Business Blog Tips: Is Your Blog like a Bad Blind Date?

A recent study of business blog trends by Compendium revealed that only 20 percent of visitors to business blogs are return visitors.

If you write a business blog as part of your company’s online content marketing strategy and are not converting first-time visitors into return visitors, maybe you should run a critical eye over your blog and ask why it can’t get a second date.

Does Your Business Blog Dress Badly?

Maybe you’re actually writing something worthwhile and meaningful, but scare people away simply because you don’t look good enough.

That old saying that first impressions count is very true – even when it comes to company blogs. Google Analytics will tell you how quickly visitors arriving at your site bounce away and that’s a good piece of data to follow.

If people aren’t sticking around, think about what might be wrong with your design.

• Are you using glaring colours?
• A weird and freaky background?
• Something that just says unprofessional?
• Or does it look like everyone else?

If something’s wrong –and you can afford it– talk to an experienced designer who can demonstrate success with, say, B2B blogs. They’ll help you assess your site’s strengths and weaknesses.

If you don’t have the budget for a new design, check out some of the premium themes available and tweak them to suit your needs: Woo Themes, for instance, offer some interesting corporate looks that aren’t expensive and are available for a variety of CMS platforms.

In the same way that you wouldn’t turn up to a business meeting wearing your pyjamas if you want to make a winning impression, ensure your blog’s appearance doesn’t scare people away.

Does Your Blog Drone On?

No one likes a bore. Simple as that. If your copy is all about you and not addressing the needs or interests of your visitors they won’t stick around. They certainly won’t come back for more.

If your design is working but you sense your copy isn’t, ask yourself:

• Did you write with the reader in mind, always keeping in mind WIIFT? (What’s in It for Them?)
• Is the topic clear from the headline?
• Does the first paragraph work hard enough to make the reader care about it?
• Would someone who knows absolutely nothing about this topic understand this post?
• Is the post full of jargon that might put newbies off?
• Is it written in clear, short sentences?
• Did you include a question at the end, or something to stimulate visitors to comment?

You could also get a professional writer to teach you how to write for an online audience.

Or take onboard these great suggestions.

Is Your Business Blog Too Keen?

A blind date can make anyone uncomfortable. Your job is to make people feel relaxed and interested to stick around and discover more. Welcoming visitors to your website with a hard sell, though, like some blogs do can be rather off-putting.

For instance, the WordPress Greetbox plugin does a great job of hitting first time visitors with the suggestion that they should subscribe to your RSS feed. But that may be working just a little to hard.

Isn’t it a bit like saying: “Let’s go steady” on your first date?

Does it Lack Backbone?

The best business blogs aren’t afraid to share their opinion and take a position on something. If all you do is write about your latest launch, your newest customer, your increase in sales and son on, you’ll quickly scare people away.

Make sure you write with passion and flair. Your business blog should not be afraid to put an opinion out there. Or change its mind.

Great business blogs show how the company behind them is growing and engaging with topics important to their readers, and in sharing their opinion invites response.

Don’t let your blog be like a wimpy blind date that agrees with everything someone else says, and gets easily pushed around. Show what makes you special and unique.

Your Turn!

What else can business blogs do to ensure they don’t fail on a first date?

Image: FlickrCC