Telling a business owner their company needs a blog is like telling your kids to make their beds. They just don’t see why it matters — and there’s a good chance they’ll fight you on it!

Quite a few studies show a link between making your bed and being happier and more productive. So, what about blogging?

We can’t guarantee that blogging will bring you happiness (or smoother sheets). But we can promise, if it’s done well, it will help you connect with your customers and enhance your bottom line.

So, how does this magic work? It starts with search.

I joke that Google knows me better than my husband does. It knows what’s on my mind at any given moment, interprets my questions and gives me an array of options to address my needs, wants and curiosities.

But, for Google to do that, it needs information (or, as we like to call it in the biz, “content”). This content comes from websites all over the world. Enter the blog.

Your blog is your opportunity to answer your customers’ questions and create a home for topics in your area of expertise. It is not a feed of your company’s press releases.

Let me repeat that for the people in the back: Do not fill your blog with press releases! Posting a few here and there is ok, but customers don’t care how great you are. (Well, they do, but only once they’ve established that you can help them.) It comes down to whether you’re just telling customers what you want them to hear, or telling them what they want to know. Press releases are the information you think is important. Provide the information your customers really care about, too.

Another way I frame this is having a “give” versus “get” mentality. Companies want to get business. Naturally. But, first, you have to give customers something they want, such as answers to their questions.

That’s why blogging is so important. Customers are out there searching for answers. All. The. Time. If you’re not out there providing information, how do you expect them to find you?

Having a blog is a nimble way for you to provide information and be seen by your customers. The topics you blog about might not make sense elsewhere in the structure of your website, which is part of the beauty of a blog. It gives you a place to share all the stuff your customers want to know.

How do you get started? Think of what your customers go through as they consider hiring a company like yours. What questions might they have during their research? What will be important to them? What pain points do they have? What topics are related? Brainstorm ideas and make a plan for your most promising topics. Who will write each one? When is each blog due? It’s that simple (notice I didn’t say “easy”). Soon you’ll be on your way to blogging!

Pro Blogging Tip: Most industries have their fair share of jargon. We use terms and phrases around the office and everyone we work with gets it because we’re all in the same field. But your customers won’t. When blogging, keep the jargon to a minimum, or at least make an effort to explain what the heck you’re talking about. Confusing your customers will only alienate them.

If you’ve decided a blog will make your customers happy, but it’s more than you can take on with your regular job duties, give us a call! We love helping businesses refine and share their stories with their target audiences. (See? Jargon!) Put another way, we’d love to help play matchmaker between you and your customers.