Is your blog bringing you down?

The immortal web log, known simply as a blog, can be a powerful business tool. It can make a brand; it can increase sales and take your business from rags to riches to a jiffy. At least that’s what we’ve been told. Blog. Blog. Blog. And then blog some more. But what if your blog is actually bringing you down?

Time and time again business owners have been badgered about the benefits of inbound marketing. Become the preeminent source for information and you’re on easy street. But what so many businesses don’t realize is that someone is already the preeminent source of information for their industry. And they’re doing very well. If you don’t want to focus your attention on blogging and would rather focus on the business of… your business, don’t waste your time.

Not only do most blogs end up being jumbled messes of unedited thoughts, vaguely related to your industry, they also become spammy. A trait that easily becomes detrimental to a once great website. Keywords and deep links quickly become quicksand and death traps for your site that was well on its way to page one goodness.

It’s not that simply having a blog will destroy any hopes, dreams or aspirations you may have had of becoming the world’s best business owner, it’s just they aren’t always what people have said they could be.

If you’ve made it this far and still want to blog to build a better business, they are a few ‘dos and don’ts’ to make it most beneficial:

1. Don’t do it because you think you have to. Do it because you have a desire or a passion for writing. Blogs seem spammy and robotic when business owners who hate to write feel like they must. I’m personally horrible at science and I’m sure anything vaguely sciencey of mine reeks of spamtastic mistakes.
2. Do some research. Go out into the wild west that is the internet and see what other blogs are similar to yours. Know your competition and you’ll know yourself. This will also allow you to break apart from the pack and become a unique source.
3. Don’t shy away from photos. Like the old adage goes, “a picture is worth a thousand words.” And more often than not, an understated photo does wonders for a blog.
4. Do what you promise. If you ask a question in a blog post, answer it. If readers comment on a post, interact with them. Don’t just write and write and then drop of the edge of the world.
5. Don’t quit. It can be daunting. But if you’ve set out to blog. Blog. Businesses that post and post only to disappear before magically appearing again a few months down the road seem unreliable.

Blogs are like puppies, if you can’t feed them and take them for regular walks, you’re probably not ready for that kind of commitment. But if you’ve done your homework and truly believe you’re ready to jump into the blog game, do it with gumption.

Born and raised in Mark Twain’s neck of the woods, Drew Blanc grew an appreciation for literature at a young age. He has worked with small businesses and startups for several years and is now following his true passion, writing for Pensxpress.com