For the past couple of posts, I’ve been focusing on blogging. I’ve talked about how good it is for your business and the types of blogs that customers will love. Today, I’m going to do something different. I’m going to tell you the common mistakes that people make when they are blogging for their business.
Building a Text Wall When Blogging
Allow me to illustrate this point:
Nothing is more annoying than going to a blog and seeing a huge wall of text. It’s annoying, it’s painful to read and it just looks unprofessional. People either write blogs ths way because they are in a hurry, they think SEO is all that matters, or they simply don’t care about their business. The problem is that when this is the case, it’s more likely to drive people away. They’re not getting the information that is needed because they feel like they are overwhelmed and they don’t have the time to read it. So they close out the page and they are less likely to go back to the website. In short, they feel like the business doesn’t care about their needs, and they’d rather go someplace else that is more reasonable. So, rather than helping the business, the blog is actually hurting the business.
This is just a small example of a wall of text. Some of the blogs we have seen are much worse. Let’s look at this another way.
Nothing is more annoying than going to a blog and seeing a huge wall of text. It’s annoying, it’s painful to read and it just looks unprofessional. People either write blogs ths way for one of three reasons:
- They’re in a hurry.
- They think SEO is all that matters.
- They simply don’t care about their business.
The problem is that when this is the case, it’s more likely to drive people away. They’re not getting the information that is needed because they feel like they are overwhelmed and they don’t have the time to read it. So they close out the page. and they are less likely to go back to the website.
In short, they feel like the business doesn’t care about their needs and they’d rather go someplace else that is more reasonable. So, rather than helping the business, the blog is actually hurting the business.
As you can see, the two examples are written basically the same. However, the example on the bottom is broken up into smaller, more manageable pieces.
Not Using Subheadings/Bullet Points in Blogging
This mistake goes along with the text wall mistake above. However, they’re not mutually exclusive. I’ve given you one example with the two pictures above. They both say the same thing. But whereas the first one is just a paragraph, the second one is much neater and more organized. Let’s look at another example, but this time with subheadings. Let’s say you’re talking about writing a blog about backflow testing. Again, we’ll look at two examples:
The first reason to do this is for your safety. Backflow can be a very bad health risk, since water contamination is often hazardous. Backflow testing each year, or each quarter, helps to keep the water safe to drink.
The second reason that you should do it is that it’s the law – The majority of municipalities require that backflow tests are done each year by a contractor with backflow certification. They may fine you if you don’t do it. It’s a good idea to check your local laws.
The third reason is that you don’t have to be home. Usually, you don’t need to be home for the testing to be done unless your device is in the house.
The final reason to do it is that it’s cost-effective. Having your backflow tested each year is a fairly inexpensive way that you can keep your home and community safe from dangerous water contamination.
So, this is okay. It tells you the four reasons to do it. However, it’s not scannable which makes it more difficult to read. Let’s look at it changed up a bit:
For Your Safety
Backflow can be a very bad health risk since water contamination is often hazardous. Backflow testing each year, or each quarter helps to keep the water safe to drink.
It’s the Law
The majority of municipalities require that backflow tests are done each year by a contractor with backflow certification. They may fine you if you don’t do it. It’s a good idea to check your local laws.
You Don’t Have to be Home
Usually, you don’t need to be home for the testing to be done unless your device is in the house.
It’s Cost-Effective
Having your backflow tested each year is a fairly inexpensive way that you can keep your home and community safe from dangerous water contamination.
Again, it says the same thing as the four paragraphs above. But it is a lot easier for the reader to scan and get the information quickly. Therefore, it’s a lot more effective.
Just Using Your Blog for Advertising
How would you feel if you went to a blog and all you saw were advertisements telling you to spend your money? Chances are that you’d be pretty annoyed. So, this is something you shouldn’t do either.
Now, don’t get me wrong. This isn’t to say that you can’t announce a sale or a new product on your blog. However, this shouldn’t be the main reason you have a blog. You don’t watch television for the commercials because they are rather boring, with the exception of the day of the Super Bowl. People won’t come to your blog for your ads, either. So don’t make that your main focus.
Use your blog to show your customers that you know your business. Give them tips. When you show that you’re concerned about their needs and you’re willing to help them, they’re more likely to consider your business when they need your services.
Not Keeping Up With Your Blogging
A lot of people are very gung ho about blogging when they first begin. But as time goes by, they either forget or they simply don’t think it matters. It’s sad, really, because they are missing a great opportunity. There’s always something to discuss. Even if it’s not directly related to your business, you can find a way to relate it. For example, we recently wrote a blog for a Landscape company in February about the meaning of different flowers and flower colors. We also wrote a blog about shamrocks for St. Patrick’s Day.
When you don’t update your blog, it can send the message that you don’t care about the business or your customers. It also can make visitors wonder what other things you are lax and possibly sloppy about. So, keep your blog updated. It will help you paint a better picture of yourself and your business.
Thank you for taking the time to read our latest blog. If you have any questions or you are interseted in having us write blogs for your business, please feel free to get in touch.
