What’s the problem with most business blogs?

The problem with most business blogs is that they are all about the business, when they should be all about the customer. This is something I have written about before, but it is so fundamental to the success of your business blog, I want to revisit it again today.

Remember your blog is not about you – it is about your customers.

In a previous post, I outlined 8 Google Tools to Rock Your Business Blog as a way of finding out what your customers are looking for online. I also touched on creating simple online forms using Google Docs to ask your customers questions about what they really need that you can supply.

Now take a look at your business blog again and see if you can answer the following three questions.

1. Is it clear what your product/service is about? Have you provided compelling information on what it can do for your customer and how it matches your customer needs? Can you add video and/or images to better illustrate what you do?

2. Can you provide additional content to show how to use your product/service? For example, here is the website of one of my favourite shops in Dublin, This Is Knit in the Powerscourt Design Centre. If you look at their website you will see they provide free knitting patterns, and their blog (which was a finalist in the recent Blog Awards Ireland) is a great example of a business blog geared to the customer needs. Incididentally their blog is also a good reflection of what they provide instore – friendly, helpful, knowledgable staff, with lots of advice on how to use their wools to create beautiful results.

3. Have you mentioned price on your website? Most business sites do not mention price, and we can understand why you would be hesitant to do so. But particularly if you are in a competitive market, where your competitors are shy of mentioning prices too, you have an opportunity to stand out from the competition by being upfront about your prices on your website or blog. Let your customers know straight away that you provide affordable soultions to their problem and they are more likely to contact you than your competitors offering a similar service.

Having read today’s post, can you see room for improvement in your own business blog? Which of these points will you incorporate today?

About Marie

Marie Ennis-O’Connor BA, MIAPR, holds an Honours degree in History from University College Dublin. She is a graduate of the Irish Academy of Public Relations and has worked in a variety of PR roles over the past 12 years. Marie is editor of several award-winning blogs ranging from life sciences to health to business. She is a panel member of the newly established Bloggers International and is a regular contributor to Health Works Collective, an online community for thought leaders in international healthcare. She is a featured blogger on Webicina, an online service that provides curated medical social media resources in over 80 medical topics and over 17 languages, and has been awarded a top blogger accolade by Empowered Doctor.com and most inspiring writer by WegoHealth. Marie is also in demand as a trainer in social media marketing and travels the country teaching small business owners how to get online and maximise their online presence.