• Boost the organic and SEO rankings.
• Increase online traffic.
• Establish brand authority.
• Boost customer engagement.
• Drive leads and sales.

However, creating content alone does not allow you to achieve the above mentioned objectives. The following steps will help the business/ individual start and establish a blog.

1. Creating a Solid Foundation

Before you start typing and sharing content, it important that you first lay a foundation. To set a solid foundation, you need to choose the right platform. Although there are plenty of options available, WordPress stands out. It is one of the most popular CMS (Content Management System). Over 35 percent of websites use WordPress. It offers limitless possibilities. If your website is already hosted on WordPress, you have taken the right decision. All you will need to do is set up the blog. It might also be a good idea to hire a freelance developer to help you out. WordPress is the best choice because it provides useful integrations, plugins, and resources to users.

2. Focus on SEO

Every successful business knows the importance of SEO (Search Engine Optimization). It is of critical importance. Search engines such as Google have algorithms in place that find and rank websites including blogs. What this means is that when someone searches for a related topic, your website would appear. As mentioned above, blogging helps boost website traffic. But, after you have learned how to start a blog, you will come to realize that simply writing a post does not boost traffic. This is why SEO needs to be leveraged. It should be the backbone of each post you want to publish. Once again, WordPress plugins prove useful when it comes to expanding your website’s functionality. They do all of the heavy lifting. The following plugins should be used when creating a blog.

• Google XML Sitemap: To ensure that Google finds your blog, you need to insert this plugin. Once you have submitted your sitemap, Google would crawl your blog to look for content for indexing.

• Yoast SEO: Another popular plugin that you need to use is Yoast SEO. It deals with technical optimization of your blog. It is completely free. There are also extra features that premium users can access. Yoast will provide you with tips on how to optimize the post when you are publishing a post.

3. Produce Viral Content

When it comes to blogging, everyone knows the value of content. The saying “Content is king” could not be more appropriate. There is a lot that needs to be considered when producing valuable content. It is just as important as SEO. Here is what you should know.

Post-Level SEO
To direct your efforts towards producing the right content, SEO keyword research is necessary. By conducting SEO keyword research, you can rest assured that your blog would appear in search engines. Before you craft a post, you need to compile a list of relevant keywords. For instance, if you plan to start a blog about home cleaning products, the following keywords would be relevant.

• How to create a cleaning spray
• DIY cleaning spray
• Organic products for cleaning
• Natural cleaning products

To incorporate the above keywords, you need to think about how you can highlight your products. Google Keyword Planner is a powerful tool that you can use to find out which terms are most searched for a topic. Create a variety of titles to incorporate each keyword related to your business. Make sure to use 20 to 30 relevant keywords in your post. Add keywords in the opening paragraph. When it comes to running a successful blog, you need to know where to place the keywords such as the following.

• The meta description
• In the H1 (Sub-header)
• Alt tags on images
• Sprinkled throughout the post
• The opening and closing paragraph of each post
• In the headline
• In the URL

Do not forget to install the Yoast SEO plugin to improve SEO for each post.

Content Calculator
Once SEO research has been completed, you will need to use a content calendar. It provides a road map for when you should publish content. It will need to be updated regularly. When you are in the mood to write a post, you can use the content calendar to find out what needs to be written.

How Often Should You Post Content?
An important question that needs answering is how often should content be posted. According to an analysis by Hub Spot, it was found that the more one publishes the more traffic is generated. However, you cannot stray from the blog objectives. Before you start posting content whenever you have the time, keep in mind that quality is more important than quantity.

Blog Post Formatting
Finally, when writing content, you need to know how to format the posts. By formatting the posts, you get to encourage others to read your content, share it, and engage with it. The following guidelines will prove useful.

• Make sure that the content is easy to read. People should have no trouble digesting the information quickly.
• Provide social sharing options.
• Avoid density by shortening the paragraphs and breaking up the content.

4. Keep Promoting

After you have posted the content, it is time that you start promoting it. Promote your posts by sharing them. Promote the content as soon as you publish it. Each new post should be shared on social media platforms such as Pinterest, Instagram, Twitter, Facebook, and the like. Do not forget to send subscribers an email at least once a month to keep them hooked. You can even schedule the shares by using Hoot Suite. It is a social scheduling tool that allows you to schedule content sharing.

5. Review Your Efforts

Once you have posted your content and have promoted it on various platforms, you need to review your effort. Dedicate some time every month to analyze what worked and what failed. This is where a Google Analytics account comes in handy. It allows you to analyze all your efforts. You can connect it to your blog to analyze daily conversions, visitors, and more.

So What Are You Waiting For?
Start your blog today by taking advantage of the information provided in this post. Win2Win truly believes that there is no better time to start blogging than the present. Establish your foundation, create content, promote it, and analyze your efforts.

The post How To Start A Blog appeared first on Win2Win.

Here are the top 10 reasons why small businesses should have a blog on their website.

1. Increase Search Engine Traffic
Blogs can take advantage of search engine optimization and increase traffic. It is the easiest and most cost-effective way to generate traffic. The traffic that is generated through the search engine due to search engine optimization is referred to as organic traffic which is the best way to generate traffic for your website. The more blogs you post, the more chances of the traffic increasing.

Get busy writing

2. Humanizes the Brand
Businesses need to be humanized if they are to succeed. After all, a business is being run by humans. Hence, it should also behave like one. When small businesses post blogs on their websites, it helps visitors connect with the brand and engage with it.

3. Supports Social Media
Blogs are an important part of social media as they are promoted on all the social media accounts of the business. They are vital for sharing information which normally cannot be shared on social media. Furthermore, there are certain restrictions on social media which a business will not have to face if they are to have their own blogs. For example, Twitter only allows a certain amount of characters which might compromise the message which the business intends to share.

4. Showcase Your Expertise in the Industry
A blog is a great way to showcase your expertise in the field. No matter which industry you might be working in, it is important to have a blog. It shows that you are the market leader and confident in sharing critical information. This information allows improves customer loyalty, promotes healthy competition and even improves search ranking. Google ranks tutorial blogs the highest which could also be beneficial for you business.

A blog from Win2Win

5. Helps Improve the Conversion rate
When customers or visitors see blogs, it shows that you have been in the business for a while and are respected in the field since you provide insights into the industry, your business or what you stand for. All of these things help improve conversion rates. Customers want to buy from a business that is vocal and has an identity of its own which is something only blogs can accomplish.

6. Generates Inbound Traffic
Inbound links can be placed in all the latest blogs which can help generate inbound traffic to older or even newer blog posts. It is a great way to generate traffic and it shows that you as a business have concisely provided information that is of use to customers and viewers.

7. Helps Include Your Business in Long Search Query
The best way to generate more traffic, boost sales and improve search rankings is by writing blogs and when you actively post blogs that cover just about every single issue in the industry, it helps include your business in long search queries. It shows the commitment which a business has taken to dedicated it’s time for its blog.

8. Increases Leads
At the end of the day, leads are one of the reasons why one would start a blog in the first place. Therefore, when you write a blog on your website, it increases leads, which in turn leads to increased sales. Businesses should aim for more than 500 words as it increases the chances of boosting the amount of leads. More content leads to more information about customers, more queries from customers and an overall image of a business that cares about its customers.

Unlimited options to having a blog

9. Facilitates Discussion
Blogs are vital for facilitating discussions. These discussions help the business to become discovered by others. Websites that focus on discussions are ranked highly on Google Search Engine and other search engines as well. Marketing that allows for learning and dialogue is considered to be the most effective.

10. Allows the Business to Provide Its Take on Things
Sometimes, a business might disagree with the practices in the industry or support certain issues such as for gender equality and other issues. Blogs provide a great platform to the business to voice its opinions and create goodwill among customers.

It is important for a business to provide its take on things and stand out in the industry. When a business is true to its vision and what it stands for, it provides the business with a competitive edge over other businesses.
Conclusion

We live in the age of the internet and information. The internet is a place where anyone can share just about everything. Blogs and articles provide businesses with the power to make the headlines on the internet. It is never too late for a companies to create a blog. It’s the ideal place to give tips, advice and ideas.  Take a look at our blogs at Win2Win for the perfect example or explore some of your fabulous promotional items.

The post 10 Reasons to Have a Blog on Your Website appeared first on Win2Win.