourcing
- Related Reading
- How Do You Structure a Business Blog Post?
- 1. Brainstorming: The Creative Step to Writing a Blog Post
- 2. Use Content Pillars and Categories for Organization
- 3. Consider Evergreen and Trending Content Ideas
- 4. Monitor Industry Trends
- 5. Engage With Your Audience for Feedback and Suggestions
- Is Blogging Still a Good Business?
- Niche Selection: Finding Your Unique Space
- Quality Content: The Foundation of Success
- Quality Over Quantity
- SEO and Marketing: Driving Traffic to Your Blog
- Expanding Your Reach
- Monetization Strategies: Turning Content Into Revenue
- Adaptation to Trends: Evolving With the Industry
- Send Emails From Notion and Go From Notion to Blog With Ease Today With Feather
- Related Reading
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Imagine asking a friend for advice on starting a blog for your new business, and they begin to ramble on about technical jargon and complicated strategies. You may feel overwhelmed and want to change the subject. Starting a business blog doesn’t have to be so complex. The process can be pretty simple if you break it down into manageable steps.
In this post, we’ll guide you through the essentials of business blogging, from understanding its importance to creating your blog from scratch and even how to send emails from Notion.
What Is Business Blogging?
Business blogging essentially creates and shares content closely tied to what your company offers, whether it’s a:
- Product
- Service
- Expertise
The main goal? Boost your online visibility. When done right, business blogging can help you:
- Attract more visitors to your website
- Build trust with your audience
- Drive sales
But there’s more to it than just being seen. Business blogging is a powerhouse for marketing, with 53% of marketers prioritizing it. It’s all about providing valuable information that resonates with your target audience through:
- How-to guides
- Industry insights
- Updates on trends
This helps you connect with potential customers and positions your business as an authority in your field.
By regularly publishing blog posts, you’re giving search engines like Google more content to index, which can improve your rankings in search results. And the better your ranking, the easier it is for people to find you when they’re searching for something related to your business.
Business blogging is more than just writing posts, it’s a strategic tool for growing your brand, engaging your audience, and driving business results.
Related Reading
What Does a Business Blog Work?
A business blog is a powerful tool that can significantly benefit your company in various ways. At its core, a business blog helps you connect with your target audience by providing valuable, relevant content that addresses their:
- Needs
- Interests
- Pain points
This content can come in many forms—like how-to guides, industry insights, or updates on trends—and it's all designed to engage readers and build trust in your brand.
Boost Your SEO With a Business Blog
One of the most significant advantages of having a business blog is its impact on online visibility. Each blog post you publish gives search engines like Google more content to index, which can improve your rankings in search results. This means more people can find your business when searching for topics related to your products or services, driving more organic traffic to your website.
Establish Authority in Your Industry
Beyond visibility, a business blog positions your company as an authority in your industry. You establish credibility and build trust with your audience by sharing your expertise and insights. When readers see that you’re knowledgeable and reliable, they’re more likely to consider your products or services when they’re ready to purchase.
Support Your Other Marketing Efforts
A blog also supports other marketing efforts. It provides content you can share on social media, include in newsletters, or use in email marketing campaigns. Plus, it can foster engagement by encouraging:
- Comments
- Discussions
- Sharing, further amplifying your reach
Nurture and Engage Your Audience
A business blog helps you nurture relationships with potential customers, engage your current customers, and drive measurable results like increased:
- Website traffic
- Leads
- Sales
It's a versatile and cost-effective way to grow your business in today’s digital environment.
Power Up Your Content Creation with Feather
Feather is an SEO-friendly blog and email newsletter service.
Key Features
- Publish blog content and newsletters directly through Notion, with no coding or design skills required.
- Automatically publish blog content written in Notion to your Feather blog.
- Set up a subfolder blog (domain.com/blog) for better SEO, rather than a subdomain (blog.domain.com).
- Manage your CRM and website blog entirely through Notion, offering a HubSpot-like experience.
- Customize your design with custom CSS, collect emails, and access additional features.
Write on Notion and automatically publish to an SEO-friendly blog, collaborating effortlessly with your team. Feather lets you set up and send newsletters directly from Notion to your email subscribers.
Run your blog and newsletter with Feather today — create a new account and send emails from Notion, or go from notion to blog in minutes!
Why Start a Business Blog
When considering the content you want to include on your blog, the 80/20 social media rule is helpful to reference. This popular social media tenet dictates that while it’s acceptable for businesses to devote up to 20 percent of their marketing strategy explicitly promoting their products, the remaining 80 percent of posts should be entertaining and helpful for your audience.
Instead of bombarding customers with promotional ads, you should enrich their experience through content that is:
- Engaging
- Informative
- Educational
You probably want to add value to your customers’ lives, and a blog is a perfect channel to do that! Sharing this content will attract more customers and open a dialogue with your existing followers, creating a more robust online community. Blog posts can also be repurposed on social media, generating more content for your business.
Here are some reasons blogging is a good investment:
Blogging for Better Customer Engagement and Sales
Blogging helps businesses communicate with customers and foster relationships. By providing helpful information on a blog, companies can improve customer knowledge and help buyers make informed purchase decisions. In doing so, they can build trust and credibility, opening the door for increased sales.
Blogging for Business Improves SEO
One of the significant benefits of blogging for business is the positive impact it can have on search engine optimization. For starters, blogs allow you to incorporate keywords and phrases relevant to your business into your website. This helps your site increase its rankings on search engine results pages so that you can attract more visitors organically.
Boosting Website Authority and SEO Through Blogging
When you create blog content, you are not only able to target specific keywords, but you also increase your website's authority. This is because blogging produces fresh content for your website, and search engines reward sites that regularly update their pages.
As you create more blog posts, you generate the potential to earn backlinks from other websites and blogs. These backlinks also improve your site’s authority and SEO, helping you increase your search ranking.
Improving User Engagement and SEO with Blog Content
When visitors land on your site from a search engine results page, blog posts help engage them and keep them on your site longer. This also boosts your SEO, as it signals to search engines that your site has valuable information.
Blogging for Business Establishes Authority
Consumers want to buy from businesses that know their products and services best. When you blog about your industry, you can showcase your knowledge and prove to potential customers that you are an authority in your field. The more you write about your industry, the more likely you will attract an audience interested in your business’s products or services.
Nurturing Your Golf Audience
If you own a company that sells golf equipment and accessories, blogging about golf will help you attract an interested audience. This will include people looking for information on improving their golf game and those looking to purchase golf equipment. The more you write about golf on your blog, the more likely you will attract potential customers searching for information on search engines.
Blogging for Business Helps You Connect With Your Audience
Another benefit of blogging for business is that it helps you connect with your customers and target audience. By communicating with your customers through a blog, you can foster relationships with them that go beyond the buyer-seller connection. Blogging helps you humanize your business and tell your story so buyers get to know you and your employees.
You can share helpful information about your products and services and post updates about your business and industry. These updates can include information about:
- New hires
- Company milestones
- Changes in operations
Blogs also allow you to address customer concerns and questions. Instead of posting a response on social media, where other consumers can see it, you can write a blog to help you respond to a customer inquiry. This enables you to connect directly with your customers and share helpful information with your target audience.
Blogging for Business Increases Traffic
One of the main benefits of blogging for business is that it can help increase website traffic. The
more you blog, the more opportunities you have to attract new visitors to your website. This is particularly true if you are consistent with your blogging efforts and create quality content that helps you improve your SEO.
As mentioned earlier, blogs help increase your website’s authority with search engines so you can rank higher and attract more visitors organically. Blogs allow you to create and share content on social media. Sharing your blog posts with your social media followers can help drive traffic to your website as they click the links to read the articles.
How To Create a Business Blog In 13 Steps
1. Find Your Niche
The first step is about figuring out what you want to discuss. You probably have some ideas based on your business—whether it’s the:
- Products you sell
- Services you offer
- The industry you’re in
Find Your Unique Angle
But here’s the catch: you need to stand out. With millions of blogs, you need a unique angle to capture your audience’s attention. Think about what makes your product or service special. Is there something unique you can highlight? For instance, if you run a local tour company, you might blog about hidden gems that most tourists miss in your city.
Also, peek at what your competitors are doing—what are they missing that you can cover? Understanding your customers’ needs and interests will also guide you in creating content that resonates with them.
2. Choose Your Platform
Now that you have a niche, it’s time to think about where your blog will live. You might integrate it into your existing website, or if you’re starting from scratch, you’ll need a platform to host your blog.
Feather is an excellent choice if you’re looking for a simple, powerful platform designed for modern businesses. It's important to choose a platform that matches your technical skills and offers the features you need to grow your blog.
3. Pick a Blog Name and Domain
Your blog’s name is its identity, so take your time with it. It should reflect your business and hint at the content you’ll be creating. For example, if your company is called “Spotless,” and you offer cleaning services, a blog named “Spotless Tips” would be both catchy and relevant. If your blog is on a separate platform, you must register a domain name that matches your blog name as closely as possible. This consistency will help people find you online and remember your blog.
4. Invest in High-Quality Blogging Tools
As we’ve established, you’ll need to do more than scribbling a few thoughts and hitting publish to make a blog successful. To effectively curate, promote, and track the performance of your blog, you’ll need to invest in a great blogging platform and tools that will best support those efforts.
Quick Note: Feather has blog templates that make designing posts easy and multiple web analytics tools to help you understand how your blog supports your marketing efforts.
5. Design Your Blog
Once you’ve sorted the basics, it’s time to make your blog look good. You’ll want the design to align with your brand and use the same colors, fonts, and styles that you use on your main website. This helps build trust with your readers, as they’ll immediately know that the blog is part of your business. Your blog’s design should be as user-friendly as possible. Make sure it’s easy to navigate, visually appealing and works well on all mobile devices.
6. Generate Ideas and Create an Editorial Calendar
Start by brainstorming topics that fit your niche and will be helpful or interesting to your audience. If you’re struggling, check out social media or competitor blogs for inspiration.
Once you have some ideas, it’s time to get organized. An editorial calendar will help you plan when to post each piece of content, ensuring consistency. You can use digital tools to manage this or keep it simple with a spreadsheet or a good old-fashioned planner.
7. Write Your Posts
Writing can be daunting, especially if you’re not used to it. The key is to get your thoughts down—don’t worry about making it perfect on the first try. Start with an outline, then fill in the details. Your first draft doesn’t have to be unique. Focus on getting your ideas out, and you can polish them later.
8. Proofread and Edit Your Work
Editing is crucial. A well-written, error-free blog post builds credibility and trust with your audience. Create a consistent editing process—maybe even develop a style guide for your blog to keep the tone and format uniform. If editing isn’t your strong suit, consider hiring someone to help. An extra pair of eyes can catch mistakes and improve the overall quality of your posts.
9. Set Metrics
Content marketers predominantly use traffic metrics to assess the effectiveness of business blogging but they also look at the following:
- Sales lead quality
- Sales
- Conversion rates
You'll need to understand what blog analytics is and how to track essential blog metrics related to traffic, how it’s generated, and engagement metrics on your content. Some examples include:
- Traffic: Page views, clicks, and unique visitors
- Engagement: Comments, social shares, and time spent on page
- Conversion rate: Percentage of visitors taking a desired action
- Bounce rate: Percentage of visitors leaving after viewing one page
- Click-through rate (CTR): Percentage of clicks on links or of clicks through from search engines.
- Subscriber growth: Increase in email or RSS subscribers.
- Keyword rankings: Search engine positions for targeted keywords
- Social media metrics: Follower growth, likes, and comments on social platforms.
10. Refresh Existing Content
Although plenty of posts will never even rank, those that do can bring in steady traffic for years after publication. Plus, a low-performing SEO post doesn’t have to stay low-performing. Giving articles an occasional refresh can improve their SERP rankings. Content marketing agency Animalz found that refreshing a post improved its performance by 55%.
11. Promote Your Blog
Keeping your readers engaged is just as vital as attracting them. Social media and email marketing are great for promoting your blog and networking with active customers. Link building for your blog is also the process of earning and generating backlinks from other authoritative online sources that quote and link to your blog.
Here are some of the top ways to promote a blog for business purposes:
- Social media: Share posts on social media platforms relevant to your audience.
- Email marketing: Send newsletters featuring blog content.
- SEO optimization: Optimize content for search engines.
- Collaborations: Partner with influencers or other businesses for cross-promotion.
- Guest blogging and posting: Write for other relevant blogs to expand your reach. You can ask them to link back to your blog.
- Paid advertising: Utilize targeted ads on social media or search engines.
- Networking: Engage in industry forums and online communities.
- Content distribution: Share blog links in relevant online forums or groups.
- Repurposing content: Use existing content and repackage for different channels and audiences.
12. Establish Goals for Content Creation
The more you publish, the better your blog will likely perform. That said, you must be realistic when deciding how much time and money to spend on your blog. Publishing quality content consistently will be much easier than trying to pump out as much content as you can as fast as possible.
Create an editorial calendar with the articles you want to write and the schedule you intend to stick to. Doing so will not only help you publish consistently, but it’ll also help you track your progress along the way.
13. Use Your Analytics
Once you’ve posted several articles, you’ll be able to see patterns in how your audience is receiving your content. Certain types of content will perform better than others, and this can change somewhat frequently, so you’ll want to look for trends rather than at individual posts. You can then use these trends to inform which type of content you should make more or less of and which topics your audience enjoys.
8 Best Practices for Creating and Maintaining a Business Blog
1. Focus on Reader Needs, Not Your Service or Product
One common mistake businesses make is turning their blog into a sales pitch. While it's tempting to highlight your services and products, this approach can turn off readers. Instead, focus on providing value through education and entertainment. Your blog should be a resource that answers questions and solves problems for your audience.
Building Authority and Understanding Your Audience
This approach not only builds trust but also positions your brand as an expert in the industry. To stay in tune with what your audience cares about, consider setting Google Alerts for relevant keywords and frequent forums like Reddit and Quora, where your target customers hang out. These platforms are gold mines for discovering the questions and issues that matter most to your audience.
2. Optimize for Search
Once you’ve honed in on a topic, it’s time to make sure your blog post is discoverable. This is where keyword research comes into play. Tools like SEMrush can help you find the right keywords to target, ensuring your content ranks well in search results. Each blog post should be optimized for one or two main keywords, sprinkling related keywords throughout.
Beyond keyword placement, enhance your post’s SEO by using:
- Headline tags
- Internal links
- Unique meta descriptions
These elements are crucial for improving your blog's visibility on search engines, which will ultimately drive more traffic to your site.
3. Write an Attention-Grabbing Headline
Your headline is often the first thing people see, so it needs to be compelling. An effective headline:
- Grabs attention
- Offers specific tips or insights
- Sparks curiosity
Keeping titles under 60 characters is key, as longer titles can be omitted in search results. If you’re unsure which headline will work best, consider A/B testing different options to see which resonates most with your audience.
4. Prioritize Quality, Frequency, and Consistency
Quality is non-negotiable when it comes to your blog. Every post should undergo a thorough editing process to ensure it’s free of errors and misinformation. Beyond quality, frequency and consistency also play vital roles. The more frequently you post, the quicker you climb in search rankings.
Maintaining a Consistent Posting Schedule
Small to medium businesses aim for at least six monthly posts, while larger enterprises should shoot for around 12. Consistency is also vital—publishing posts simultaneously every week helps build a routine for your audience and integrates seamlessly with your social media and newsletter schedules.
5. Include One Clear CTA
Every blog post should have one clear call to action (CTA). Make sure the CTA is specific and easy to follow whether you want readers to:
- Sign up for your newsletter
- Download a free e-book
- Contact your sales team
Avoid overwhelming your readers with multiple CTAs in one post, as this can lead to confusion. By blogging more frequently, you can diversify your CTAs across different posts, aligning each one with the content presented.
6. Attribute Key Influencers
Citing key influencers in your industry adds credibility to your blog and shows that you’re keeping up with the latest trends and information. This can boost your blog’s value and potentially catch the attention of those influencers, leading to increased exposure if they share your content on their platforms. It’s a win-win: educating your audience while opening doors to broader reach.
7. Engage Through Social and Newsletters
Don’t just rely on your blog’s organic reach—actively share your posts across all your social media channels and include them in your newsletters. This strategy amplifies your content's visibility and drives more traffic to your site. It also helps build a community around your blog, encouraging engagement and conversation.
8. Do Your Research Before Outsourcing
If you’re considering outsourcing your blog content, doing your homework is crucial. While it might be tempting to choose the cheapest option, remember that you get what you pay for.
High-quality content involves more than just writing; it includes:
- Keyword research
- Topic development
- SEO optimization
- Thorough editorial process
When considering a content marketing agency or freelancer, ask for samples of their work and ensure they understand your industry and audience. This upfront investment in quality content will pay off in the long run.
Related Reading
How Do You Structure a Business Blog Post?
1. Brainstorming: The Creative Step to Writing a Blog Post
Brainstorming is the creative step for writing a blog post. Get your most imaginative and customer-focused team together for a dedicated session to generate fresh blog post ideas. Encourage them to think outside the box and develop at least 10 great ideas your customers care about. You may be surprised by how easy it is to fill out your content calendar.
Look at your competition’s blog posts for inspiration. Suppose you have a restaurant blog. Just because another restaurant shares a recipe doesn’t mean you can’t. Those blog posts will be very different because your recipes are different.
2. Use Content Pillars and Categories for Organization
Those essential pages within your blog theme can help you figure out how to craft your blog. Creating pillars of specific content and designated categories for blog topics makes it easier to develop various ideas.
When you organize them neatly within your blog, your readers can quickly search and browse your blog for what interests them. You’re creating a resource for your target audience. That’s different than telling them what they should learn about.
3. Consider Evergreen and Trending Content Ideas
Some blog topics are obvious. For example, if you own a retail store, you will likely want to have a blog on hot holiday gift ideas. If you own a business focused on families with children, you’ll likely want to have a blog on summer fun. These are trending topics. Include those “good all year long” evergreen topics. Think about subjects that are always interesting to your readers and add them to your calendar.
4. Monitor Industry Trends
Keep current with industry trends and news events that may impact your target audience — and be open to amending your content calendar when necessary. While these trending articles aren’t evergreen, they show that your business is at the forefront of what’s new. Readers will appreciate any industry updates you share in your blog, so weave in these topics whenever possible.
5. Engage With Your Audience for Feedback and Suggestions
Suppose that, after six months, the metrics prove that no one is reading your blog. Don’t give up content marketing completely. Instead, circle back to your target audience and revisit your content strategy. Experiment with new topics and themes. This process should be dynamic and adaptable as you learn what works and what can be left behind.
Is Blogging Still a Good Business?
Blogging is a viable and profitable business for many individuals and companies. Nevertheless, the success of a blog as a business depends on various factors, including:
- Niche selection
- Content quality
- Adaptation to trends
- Monetization strategies
Blogging is still viable and potentially lucrative, but its success hinges on several critical factors. While everyone has a blog these days, there's still plenty of opportunity if you approach it strategically.
Here’s why blogging can still be a good business:
Niche Selection: Finding Your Unique Space
Choosing the right niche is one of the most critical aspects of successful blogging. In a sea of content, standing out is essential, and this often comes down to finding a specific area where you can offer something unique. Focusing on a niche with a saturated target audience can make all the difference, whether it's a particular industry, hobby, or expertise.
Quality Content: The Foundation of Success
Content is king. To attract and retain readers, your blog must offer content that is:
- Valuable
- Relevant
Quality Over Quantity
This means writing well and providing information, insights, or entertainment that your audience can’t easily find elsewhere. Consistency is also crucial; regular updates keep your audience engaged and returning for more. When your content is both high-quality and consistently published, it lays a solid foundation for a successful blog.
SEO and Marketing: Driving Traffic to Your Blog
Even the best content won’t succeed if no one sees it, which is where SEO and marketing come into play. Understanding how to optimize your blog for search engines can increase your visibility, helping your posts reach a broader audience.
Expanding Your Reach
Promoting your blog through social media, email newsletters, and other marketing channels is essential to grow your readership. A well-executed SEO and marketing strategy can significantly boost your blog’s traffic, which is critical for success.
Monetization Strategies: Turning Content Into Revenue
Monetization is where blogging transforms from a hobby into a business. Multiple ways to generate income from a blog include:
- Affiliate marketing
- Sponsored posts
- Selling digital products or services
- Displaying ads
The key is diversifying your income streams to avoid relying too heavily on one method. By exploring different monetization strategies, you can create a sustainable revenue model that will support your blogging business over the long term.
Adaptation to Trends: Evolving With the Industry
The digital landscape constantly evolves, and successful bloggers must stay ahead of the curve. This means being aware of emerging trends in content creation and adapting your blog accordingly. For instance, the rise of video content and podcasts has opened new avenues for bloggers to connect with their audience.
Integrating these formats into your blog can help you reach new readers and keep your existing audience engaged. By staying flexible and open to new ideas, you can keep your blog relevant and competitive.
Send Emails From Notion and Go From Notion to Blog With Ease Today With Feather
Tired of juggling multiple platforms for your blog and email marketing? Feather streamlines everything!
Feather lets you publish and manage a blog and newsletter from Notion. You can write and organize your blog posts in Notion and automatically publish them to your Feather blog. This means you can get the HubSpot experience through Notion, which allows you to manage all your website, blog, and CRM functions in one place! Using Feather, you can create a subfolder blog (domain.com/blog) instead of a subdomain blog (blog.domain.com) for better SEO.
Ready to ditch the complexity? Sign up for your free Feather trial today and send emails from Notion!
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