The Donut Shop Online Marketing Podcast, Blog Posts that Bring Leads, Episode 10

Written by Dave Shrein

Blog Posts that Bring Leads

You want online marketing to help your business take off. You want to see profits from what you create, and you’re willing to put in the work to have the world notice. So how does blogging fit into your vision and cyclical marketing plan? If it doesn’t, it should.

It’s overwhelming to think about starting a blog, writing regular posts, and creating more content. That’s why so many people never even start. They think it’s too hard and they need to be experts to make it work. They’re wrong.

Writing and content creation can become a bottleneck if you’re not acutely aware of your content needs and how to meet those. It can be motivating to find out just how much blogging can do for your business, and how it can increase your profit and authority online.

Blogging is one of the essential pieces of a successful online marketing strategy, and in this article, we’re going to show you how to blog to bring leads and authority to your business.

Why You Should Blog as Part of Your Marketing Strategy

You’re a business owner, you know that to be successful, you need to have a strong online presence. Marketing is multi-faceted and has lots of components. You may have a website, a Facebook page, and maybe even a Twitter account, but you aren’t sure about how blogging fits into your existing vision and strategy.

Blogging can be an extremely effective way to drive traffic to your website. In fact, businesses that blog see a positive ROI, or return on investment.

When you write a blog post, you’re creating a piece of content that can be referenced at any time in the future. This makes an easy online library for your customers to learn more about you and who you are.

When they interact with you through your blog, they’ll know what to expect and maybe even see you already as an authority in your field. Your blog is a wonderful tool for building authority and showcasing knowledge. This means that your blog post will continue to bring traffic to your website long after you’ve written it.

Using your blog as a tool for teaching is a great way to bring in more business, as well. Think about the problems your audience is having – the ones you can solve – and then write about them. Create a space for them to learn something, and you’ll win them over as fans of you and your business and they will likely become paying customers.

The more you can teach potential customers solutions for the problems they’re having, the quicker you are going to convert them into actual customers.

When you provide valuable content that is relevant to your customers, they are more likely to trust you and do business with you.

What Kind of Blog Posts Will Bring You Leads

When you’re blogging for business, it’s important to know which kinds of blog posts will bring you leads. You want to use the right keywords in your blog posts so that your content is found by your target audience.

Writer’s block does exist, and sometimes can be nudged away with a list of potential post ideas to get you started. Regardless of the industry, you’re in, you’ll be able to use the ideas below as a jumpstart for your blog. Pick one of the options and start a draft! Don’t let content become your bottleneck!

1. The best tools for X

2. How to do X

3. Why you should do X 

4. X done differently

5. Top 5 ways to do X

6. How to get better at X

7. The ultimate guide to doing X

8. A beginner’s guide to doing X

9. The most common mistakes people make when doing X

10. Advanced tips and tricks for doing X

11. The history of X

12. The future of X

Now that you know how to blog in a way that will bring leads and authority to your business, it’s important to understand what a lead form is and how it can help you capture leads. By capturing leads, you can start building relationships with potential customers.

Creating an easy way for interested people to get more information from you about what you’re offering is important! If they read your informative, valuable post and then want to work with you, are there immediate steps available and visible to them? If not, you need a lead form!

A lead form is a tool that allows you to collect information from website visitors who are interested in learning more about your business. The information collected on a lead form can be used to create a list of leads so you can market to your visitors at a later date.

There are many different types of lead forms available, and the type you choose will depend on the needs of your business. Some lead forms ask for just the site visitor’s name and email address, while others may ask for more detailed information about the visitor’s interests and needs. As an example, you could ask for their birth date so you can notify them of a special offer on their birthday.   

Including a lead form is an effective way to turn your blog readers into leads. By providing a way for them to get more information from you, you’re increasing the chances that they’ll do business with you.

When done correctly, blogging can help you increase your profits by bringing in more leads. Use the tips and ideas in this post to start blogging in a way that will help you attract leads, and don’t forget to include a lead form in each of your posts!

How to Blog to Elevate the Authority of Your Business Online

A blog can be a powerful tool to help market your business online. But it’s not about publishing just any old content. You need to publish high-quality content that is relevant to your leads and customers.

  • Write RELEVANT content. Your blog should be full of content that is relevant to your leads and customers. Write about topics they care about and will help them solve their problems. You will know what they care about by the things they say to you. You get to ask your customers questions, remember? That’s a superpower.
    • The more you learn about them and what they want/need, you can serve them better. You’ll also learn what you’re doing right and the ways people love interacting with your business.
  • Make sure your blog is well-written. When people visit your blog, they are looking for quality information and a reliable source. If your posts contain spelling and grammatical errors, it immediately tarnishes the trustworthiness of your content.
    • Additionally, sloppy writing can make it difficult for readers to understand your message and ultimately they lose interest in staying on your website. On the other hand, well-written blog posts demonstrate professionalism and attention to detail, inspiring confidence in both current and potential customers. 
    • It is worth taking the extra time to proofread and edit before hitting that publish button to make sure your message is clear and error-free. In the end, this level of care will reflect positively on your brand as a whole.
  • Use images and videos. People are visual creatures, and adding images and videos to your blog posts can help make your point more effectively. As a business owner, it’s important to remember that your customers don’t just want information – they also crave engagement. That’s where images and videos come in.
    • Having visual content in your blog posts not only helps break up blocks of text but can also grab the reader’s attention and keep them engaged. 
    • And, with more and more people consuming content on mobile devices, using visually appealing content can make your blog more easily accessible to a wider audience. Next time you’re creating a blog post, consider adding some visual flare – your readers will thank you for it.
  • Promote your blog. Don’t just publish your content and hope people will find it. Promote your blog through social media, email newsletters, and other marketing channels. Not only does it attract potential customers and clients, but it can also improve search engine rankings and establish you as a thought leader in your industry.
    • Additionally, promoting your blog can help drive traffic to your website and lead to increased conversions and sales. By utilizing social media, email marketing, guest blogging, and other tactics, you can expand the reach of your blog and showcase your expertise to a wider audience. Don’t underestimate the power of promoting your blog – it can be an invaluable tool for building your brand and driving growth for your business.

By consistently publishing quality content on your business blog, you can provide more value for leads and customers. You’re also able to show your expertise on an industry-related topic. And each link to your blog article boosts the authority of that article.

How do you go about blogging to elevate the authority of your business online? It’s quite simple.

  1. Publish high-quality content that is relevant to your leads and customers.
  2. Make sure that your content is valuable and provides added value for readers.
  3. Publish consistently, and make sure each post is of the highest quality.
  4. Plan your content. Don’t just sit down and start writing. Know what you’re going to write about before you start. This will help you stay focused and keep your writing on track.

Examples of Lead-Generating Blog Posts

You’ve probably heard that you should be blogging as part of your marketing strategy. But what does that mean, and how can you make sure that your blog is effective at bringing in leads?

There are a lot of different ways to generate leads from your blog, but some of the most common ways are through job applications, blog posts, coupons, live events, and online content. In fact, marketers who blog enjoy a huge competitive advantage and higher user engagement.

But how do you make sure that your blog is effective at actually bringing in leads? One way is to add a lead form to your blog posts as we mentioned. This allows visitors to easily provide their contact information in exchange for something of value, like a free ebook or a discount on your services.

Another great way to generate leads from blogging is to share your blog content on social media. When you post links to your blog posts on Twitter, Facebook, and LinkedIn, not only does that help drive traffic back to your site, but it also increases the chances that people will share your content with their followers.

Not only will this help you get more leads, but it will also help you build relationships with potential customers. When you share valuable content, people are more likely to see you as an authority in your industry, and they’re more likely to do business with you. Let that be the case on all fronts – social media, your blog, your website, and in your email marketing, to name a few.

And finally, don’t forget about surveys and giveaways. Hosting a survey on your blog can help you learn more about your readers’ needs and desires while running a giveaway can help you build relationships with potential customers.

Stay Sane and Organized by Using a Schedule

Now that you understand the importance of blogging as part of your marketing strategy, it’s time to take the next step: creating a blog writing and posting schedule. Once you have a good understanding of your target demographic, you can start creating content that appeals to them.

That’s where a good blog schedule comes in handy. Having a set plan for what you’re going to write about each week helps keep you organized and on track. It also makes it easier to come up with ideas for content when you’re feeling stuck.

Consistent posting on your blog not only shows readers they can rely on you for new content but also helps keep you organized and on track. It can be easy to get caught up in the day-to-day tasks of running a business and lose sight of your overall goals, but having a schedule for your blog reminds you of those goals and keeps you focused.

If readers know when to expect new posts from you, they are more likely to come back to check for updates. So why not make it a priority to establish a regular writing and posting schedule for your blog? It will do wonders for both your productivity and audience engagement.

Blogging is a great way to stay competitive and improve your bottom line. But it’s not easy. It takes time and effort to create high-quality content that will engage your audience and drive leads.

Blog Specifically To Develop New Customer Relationships

When you create blog posts that educate your audience, you not only provide valuable content but also generate leads that might not have found you otherwise. And if you’re using lead magnets—like an ebook or white paper—to capture email addresses, you can funnel those leads right into your sales process. That’s cyclical marketing!

Each of your marketing pieces should work together towards a common goal, reinforcing and amplifying each other’s message. This creates a ripple effect, with each component helping to drive customers further down the sales funnel toward conversion.

By utilizing a cyclical strategy, you can efficiently and effectively reach your target audience and maximize ROI for your marketing efforts. Plus, having a cohesive campaign helps establish consistency for your brand image, allowing customers to quickly recognize and remember your company. So don’t scatter your marketing efforts haphazardly – embrace the power of the cycle. That cycle includes blogging!

If you’re a service-based entrepreneur, don’t forget to inject your personality into your blog! It will help your audience understand what you’re like if they decide to work with you.

On top of all of that, by actively engaging with comments and responding to reader questions, you create a personal connection with your audience, fostering strong relationships with current and future customers. In short, a well-maintained blog is an essential component in developing new customer relationships.

How to Utilize Storytelling 

When you’re thinking about how to blog to bring leads, it’s important to consider the role storytelling can play in making your content more interesting and effective.

As a business entrepreneur, it can be tempting to focus solely on hard facts and statistics in your blog posts. However, incorporating storytelling into your writing can not only enhance your readers’ engagement but also make your content more memorable.

One way to use storytelling in your blog is by sharing personal anecdotes related to your industry or clients. This can help readers feel like they know you and understand your business on a more personal level. Storytelling can help you tap into your readers’ emotions and foster a relationship and connection.

You can also use stories to highlight the challenges your business has faced and how you’ve overcome them. This helps to build trust with your audience and show that you’re an authority in your field.

Another approach is to turn dry statistics and data into captivating case studies, illustrating the real-life successes of using your products or services. This helps readers see the value in what you’re offering and understand how it can benefit them.

No matter which approach you choose, remember that the key to effective storytelling is to focus on the needs of your audience. What kind of information will they find most interesting or useful? To use storytelling effectively, make sure to include calls to action, keywords, and valuable content so your blog can help generate leads.

Ultimately, adding a human aspect to your content through storytelling can help attract and retain readers, further solidifying your position as a thought leader in the industry, and hopefully the clear choice for them when they’re ready to purchase.

How to Measure the Success of Your Blogging Efforts

Blogging can be an incredibly effective way to bring leads and elevate the authority of your business online, but only if you prioritize it and do it effectively – but how do you know what’s effective?

Tracking effort and results is an essential part of any marketing strategy, as it helps you determine whether your efforts are paying off.

To get started, make sure you’re tracking analytics like page views, traffic by channel, time spent on the page, social shares, and returning visitor metrics.

This data will help you understand which topics and approaches are resonating with your audience, and where you might need to make some adjustments.

You should also keep an eye on your website’s lead conversion rate. This metric will tell you how many leads your site is generating and can help you determine whether your blog is effectively helping you reach your business goals.

This will give you a good idea of how your blog is being received, read, and utilized by your audience. From there, you can adjust your strategy accordingly to continue to see positive results.

Conclusion

So, you want to blog. That’s great! Blogging is a powerful tool for marketing your business online and can help you bring in more leads. But before you start blogging, there are a few things you need to know.

It is possible to blog to bring leads and increase the authority of your business online. It’s possible to create content that engages your readers and drives traffic to your website. But, there are a few ground rules: be useful, be human, and be consistent.

So, what are you waiting for? Start blogging today and see how it can help your business grow!

And, we’ve got a full episode about blogging on The Donut Shop Podcast! Click here to dive deep with us! 

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