You might have read about our The Company Blog Success Formula and are wondering where to start and what to get right first. Well, the answer is just few lines ahead. Roll up your sleeves and fix these first to get to the Minimum Viable Blog level. Minimum Viable Blog level is reached when it has all the very basic elements of the Company Blog Success Formula in place for the launch.
1. Premium Content. One piece of premium content (such as an ebook): To get results, that is, to get leads, you need to have one piece of premium content, such as an ebook, guide or a template. For further ideas, check http://howtobe.loyalistic.com/blog/19-best-content-for-lead-generation
2. At least 5 blog posts. There is no point of launching a blog with just one post and then run out of posts next week. Write 5 blog posts before launching. Then publish them one at the time, promoting each as you go along. In the coming weeks you should be concentrating on promotion and audience, not creation. You can even schedule posts in advance.
3. image in each blog post. A post without a relevant image is a half of a blog post. It is read and shared half that much as one with a relevant image. Or to say it in Jeff Bulla’s words: Posts with images get 94% more views. Canva is a great tool for creating images.
4. Submit your blog to Google. Search engines do not find your blog unless you provide a path there. Links are such a way, but still submit your blog to Google to get indexed immediately.
5. Link from your website. Remember to link your blog from your website. Add blog-link to your website’s menu or navigation. At least have a link at your site’s footer.
6. Social networks set up (company + employees') Don’t spend too much time thinking on which social medias you need to be present, how and how much time it will take. Setup company or brand account to Twitter and Facebook, then setup a company page in LinkedIn. Then ask your employees follow all of them and link their LinkedIn profile to the company page. Share everything to all of those channels, and notify employees about new content. Ask them to share what they feel comfortable.
7. Email Newsletter. Ask readers to subscribe your newsletter, and remember to send them updates about the posts. Email strategy is essential piece on your road to success. It’s very difficult to build an audience, unless you can get them subscribe and then notify about new content. If you have existing email marketing lists, now is the time to send a newsletter about launching your blog and short teasers of each post with read more -link to drive traffic to your blog. Having an “subscribe our newsletter” form is not so important in the beginning as the conversion rate is very low and there isn’t much traffic meaning you are unlikely to lose many potential subscriptions by waiting another month with the form.
The Company Blog Success Formula Series:
- The Company Blog Success Formula, what makes or breaks your company blog, and how to achieve success
- Rich blogger, poor blogger: How to build your audience and content assets for success (Assets)
- Behind every legendary blog is a great promoter (Promotion)
- 11 finishing steps that make your blog post great [ Greatness ]
- Blogging is a volume sport, why? [ Quantity ]
- Without [ Content - Audience Fit ], your company blog will fail
- Road to blogging success is paved with constant small improvements
- 7 must-haves of a Minimum Viable Blog [ CHECKLIST ]
DOWNLOAD THE WHOLE SERIES [FREE EBOOK]
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Written by Antti Pietilä Antti is the founder and CEO at Loyalistic (Simple Content Marketing Software for B2B Companies) who loves to help SaaS-companies to grow at Software Entrepreneurs (@ohjelmisto_ry) and cycle. Say hello to him anytime @anttipietila. |
