A blog can be a very effective way of generating traffic for your website, and ultimately new enquiries and sales for your business. But writing for a blog isn’t like writing any other kind of copy.

Here are some tips to help you write better blog copy:

Tell a story

Story telling is a cornerstone of great blogging. Properly done, readers will be intrigued by the story behind your blog posts and hence, hopefully, your business and product or service. It adds credibility and reality to whatever it is you’re selling.

So how do you come up with a story for your blog posts?

Here are a few ideas to get you started: How and why did you get into this business? Why is your product/service different? What drives you – or in modern marketing speak, what are you passionate about?

If you’re really stuck try this – start by writing about what has inspired you to write this post!

Also be sure to complete your blog profile and add some pics. It’s a simple way of adding some back story to your blog.

Use your own voice

An easy mistake with blogs is to use a journalistic style. When the best most engaging blog posts are anything but.

An easy way to give your blog a voice is to write as you speak – especially as you would speak to a close friend.

And don’t be afraid of being frank, candid, opinionated and even humorous where it’s appropriate. Here’s some advice on when you should and shouldn’t use humour.

A voice gives your reviews a unique feel that should help get your blog remembered and keep visitors coming back.

Be honest

Once visitors come to trust your blog they will stay with it and are more likely to act on your recommendations. Speak like you are advising a friend who you are trying to help.

The spirit of blogs should generally be positive but if, for example, something you review is poor or even downright bad don’t be afraid to say so.

Be timely

If something happens in your business, or your area of interest, then blog about it ASAP. For example, if there’s a story in the news, a change in the law, or a new opportunity that opens up try and write about it right away.

Recognising that you’re first, or nearly first, with new material is a good way to keep readers coming back. Posts that are first are also much more likely to be shared, and in the blogging world shares are really something worth having.

Post often …. and regularly

The more you post the more traffic, and more regular visitors, you will get. A daily post is ideal and there may be cases when you can post several times a day. At the very least post several times a week.

This needn’t involve a lot of work. A good technique is to mix long, detailed posts with short blasts.

Remember blogging is a two way traffic

Respond to any comments posted by visitors. This encourages reader loyalty. Also post your own comments to other similar blogs and forums, which is a good way of building traffic.

Don’t make every post a promotional post

Yes, the overall aim of your blog is to attract readers who’ll then buy things. But pushing products in every review is a turn-off to readers.

Also, product promotions work best when are they reviews, recommendations or endorsements. Where you talk about something and merely suggest it’s worth buying.

You might say not making any post a promotional post is a much better idea.

One final tip. Don’t think of your blog as an advertising and marketing tool (although it most certainly is). The more your readers see your blog as a useful source of information on your subject of interest the more they will visit – and, ultimately, they’re more likely to gravitate towards that source of information when they want to buy.

I hope this information helps you to improve your blog writing technique. If you’d rather leave blog writing to someone else then I offer a blog writing services for most kinds of blogs, plus articles and news. Drop me an email for more information.