This document provides tips and strategies for using blogging to drive traffic to a business. It discusses how blogging can improve search engine results, generate links and social media engagement. Specific recommendations include determining keywords to target, creating a content calendar, optimizing blog post titles and balancing promotional and user-focused content. Both B2B and B2C blogging are addressed, and tools for sharing, analytics and platform selection are covered. The overall message is that consistent, keyword-optimized blogging establishes expertise and gives customers a reason to engage with a business online.

1. Drivingtrafficto
yourbusiness
withblogging
How creating and maintaining a blog
can help you get new customers and
keep the ones you have
Katherine Raz
Community Manager, Signalhq.com
@katherine_raz

2. So,why blog?

3. Thebenefitsofbloggingforbusiness
● Improves your business' organic search results and generates
traffic to your website
● Creates opportunity for inbound links which increase search
rankings
● Creates content that can be distributed via social channels,
broadening your business' reach online
● Establishes your business expertise and credibility
● Helps with PR efforts as your business has more visibility
● Creates community, giving customers a reason to engage with
you online (and helps your mom keep up with your doings!)

4. Strategicbloggingdrivestraffictoyoursite
● Determine keywords which bring traffic to your website
● Create a content calendar with post titles that contain those
keywords
● Publish regularly and share your blog posts across social
channels (Twitter, Linkedin, Facebook, Google+)
● Share your blog posts in your email newsletter
● Add share tools to your blog so your blog readers can easily
share posts across their networks
● Make sure your blog links back -- in several places! -- to your
main business website or otherwise "captures" traffic

5. Keywordsforcontent

6. Usinganalytics to
determineblog content
● Search traffic is the most
powerful tool you have in
determining blog content
● What keywords are people
searching for that drive
relevant traffic to your
business?
● Create blog post titles that
mimic search terms you're
winning on and those you'd
like to start gaining traffic on

7. Blogposttitles thatgo
formaximumSEO
● Find out what your current
search terms are
● Identify valuable keywords
using Google Keywords Tool
● Think like a customer: what
search terms are they using
to find my business or be
informed
● Don't get creative with post
titles: keyword it out!

8. Badblog post titles
Clear Mistakes: Storm
Installation Gone Wrong!
No-wheat Treats You Can
Make
Love the Ombre Look? So do
these celebs!
Howtotitleyourblogposts
formaximum SEO
Goodblogposttitles vs.
5 Mistakes to Avoid When Installing
or Replacing Your Storm Windows
Gluten-free Dog Treat Biscuit
Recipes You Can Bake at Home
Celebrity Ombre Hairstyles You
Should Copy This Fall
with keywords highlighted

9. Whatdoyouwriteabout?

10. What goesonthe blog?
● Even "boring" or extremely
technical businesses can
create interesting blog
content by looking at their
business from the outside in
● Combine content informed
by relevant keyword searches
with content that's useful to
your customers -- what
answers their questions?
● What everyday occurrence at
your business has viral
potential?

11. Givingawaythesecrets
● Successful blogging means
sometimes sharing
proprietary content
● Ideally, you're giving
customers enough
information so they
determine they'd rather have
you do it for them
● Think like a magician: show
people how to do a few
simple card tricks that aren't
actually included in your
show

12. Staying organized with acontentcalendar
● Determine key dates and events
● Write 80% of your blog content with keyword searches in mind
● Think like a magazine: establish sections and themes for easy
reading: customer profiles, how to, etc.
● Use a spreadsheet to organize information week by week
● Determine blog authors and make sure they are responsible for
content
● Work in advance to ensure you can get all needed content
together in time to publish

13. Selfpromotionratio
● Your blog isn't a press release
feed
● Create content that engages
your audience. What's in it
for them?
● Stick to the 80/20 rule of self
promotion: 80% user-friendly
content, 20% promotion of
business services, products
and events
● Good content can be promo
in disguise

14. B2BversusB2C content

15. B2B blogcontent
● B2B blogs may have a smaller
audience, but the overall goal
is the same: win on search
traffic and establish yourself
as an expert
● Create content that helps
your B2B customers do
better business (save money,
generate leads, etc.)
● Proprietary data, studies, and
information can be a golden
opportunity for content

16. B2C blogcontent
● Make your posts shareable,
both technically and content-
wise
● Tell the story of your
business, customers and
suppliers
● How can your blog engage
the superfan and provide
them with more content?
● What back stories add value
to your product?

17. Gettingmaximum impact

18. Getmoremileagewithsocial sharing and RSS
● Make it easy for people to share your posts to social channels by
installing a social sharing widget
● Promote your RSS feed so it's easy for readers to subscribe in a
feed reader or via email
● Share your own posts across social channels, like Pinterest,
Facebook, Linkedin, Google+ and Twitter
● You can share the same post multiple times
● Recycle old blog content in "best of" posts and in email
newsletters

19. Convertreaders into
payingcustomers
● Make your page "sticky" with
clear explanations of your
business and plenty of places
to click for more information
● Ask them to subscribe to the
blog or an email newsletter --
and give them a reason to do
so
● Get them into the funnel!

20. Choosingabloggingplatform
● Familiarize yourself with the pros and cons of each platform (for
instance, you can't comment on Tumblr posts, but they're highly
visual and easily shareable)
● Find a platform that's easy for you to use
● Adding a blog to your existing website is as easy as YourSite.
com/Blog or blog.yoursite.com
● No matter what, you'll want to make sure:
○ You can monitor analytics and traffic to your blog
○ You can manage the flow of traffic from your blog to your
site
○ You can easily link to and share posts across social channels

21. Whichplatform
shouldyou use?
a fewsuggestions:
Wordpress
Blogger
Typepad
Squarespace
Movable Type
Tumblr
Itallseemssotechnical.
How doyousetitup?
Find a blogging platform that
hosts your content, then point
your blog page to your hosted
content.
OR:
Use a flexible blogging
platform to host your entire
website. (Your blog doesn't
have to be your front page.)

22. A few bloggingtoolsthat'll makeyourlifeeasier
Resources

23. Thanks.
Questions? Feedback?
Want to share your own blogging
stories?
Contact me anytime.
Katherine Raz
katherine@signalhq.com
@katherine_raz