Blogging is a profitable marketing tactic that companies from all industries can use to attract and engage target buyers. The two biggest questions marketing executives have to answer when planning their blog strategy are 1) what will they write about, and 2) who will write the articles.
The best blog articles come from people within your organization that have deep industry expertise. Unfortunately, most internal experts or other potential blog contributors don’t have time to write, don’t like to write, or don’t know what to write about. It’s not part of the corporate culture, and they’ve never done anything like that before.
The good news is that there are processes you can implement to simplify the content creation process and make blogging the norm within your organization. Business leaders will be able to quickly create quality blogs that build a following, generate leads, and help salespeople sell.
Here are four ways to create blog articles without having to agonize over the writing process:
1. Partner with a Professional Blog Manager/Writer
The first step is to partner with someone who knows what they’re doing. A blog manager will help you develop a content strategy that aligns with your sales process and business objectives. They’re also in charge of:
- Project managing the production and promotion of articles
- Organizing content, so it’s easy for internal and external readers to use and consume
- Controlling quality to ensure the blogs meet writing, SEO, and brand standards
- Analyzing results to keep the strategy aligned with the needs of prospects and customers
Sometimes the blog manager is also the blog writer, but not always. A blog writer often works under the blog manager and is responsible for writing blog copy on your behalf: your “ghostwriter,” if you will. They take what you want to say and transform it into a blog that’s well-written, SEO friendly, and technically correct.
2. Record Yourself
Record your thoughts and ideas and send the audio file to your blog writer. This process works well if you have a clear vision of the information you want to portray. The writer can get the recording transcribed and use your verbal explanation to draft the written blog.
Or, you can use the recording as a podcast. The blog writer can create an intro paragraph to pique readers’ interest in the topic, then link to the recording.
3. Have a Writer Interview You
A blog writer can ask you questions to help guide a conversation about a particular topic. This approach works well when you aren’t exactly sure what you want to say. The writer uses the information gathered during the interview to draft blog copy.
4. Video Yourself or Do A Screen Capture Video
Both of these options require a little more time and planning, but they don’t require actually writing articles. You can set up a video camera and just talk about what you want to say. Screen capture videos are easier because you’re recording your computer screen and not yourself. If you want to show someone how to do something online, this is a great option.
Here’s an example of how this might work in the real world.
Let’s say you just had a meeting with a hot prospect, and they asked some great questions that you answered well. You want to follow up with some blog articles to reinforce your position.
On your way back to the office, you break out your voice recorder. You record the questions the prospect asked and your response and send the file to your blog writer. They write the article and send it back to you to proof and approve it. From there, it gets published on your blog, and you email the link to your prospect. Now they have the information they need and can share it with other decision makers within the account. And best of all, the next time you get asked those same questions (because you know you will), you already have the articles at your fingertips.
Conclusion
True blogging goes way beyond the press releases, company news, and product information that most companies typically promote. It’s customer-centric and designed to answer the questions and concerns prospects have as they navigate the buyer’s journey. It establishes an organization as a thought leader and trusted source of information, which has all sorts of benefits for business growth and stability.
Blogging is a skill that’s developed over time. It can also take time for the writer and the contributor to learn how to work well together. The key is to stick with it! Pretty soon you’ll be cranking out articles that showcase your thought leadership and drive a steady flow of website traffic and sales leads.
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