In the age of content marketing, blogging has quickly become an important marketing strategy for Building Product Brands who are looking to increase traffic to their websites and generate more leads. In fact, establishing a blog not only attracts more potential customers to your website, but it also helps to ensure your website has regularly updated content… which is critical for increasing search engine rankings.
What’s more, a blog allows your brand to position itself as a thought leader and establish brand “authority.” Especially when you provide commentary on industry trends and events.
Learn the top four recommendations for creating content to elevate your building products brand—encouraging readers to visit your blog time and time again.
1) Identify (and know) your audience
When writing blog posts, always keep your brand’s customers (and prospective customers) top of mind. How can you help them perform their jobs better, be more successful or grow their business? If your blog can address readers’ common questions—business challenges and pain points—or simply share useful tricks-of-the-trade, your brand is more likely to be viewed as a trusted resource. And, that can go a long way in increasing your brand’s credibility.
TIP: Keep the tone of your blog posts conversational and relaxed—as if you are speaking face-to-face with your customer or prospect.
2) Write an enticing headline
Even the best-written blog post will likely go unnoticed if it doesn’t have a compelling subject line. As with any written content, a blog post needs a headline that engages readers and provides a clear initial impression of what the post is addressing. Remember, you only have a few seconds to grab a reader’s attention. A strong, to-the-point headline makes it easier to draw readers into your narrative.
TIP: While clever headlines can generate curiosity, overly creative approaches can miss the mark—potentially creating lost opportunities. It’s best to stick with simple, easily digestible headlines. Ideally, a good headline uses no more than 7 or 8 words in length.
3) Don’t forget about the layout
It may seem obvious, but when it comes to the layout of your blog, keeping things simple will go a long way in attracting readers. Avoid the use of long paragraphs and endless strings of text, which can deter readers from engaging with your content. Instead, incorporate elements such as subheads and lists to create structure. Break up copy, and make it easier for readers to quickly skim content.
TIP: Consider using images or graphs/infographics in your blog post. They add visual interest and support your content, which can be an effective way to focus readers who otherwise may have become distracted.
4) Develop a clear call-to-action
Every blog post should have an easily identifiable call-to-action (CTA). If a reader has made it to the end of your post, you have fully engaged that audience. So make sure to properly leverage the opportunity. When creating your CTA, use action verbs designed to motivate readers to act. Some examples include, “download our white paper,” “sign up for a free trial” or “reserve your spot in our webinar.”
TIP: Add a “Subscribe to our Blog” option at the end of every post. These “conversions” help to capture interest in your brand and contribute to moving prospects further into your sales funnel.
Some additional points to consider:
Play off of current events. Relating your blog content to trending topics in business culture can help to make posts highly relevant, timely and interesting. For example, you might speak to the growing emphasis on “designing for wellness” and how your products support that trend. Or, you might discuss ways in which your organization is addressing the skilled labor shortage.
Leverage research. Incorporate relevant stats, polls or other industry-relevant research in your blog posts. Research-driven content, whether based on an in-depth study or a less formal reader poll, are another great way to add value to blog posts.
Include target keywords. Don’t forget to use keywords and phrases relevant to your brand throughout your blog post. This increases your visibility within search engines and makes your content easier to find for target audiences.
Stay focused. When developing blog posts, stick to what you know and avoid straying too far from your core competency. Rather, establish expertise in a particular area related to your brand. As in most forms of marketing differentiation, it’s preferred to establish credibility in a narrow field rather than a broad one.
Promote your blog. To optimize your blog posts, share them in your brand’s e-newsletter and on your social media platforms. You’ll attract more eyes to your posts and drive additional traffic to your website.
Blogs are a priority vehicle for building brand awareness and authority that help to generate website visitors and leads. If you don’t already have an effective blog strategy in place, K&A can help you create a robust content marketing program for your building products brand.
