21 Steps To Creating A Winning Blog

Don't be a generalist - find out specifically who you are targeting and then focus on that group. For more information read this blog - http://www.tribalcafe.co.uk/niche-marketing-11-tips-to-grow-your-niche/

Find out where your customers are online. What forums they use, what Linkedin groups they participate in, what Facebook groups...Use listening tools to identify where they 'hang out'. http://www.tribalcafe.co.uk/simple-and-smart-social-media-tools-to-use/

Listen to what they are talking about, what gets shared the most, topics that are hot and trending. Make a list of categories.

Once you get used to listening to the different topics make a list of problems that they face. If in doubt ask a question in forums, groups or through Google Hangouts.

Produce a list of ways you can help and add value. What content can you produce that will educate and inform. Can you produce How To videos, can you host a webinar...

Take into account what your competition are blogging about, what topics tehy are focusing on

Key actions
- Identify their key topics e.g. categories on their blog page
- See what posts have been popular and assess why
- Identify how you can be different / better than them
- Don’t be a copy cat

how to write a blog tell your brand message in your business blog
What do you stand for and why should people follow your – what is the core message that will attract and be relevant to your audience.

Key Actions
- Develop an easy strap line that helps people understand what your about
- Build your message into your blogs and communications

Be clear about what you want to achieve (be realistic) and what business benefit will it deliver e.g. 5 leads per week.
Key Actions
- Use SMART objectives (specific, measurable, achievable, realistic and timed)
- Be sure you can measure them
- Produce a spreadsheet and plan out your targets by week/month and then your results

Plan in the strategy that is going to work for you – how your blog content fits to your overall marketing plan and communications mix.

Key actions
What are the key resources and actions needed to achieve your goals?
What are the daily/weekly tasks you are going to schedule?

A good blog needs a good home. Invest in a WordPress blog that is going to fit to your brand and be easy for people to engage with.
Key actions

Make sure you choose a responsive theme – the rise of the mobile consumer is here see these stats
Build in the styles and design features that can help your blog stand out
Blogs are increasing becoming more visual so add in the styling that will help you produce a good visual layout – think more magazine than blog check out how we can help you TribalCafe WordPress Blogs and Websites

Your blog needs to turn traffic into cash, that means it needs to be a marketing machine more than a fancy design. Keep ti simple and easy.

Build in your key conversion points and methods to convert customers
Add in tracking e.g. goals so you can measure performance

By integrating your social networks you are encouraging people to share your content and bookmark it. This increases awareness and traffic of your blog as well as improves your SEO.

This is probably on of the most important steps. An editorial calendar will help stay focused and give you a good schedule to work to. It is even more important if you have more than 1 person in your business blogging.
Key actions

Be realistic and don’t forget to add in the other content that you are producing
Balance out your categories to make it more varied and interesting for your audience

Research Your Keywords and Phrases
develop the seo that is right for your blog and each post

Key actions
- Do you keyword research and focus on the long tail keywords and phrases for your niche
- Optimise your on page SEO as well for each post e.g. use Yoasts WordPress SEO plugin

Your titles make the difference between a click and no-click a share and just a read. Spend time coming up with awessome titles.

Key Actions
- Think like a magazine editor here
- Download our content marketing guide and use our list of formulas for killer headlines

Write for people but use your own voice. Take time to write down how you want to come across what sort of messages and values are important to you. Be personal and passionate this will always beat those that are doing for the sake of doing it.

Key actions
- Format it like a magazine page and use images.
- Don't make paragraphs more than 2-3 sentences.

You have to promote your blog and ensure it is found

Key actions
Publish to your main social networks and invite comments and feedback

Comments are the gold of blogging and so actively invite comments and always respond promptly to them

Use a good commenting system such as Disqus
Respond and be helpful, never rude. Remove any spam to keep you blog clean

With each blog post you move one step closer to achieving your goals. Track your metrics and review regularly. Understand what works well and what you need to improve. Think about what topics and blogs do well and why.

Remember it is a marketing machine you are building not just a blog. SO thing about what sign up forms work and which ones don't. Try different positions, colours, places on your blog. Test and improve use measures to be sure.

If you have chosen a subject that you are passionate about, interested in and can be creative with then you will do well. Enjoy it, have fun and build your audience. It is worth it but you have to keep going.