If you’re writing a blog related to your business then you’re already on your way to increasing sales! The next step is turning the people who read your blog into people who actually make a purchase or contact you for more information about your business, products and services. It’s easier to do than you might think using a few simple tricks!
First, if you run a retail website, it’s absolutely essential that your blog and the content of your blog posts link to your online catalog or store whenever possible. At the very least, you should have a highly visible image link to your online store at the top of every page of your blog. For example, a standard image calling attention to your online store could be placed at the top of your blog’s sidebar, so it’s easy to see and find no matter what page a visitor lands on when they come to your site. Remember, your blog will generate incoming links from across the web over time. Therefore, you can’t guarantee that a visitor will land on your business website’s home page. Make sure it’s very easy for any visitor to find out more about you and find your online store with a simple click of the mouse from any page of your website and blog.
Next, don’t use your business blog as a place to constantly self-promote your business, products and services. Instead, you should offer meaningful and useful information related to your industry. Refer to your products (and include links to those products in your online store within your blog post) when it’s appropriate and adds value to the reader’s experience. Simply overloading your blog posts with information about how great your business is, multiple links to your products which might be completely irrelevant to the blog post in which they appear, and so on creates a negative user experience. In short, no one will return to your business blog if the only information they find there is self-promotional posts. Instead, offer information that helps readers, and indirectly market your business within those posts with useful references and links that enhance the post rather than interrupt it and detract from it.
Finally, give your audience something extra or exclusive to reward them for reading your business blog. For example, offer special discount codes that can be used in your online or offline store. Provide tips and tutorials that are offered only on your blog. In other words, people have to have a reason to read your blog rather than other blogs or websites. Extra and exclusive information not only attracts new visitors but also boost repeat visitors.
Most importantly, be active. Continually write new posts and content, interact with your readers, and begin building relationships with them that will help increase sales, brand loyalty and word-of-mouth marketing.
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