More than half of Internet users consult blogs. Brands are required to offer substantial content marketing to deal with this reality. To succeed a blog, different parameters must be respected. In this article, we’ll look at how to use blogging smartly to stand out.
What is a blog?
Blogging comes from the English term Weblog which means: internet for web and newspaper for log. It refers to an online platform that allows individuals and professionals to publish posts periodically. These posts consist of texts, photos or videos. The blog allows you to interact with Internet users through the comments and links that the blogger inserts in the post.
The blog is a way to promote a product or service. This is an essential element in an Inboud marketing strategy. In fact, 52% of marketers prioritize blog publishing in their content productions.
How important is the blog in marketing strategy?
Faced with changing consumer habits, content marketing has expanded to the detriment of traditional marketing . Content is marketing capital to attract and convert new customers. The blog is one of the levers used in this approach. It is a strategic tool in Inboud Marketing.
Producing content on a regular basis has an impact on the natural referencing of your site. Indeed, each new page is a way to place keywords and links. The editorial volume therefore participates in the indexing of your page by search engines. Blogging is an opportunity to renew your visibility with your leads.
How to exploit blogging to stand out?
To ensure the success of your blog, you need to have a solid strategy. It is a question of setting up a well-structured content in its form and in its substance. It must also be held in a sustained manner.
Background of the blog
- Define the purpose of the blog
That is the first step. The ambition of the blog guides its content. This can be to generate qualified traffic, build notoriety, attract new prospects, etc. Eventually, the blog will have to captivate your buyer personna. This step is important insofar as it allows you to build a blog with high added value.
By obtaining the profile of your buyer persona, you will be able to make an assessment of the effect of your method and your product in relation to their behavior on your platform.
- Focus on quality
A blog is only interesting if it is informative and useful to its readers. An article written in a fluent and well-researched way is more likely to be read. An original and well-dug publication appears more easily at the top of search engines.
Podcast and video formats can enhance your post. This aligns you with trends.
- SEO
It serves as a guide in the use of keywords, internal and external links, and fonts. It sheds light on the choice of pages to reference and in the filling of image tags and metadata. It is an indispensable tool for your blog to be well placed in search engines.
Form of the blog
- Length of articles
The trend is in long articles. In 2019, it was about 1000 words. The Google search engine seems to favor long publications. On average, the first articles that appear on the front page are 1890 words. The standard is currently at 3000 words per text. The more written and relevant the text, the higher the traffic. The reader is looking for complete and useful information.
However, short content should not be completely excluded. This one does not contribute to your SEO, however, it is useful for Internet users who consult via their mobiles.
- Blog Design
Both important for your audience and your SEO, user experience is a point that you must pay particular attention to. To a well-developed text you must add: videos, an infographic, slideshows, and CTAs. There are tools and page templates that make writing and graphic design easier.
- Mobile-first
Creating phone-friendly content is paramount. According to Google studies, 40% of mobile users have turned to other sites after a bad web-mobile experience. And the number of Internet users who consult via their smartphones continues to increase.
The rendering of your content on a mobile phone screen must be anticipated. It is advisable to divide paragraphs, use short sentences, simplify navigation and ensure fast page loading.
Blog
- Frequency of publication
Publishing periodically increases traffic. Regularity and renewal help to impose your reputation within your field of expertise. You will classify yourself as a reliable source of information.
The minimum is estimated at one article per week. However, you have to take into account the goals of the blog, the expectations of the audience and the conversion indicators. Also, do not impose a rhythm that does not suit you. Be consistent.
- Promotion of the blog
Social media is a great way to promote a blog. Using links to send people to your article is a simple way to do this. However, you must take into account the specificities of the platforms that host your link. The visual appearance, catchphrase, hashtags and emojis must be compliant.
Newsletters support the promotion of your blog to an audience that already has an interest in your brand.
To maximize the impact of your blog, use marketing techniques like : affiliate marketing and guest posts. These ways give your blog the opportunity to expand its reach into other niches.
The most important thing is to offer quality content, because this is what is taken into account by search engines.
