How to give more and get more when blogging in business

When it comes to creating content, most businesses do so for a purpose, and usually it’s all about raising the profile of a brand.

But blogging and content creation is not a one-way street. First and foremost, it needs to factor in the question: what’s in it for the audience – the real people your content is designed to connect with?

In other words, why should they care that you have spent hours carefully writing then honing a piece of content – Why would they want to read it, engage with it, or share it with their friends?

That’s why the reality of blogging is all about giving.

Whether it’s insight, advice, or entertainment they cannot get anywhere else, your blog posts should consider your audience, offering value, new information, and the expertise they seek out.

So, let’s look at how to give more to get more in blogging and why this should be key to any content creation strategy.

Content of value

Creating content is all about offering value. It should be something people find then turn to because it offers them a fresh perspective, a quick ‘cut to the chase’ or a take on an issue that’s of value to them.

Perhaps it inspires them, maybe it makes them think, it might be a way to learn or maybe it’s just fun to read.

Either way, it pays to consider the key questions of what’s in it for the audience and why would they care when crafting any piece of content.

Because the reality is, if your blog posts can offer something that’s different and of value, your audience will turn to that content time and again.

In the process, your business and brand can tick the major marketing boxes of pageviews, search engine optimization, an increasing audience, and a whole lot more.

Here’s how that’s done…

Educate

When you educate your audience, you let them into what happens behind the scenes of an industry. You decode myths, break down barriers, share your knowledge and establish your expertise.

You speak to them on their level, lifting the veil on complex topics while treating them as peers.

So, what sort of blog content are we talking here?

Well, blog post ideas range from how-to to myth busting, industry secrets, legislation change and a whole lot more.

It’s the type of content that ‘says this is how something works’, and ‘this is why it matters to you’.

Entertain

Blog content need not be dull and it needn’t take its cues from what others are doing in your sector. It can be fun and entertaining. Perhaps it’s irreverent. Perhaps it’s a little off-beat. Or perhaps it educates in a way that’s exciting.

Either way, your role as a blog creator is to keep your audience coming back for more and the tone and voice you establish can be a key factor in ensuring this occurs.

Enlighten

What does your audience walk away with? Is it new insight, a different perspective, greater clarity or just some feel-good fun?

When you think about blog writing, imagine how your audience will feel when reading it. The ultimate aim is to allow them to leave the space with a fresh takeaway – an enlightened moment they haven’t felt before.

If you can achieve this, you have established a point of difference that might just make your blog posts more valuable than the other brands they are following or engaging with.

Engage

Blogging and content creation is not a one-way street. It’s designed to start a conversation with a prospective customer.

That means you have to treat it as a conversation. Your blog posts put something out there, they respond and you need to answer back.

Too often brands post a blog or content item and simply let it hang, ignoring the comments or questions that the piece of content elicits.

Don’t leave your audience hanging. Take the opportunity to engage.

Give to get

When you view blogging as giving rather than getting to an SEO goal, the blog posts you create become a lot more valuable, more interesting, and more heartfelt.

It allows people to truly connect with and engage with your brand.

And the reality is every piece of content you create is a conversation starter. A successful blog should be viewed as a way to connect with and engage with your tribe.

When you give, you will inevitably get, but receiving can’t be the sole purpose behind the blog posts you write.

Want to know more about the art of successful blog writing? Checkout the blogging resources we have here