Checklist for Consistently Great Blog Posts
By Andrew Patricio
September 11, 2017
Small Business & Entrepreneurship
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Is your small business blog a lead generating machine or a labor of love? The difference between the two is often the result of quality. And even if you are happy with your blog’s ability to generate traffic and nurture leads, is it as good as it can be? Of course it isn’t. So to help your small business make the most from its blog, let’s review the checklist for consistently great blog posts.
Targeted
Like all marketing, consistently great blog posts are targeted towards a specific persona or target audience that you already engage with on a regular basis. That’s not to say that people outside that target won’t find value in the post. Some will. But the more focused your blog post is at speaking to the specific needs of a narrow target audience, the greater your blog will be at generating leads within this segment.
Shareable
Consistently great blog posts are shared. In his book, Contagious: Why Things Catch On, Wharton Business School Professor, Jonah Berger, presents psychological studies and data that reveals the types of content people want to share. These include content that:
Align your blog posts around one or more of these categories for consistently great blog posts.
Consistent
For consistently great blog posts, you have to post blogs, well, consistently. That doesn’t mean every day, or even every week, but it does mean posting a great blog on a consistent basis. This way, your audience comes to expect, and even anticipate, new and consistently great blog posts from your small business.
Easy
We all want an easy button. Including your blog readers since, let’s be honest, not everyone will read every word of the blog. Help these “skimmers” get the most out of their limited time by making it easy to absorb the content without having to read every word. Adding headers and bullets encourages skimmers to spend more time on your blog. Correct grammar makes it easy for full-text readers to understand what you’re saying. And using appropriate visuals helps further communicate your ideas.
Blogging is a great way to help improve your SEO and lead generation. And with this checklist you can help your small business take big steps towards consistently great blog posts.
Targeted
Like all marketing, consistently great blog posts are targeted towards a specific persona or target audience that you already engage with on a regular basis. That’s not to say that people outside that target won’t find value in the post. Some will. But the more focused your blog post is at speaking to the specific needs of a narrow target audience, the greater your blog will be at generating leads within this segment.
Shareable
Consistently great blog posts are shared. In his book, Contagious: Why Things Catch On, Wharton Business School Professor, Jonah Berger, presents psychological studies and data that reveals the types of content people want to share. These include content that:
- makes the reader look good
- elicits a positive emotion
- shows the desired behavior you want your audience to take
- is easy to find
- provides useful information
- tells a story.
Align your blog posts around one or more of these categories for consistently great blog posts.
Consistent
For consistently great blog posts, you have to post blogs, well, consistently. That doesn’t mean every day, or even every week, but it does mean posting a great blog on a consistent basis. This way, your audience comes to expect, and even anticipate, new and consistently great blog posts from your small business.
Easy
We all want an easy button. Including your blog readers since, let’s be honest, not everyone will read every word of the blog. Help these “skimmers” get the most out of their limited time by making it easy to absorb the content without having to read every word. Adding headers and bullets encourages skimmers to spend more time on your blog. Correct grammar makes it easy for full-text readers to understand what you’re saying. And using appropriate visuals helps further communicate your ideas.
Blogging is a great way to help improve your SEO and lead generation. And with this checklist you can help your small business take big steps towards consistently great blog posts.