One question I get asked a lot is : “ What am I suppose to blog about ” ? My answer is always the same, ” anything you are passionate about ” ! Sometimes business owners or people in general think that blogging always has to be about the same thing, the products they sell, the services they offer or especially for the real estate professional, market reports or new listings of homes for sale. While blogging about your business and what it entails is not a bad thing, to much of the same ” robotic ” articles are not helping you.
So, how does one define what a blog is ? Here is how I describe what a blog is :
First and foremost, a blog is what YOU make of it. Your blog is a online diary per say of all the things you love and are deeply passionate about. A blog is a journal of sorts, opening your heart, life and business to the virtual world who other wise cannot see you , in a corner office with a view. A blog is the window to all window shoppers, where you put your best designs, slogans and heart on display. This, however can be both good and dangerous depending on how much you throw out there for the world to see. My rule of thumb is to try and leave politics and religion out of things unless you can do it in a way that will not offend your readers. What one must remember is that : one bad comment, one bad referral, one bad conversation with a friend about something you wrote will always be remembered, it’s sad but true. You can push thousands of articles out to the world wide web, offering extraordinary content, most, will not be remembered. Throw one article out there that consists of religion or politics and you will always be remembered, so be careful just how ” personal ” you get.
Content : What makes a great blog ?
Content is king. Always be on the look out for quality over quantity. Some believe the more articles they write the more exposure , better SEO and better placement on Google they will receive. The way I see it, you can write 20 articles a week, if they do not contain engaging content, I’m not going to stop by, read or comment. Although it would be nice to think everyone will flock to your 20 articles a week, the fact is, too much and your readers will have nothing to look forward to. Create ” cliff hangers ” so to speak so your readers will want to come back for more.2-3 good, quality articles a week is what is often recommended.
What Qualifies as Good Content ?
That’s truly in the eyes of the beholder. Believe me, if you create an article, pouring your heart and soul into the matter, it is going to show. It doesn’t matter if it’s 250 words or 500 words. As for me, I enjoy teaching, whether the basics to a beginner or how to catapult a person’s seasoned business even more. I am certain I do not please all people all of the time but the one thing I know for sure, I give it all I have, in everything I do and in the end the feeling I receive is far greater than any comment or pat on the back I may receive, although those are nice too 
Some Examples of What to Write About and Incorporating YOU and Your Business.
Take a Real Estate Agent for Example : Their listings are gorgeous, reasonably priced and the perks are incredible. After a few, their readers are bored, especially if the homes being listing / advertised are the same ole’ – same ole’ . Remember, not every individual is going to have the same taste and/or criteria as the listings they are posting on their blog. Readers also know, you can list a house for sale but can you really sell it ? I don’t mean to offend anyone, I have many, many friends who are Real Estate Professionals, in fact, I work with a lot of them and my past real estate experience has taught me a lot about this arena. I always suggest to Real Estate Agents that it would benefit them greatly if they allowed their readers to get to know THEM. Whether you are in the Real Estate field or not, this advice can and will benefit you greatly if you begin to implement it into your blog. How do you accomplish this, easy :
- Who are you ? Maybe you are a stay at home mom, homeschooling your children ( yep, I’ve seen the village and don’t want them raising my kids either, that’s why I homeschool too ) creating beautiful jewelry to make some side money to help contribute to your household expenses. While your jewelry is beautiful, handcrafted with love and care, your readers, are going to be more apt to making purchase(s) if they also know your story. Think of it like this : You and Jane Doe are creating the same beautiful jewelry, she runs her business like a manufacturing plant, whereas you on the other hand treat each customer as if they were the same precious metals you work with. If the readers don’t know YOU, it’s a flip of the coin, wherever it lands, is who they will purchase from ! A customer who knows, this Mom is creating beautiful things because she LOVES doing it, it’s a way to shape the future of her household, spend more time with her children and raise them up the best way she can, those customers are more inclined to make their purchase from YOU because they feel like they ” know ” you. This hold true for everyone.
- Are you the advertiser or the expert ? Hmm, think on that for a minute. A real estate agent for example may be great at listing a bunch of properties for sale but does this make them an expert in selling them ? There is a difference. The agent will not only engage readers but will also create customers / clients when they dare to write/blog about other things such as homes for sale. This can be easily accomplished for anyone, not just agents. If you sell crafts, great ! Write about craft fairs in your area, fancy restaurants ( remember whether someone is relocating or purchasing a fine piece of jewelry – think like the consumer – if I buy this house or necklace – where can I where it, where can I enjoy nightlife ), write about craft stores, etc.
To sum this article up, here are some ideas that everyone can utilize when writing a blog. All can be tweaked to fit you, your style and your business :
- Restaurants, Hotels, Carnivals, Night Life, Concerts in your area
- Craft Stores, Bargain Shops, Flea Markets
- Charity Events, Walk – A – Thons
- Homeschool, Events, Co-ops, Curriculum’s, Book Stores, Field Trips, Libraries
- Amenities such as Golf, Kid Zones, Fitness Zones, Zumba
- Share your own experiences with any of the above
- Cooking, Recipes, Healthy Diet Tips, DIY
Any of these blog topics can be incorporated with your business. Create a professional signature that displays who you are, your website and contact information. If you are promoting a specific product or service ad a picture that brings the reader to your product page when they click on it. Utilize side bars for your products or service advertising.
The point is, don’t just be wrapped up in becoming the product or service Lister, become the expert. An expert see’s far beyond the product or service, they see how other things can benefit their product or service. It’s about thinking outside of the box and spending less money. It’s about working smarter not harder.
