If you’re building a business, then you should already know that your reputation is everything. People simply refuse to work with businesses they can’t trust, which is why establishing your credibility is paramount – especially if you’re only just starting out. And in the online marketing realm, the best way to establish your reputation is by creating a blog.
So how can you build a great reputation by publishing blog articles on your website? What’s the difference between blog articles that build authority and blog articles that destroy it? Here’s what you need to know.
Generate Credibility With High-Quality Authoritative Content
When starting your blog, you may be tempted to use it as an SEO tool to get to the top of the Google search pile. And although this is a great side benefit of running an engaging blog, writing your content exclusively for search engines will alienate your readers – especially if you’re using outdated SEO tactics. You’ll want to ensure that your blog content is brilliantly written to hook your readers and supply them with valuable information – not just act as a “me too!” placeholder.
The best way to create an authoritative blog? Look at magazine articles for inspiration. When your blog content looks more at home in a magazine than on a website, you’ll be able to impress readers and keep them coming back for more.
Create Trust And Engagement By Fostering Audience Connection
In order to get people to care about you, you need to show that you care about what they think. You need to show them that you belong in their circle. People who are reading your blog for the first time will be asking one question: “Is this person like me, or is this person different from me?”
If you want people to engage with your blog, you need to show them how you are similar to them. You need to show them your human side. Don’t be afraid to talk about personal experiences or use colloquialisms on your blog – it shows your readers that you’re like them, which helps them to trust you.
Scandal Going Down? Save Your Reputation – Get The Word Out Before The Press Does
News travels fast nowadays – and it’s because the Internet has made the world a much smaller place. If your business is having a scandal – say, a competitor creates fake customer reviews trashing you – and word gets out, it’ll only be a matter of hours before the whole world knows about it. Your blog is the perfect venue to respond to scandals, because it allows you to publish a controlled message that people can engage with – and fast.
Your business’ reputation is valuable, and you need to protect it at all costs. When managed properly, your company blog can be a great tool for defending your reputation against all manner of onslaught. And when your blog builds and protects your reputation, your ROI extends well beyond the measurable dollars and cents.