Your online business presence isn’t limited to having a website or a social media profile. More and more small business owners start their own blogs to bring in more traffic and potential leads. If you’re one of them, here are the 5 steps you’ll need to take to do it correctly:
- Choose your blogging platform
The most commonly used one is WordPress – it allows you to set up a blog in just a few minutes and to choose a domain and personalize it according to your taste. Other options include Weebly, Drupal, and Joomla.
- Choose the theme
One of the major benefits of the WordPress platform is that it allows you to customize your blog’s theme. Make sure your blog is responsive, so your users will be able to access it from their smartphones and tablets. When choosing a theme, keep in mind that it needs to allow a certain level of customization, such as being able to change colors, the navigation menu, add buttons and widgets.
- Domain name
Registering a domain name is a must-do, as this will be the URL your visitors will use to access your site and blog. Check out different domain providers to choose the most suitable and affordable option. Generally, a domain name will cost you around $10 per year.
- Editorial calendar
One key element of your small business blog is a list with around 10 keyword-rich categories. Determine these in advance and then plan your content calendar. Think about how much time you can devote to your blog – the minimum is at least one or two posts per week to keep your audience engaged.
- Think about what your blog will be about
Last, but not least, consider the content you’ll be uploading. What is your main objective – driving leads, building an email list, or becoming an expert in the field? Think about the voice of your blog – are you going for professional, academic, or light-hearted and casual? Prepare the answers to these questions in advance to make your blog interesting, engaging, and most importantly, coherent.
