Blogs are a powerful tool for creating community, increasing sales and relationship-building for small businesses. Unlike social media (Facebook, Twitter, etc.), a blog is 100 percent about you and your brand, not about a large technology company’s brand. And unlike social media, when you start sharing information with your customers, a competitor’s ad doesn’t pop up in their timeline. So here is the mystery: Why do so many small business owners not take advantage of blogging?
Don’t use these fake excuses for not blogging.
In a newly published 135-page ebook, Building a Successful WordPress Blog, GoDaddy covers everything a reluctant small business blogger might need to build and begin using a blog. (You can download a free copy of the ebook here). In it, 25 bloggers explore all aspects of creating and using a blog—and they even address my question about why there are not more small business bloggers. In the book’s introduction, Raubi Marie Perilli covers the typical excuses she hears for the reasons why small business owners don’t blog. I agree with her that the excuses people give are misinformed—some are even fake. Here is my take on some of the “fake excuses” that people claim keep them from using one of the most powerful marketing tools available.
Fake Excuse #1 | I’m not tech-savy.
If you can use Microsoft Word, you can manage a simple blog. These days, it’s all drag and drop, and typing text into boxes.
Fake Excuse #2 | I don’t know how to code.
I’ve been blogging for 17+ years and have seen blogging software evolve from geeky to no-brainer (and no coding). At some point down the road, you may want to learn how to use a few “tags” that may add a feature, but you don’t need them to start blogging.
Fake Excuse #3 | Starting a blog is expensive.
Blogs start off at the price of $0 per month, which, if you run a business, you know, adds up to $0 a year. However, you’ll probably want to add some bells and whistles that make your blog more personal. And the more you spend, the cooler those bells and whistles can get.
Fake Excuse #4 | I don’t have anything to write about.
Do you have a business? Do you have customers? Do you ever have something that you’d like to tell them about? Perhaps a new shipment has arrived—write about that. Or, share a photo or link. Those don’t even require you to write.
Fake Excuse #5 | There’s no point in having a blog.
I agree with Perilli who writes, “Even if it has a small readership, a blog can do a lot for you both personally and professionally.” Among the things she lists are:
• Help you build your personal brand and highlight your knowledge.
• Lead to possible job opportunities, speaking and interview opportunities.
• Help you start a business or side hustle.
• Connect you with a new community of people.
VIA | GoDaddy Ebook: 25 Experts Weigh in on Building a Successful WordPress Blog
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