The virtual world has existed for some time, but never with the capacity to reach a consumer like we can see today. People are everywhere at once nowadays, which means that your opportunity to interact and engage with them is greater than ever before. Social media marketing gives any brand a great place to start, but just saying you know what your doing isn't really enough anymore; the customer wants you to prove it.
Zo, how exactly can you do that? Blogging seems like a good idea. What better way for your brand to prove it's the best, than by giving its customers a place to go and discover that fact for themselves? Here are a few ideas you can either apply to get your blog started, or to improve one that you already have. Ready? Let's Zo for It!
Think Like a Consumer
When it comes to establishing a blog, don't worry, most people still haven't figured it all out yet; zo don't be afraid to fail. Just because your first 1 or 7 ideas don't bring you much traffic, doesn't mean that you have nothing to say. Stop trying to think about what's PC, and let your voice be heard. Think of the questions that your consumer has, and address it for them in your blog. For instance, if your brand is selling denim, write a blog about how to figure out which cut works best for which bodies. If your customer is spending the money on clothing, chances are, they have no desire to look horrible. Walk them through how to understand their body type, and figure out which cuts and colors would best complement them, and which ones will make them look worse. They'll appreciate the honesty, and the fact that you're not just saying 'Oh, Everyone looks great in everything!' ..we all know that's BS.
Compare
With the internet literally at consumers' fingertips, finding a variety of similar products is easier than ever before. One of the main things being searched today are online reviews. Zo, why not make your blog the spot to find some of them. Take specific products that are relevant to your customer, and compare them. Show them the strengths and weaknesses, and help your customer make informed decisions. While these may not have anything specifically to do with your brand or its products, it will make your customers want to come back time and time again to acquire information that's important to them. If they're always on your site looking for the best ideas and the most useful information, then guess what happens when they are in the market for your product? They come back. This will increase your visibility, boost your traffic, and ultimately result in money honey.
Have an Opinion
While giving the facts, and displaying your expertise, is an extremely valuable tool, don't forget to give your opinion on what you think the 'best' product is for your consumer to buy. By doing this, you're making it clear that a real person with a real viewpoint is writing your content. While not everyone will agree with, or even like, what you think, if you have an opinion you're virtually guaranteed that someone somewhere shares your ideals. Giving visitors something to respond to is an awezome way to increase comments and interactions not just between your brand and your consumers, but between one customer and another. If people feel like your blog is a fun place to share and challenge opinions, they will come back for more. Everyone wants to be heard, but almost no one wants to be the first say anything. Be the first, and inspire them to reciprocate.
Newsjacking
Take a cue from the daily news cycle; there's always a new headline, with a new story, that EVERYONE is talking about. Join in the conversation somewhere. Trust me, no matter what your brand represents, there is some story in the news cycle that you can apply to whatever your trying to do. By taking what's relevant today, and making it pertinent to your brand, you will increase your blogs search traffic; and thus your web traffic, which will lead to people spending more time and more money on your website. Take fashion week for example. When everyone is talking about what the color of the season is, write a blog telling your customer where it's been showing up, who's been wearing it, and give them creative ideas on how to apply the trend to their wardrobe in a way that speaks to your brand's aesthetic. If you can get them on your side, they will want to buy your style. Some might call that manipulation, I call it subliminal sales.
Team Effort
A lot of companies that write blogs seem to keep it confined to a small team, generally marketers, who know how to sell; but what if your blog isn't about selling. Bring in some people from every department to contribute ideas, outlines, and possibly even write a few posts themselves. The more voices you include in your blog, the more dynamic it is. Everyone won't like everyone, but the more voices you have, the better the chances that each new visitor to your blog will find someone to relate to that they want to follow. Even if people are only coming back to read one person's articles, and no one else's, that still means that they're coming back; again and again and again and again. The more options your customers have to find someone with whom they connect, the more likely they will find someone to share some ideas with. Of course, not everyone is a natural-born writer, so having editors for the content being posted is always a great idea.
Well, there it is. Was that zo hard? Trust your voice, and share it with the world. Don't mute yourself, celebrate your ideas and keep the customer in mind.
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