If you want some more ways to bring money into your business, are you using your business blog to its full potential? Here are 7 tips from Erica Douglas and Antonia Chitty, authors of Blogging The Essential Guide.
- Ensure your blog sells your products and services for you the simple way. It can take a number of exposures to your message before people take action so embed adverts for your business in the header or sidebar of your blog.
- A business blog should offer its readers regular interesting articles on relevant topics. If you mention a product or service that you sell in an article, make sure that you embed a link to the relevant product page on your website, making it easier for people to buy.
- A top ten list, gift guide or tutorial is a great way to feature products and demonstrate your services.
- If you write about a useful product or service that you don’t offer, embed an affiliate link. This means that if someone clicks through to buy from another store, you get a percentage of the sale. One of the biggest affiliate schemes is offered by Amazon, or check sites like Commission Junction.
- Space on your blog has a value. Offer advertising space to complementary businesses and you’ll have valuable income coming in every month. If you have more than one website highlight this to advertisers who may wish to cut a deal to advertise on all your sites.
- Don’t forget to invite blog readers to join your email list. This makes it easier for you to reach them, and newsletter readers are more likely to buy.
- Finally, if you like blogging for your own businesses, you might decide to offer ‘ghost blogging’ as a service. You might learn valuable social media skills promoting your own blog, and decide to offer them to clients. Your business blog could become the start of a whole new business.
