Write a Killer Blog?

Your CEO, foodie neighbor and pre-teen all have a blog. So as an influential businesswoman, you started one (or you’ve been thinking about it). After all, of business owners and execs who blog, 71 percent say they have greater visibility in their industry, and 63 percent have used it to secure clients or sell products. So where to start?

Unless you sell online ads, it’s not about traffic, says Penelope Trunk, author of Brazen Careerist, an award-winning business life blog with 500,000 monthly visitors. Instead, “find out what your target audience wants to know and share tips on your expertise.” Blogging is about giving, she tells PINK. So constantly promoting your products won’t work. “When you’re networking, you don’t ask for something when you first meet someone. And the conversation’s not all business. We talk about ourselves instinctively, but not in writing.” She suggests revealing personal experiences (“it should be a little uncomfortable”), showing your quirky side and writing how you speak (“no one says utilize”).

Writing to promote your small business? BlogTrafficExchange.com and Mashable.com offer tips for entrepreneurs. For instance, use keywords to optimize your blog and site for search engines.

Posting for your corporation? ProBlogger.net, the Blogger’s Choice Award for best blogs about blogging, and TopRankBlog.com share writing strategies, like keeping your writing focused and having some fun.

Want more? Check out Trust Agents: Using the Web to Build Influence, Improve Reputation, and Earn Trust.

“A blog is merely a tool that lets you do anything from change the world to
share your shopping list.” Unknown