We work with a lot of clients who are making their first significant attempt at getting an online presence in place to find new business. From the local dentist to a Florida talent agency, businesses are realizing they need to be where their potential customers are. That’s the beauty of the Internet. TONS of people are there at all times. But how do they find you? That’s the real question.

I already have a website, why do I need to blog?

So, nYq Design (that’s us!) has just built this fantastic new website for you. Now, you need people to look at it. Back in the day, businesses would just erect a shiny new website, then hope people would eventually find it, and they probably would. Search engines like to see new sites being put up, so Google, Bing and the like would probably give some attention to your website at first.

However, most of that attention is short lived. Not just by the search engines, but also by people who may have looked at snazzy new website. Ultimately, what was put up there was a really nice looking one-way conversation. Your website just broadcasts all this great information about your business, but there’s nothing really engaging your visitors to get into a conversation with you or giving them a reason to come back to your site.

This is where having a blog comes in mighty handy. A blog, or “web log” for its full name, not only demonstrates your expertise in your industry, but it also allows your customers and potential customers to discuss that expertise with you. Having a means to comment and interact is a huge draw for people online. That is the core of the tsunami known as social media.

Additionally, blogging is a fantastic way for you to regularly add new content to your existing website, which gives both people and search engines a reason to come back to your site and what new information you can provide.

This sounds appealing, but I have no idea where to start.

That’s easy! We’re certainly not the first to blog on small business blogging. To prove that and save some work for us, below are several other articles and resources about blogging to benefit you and your customers. To summarize some of what the following links have to say, here are a few basic tips to get you started:

1. Just start blogging. The first post will be your biggest hurdle. Once you get over that, you may want to get into a schedule of posting, so you can set a deadline for yourself. Even writing once a month is better than nothing.
2. You don’t have to write formally. In fact, most people don’t want to ready starchy, corporate-style blog posts. You’re a small business, so you definitely shouldn’t. Pretend you’re actually writing about your business to a group of close friends. That’s probably what distinguishes your small business from the big chain store down the road to begin with.
3. Follow the conversation. If someone posts a comment back on your blog, reply and let them know they were heard. If if it’s something they’re upset about, just acknowledging them can go a long way towards making them feel better.
4. Read other blogs. This can be a good way to get inspired to write your own posts. It also gives you an opportunity to interact with other people in the same way your customers will want to interact with you. Bonus: If you leave a comment on other blogs, add a link to your website in your contact information. This is a good way for others to find you, and points search engines back to you as well.

And here are those other helpful articles I mentioned:

9 Tips for Creating More Small Business Blogging Ideas on ProBlogger – Generally a really good site for learning how to blog, this article gives you ideas for what to blog about and gives some more motivation on why you should blog.

Small Business Blogging 101 on Duct Tape Marketing – Part of a longer webinar, this post actually has a 1-hour video about getting started with blogging. It talks about initial setup, best practices and how to promote your blog.

How to Blog Your Way to Small-Business Success on Money at U.S. News – Provides some accounts of blogging converts who were originally against the idea. Also, some good tips on how to approach blogging.

100+ SMB Blogging Ideas to Kick Start 2010 2011 on Small Business Trends – This was originally a list to get people in gear for 2010, but most of these are still very relevant for the new blogger. Take a look for some simple ideas to get you started.

Have any other good resources or looking for someone to help you get going with your blog? Let us know! Either drop a comment below or contact us directly.