The Importance of Blogging for Business in 2012

Last Tuesday’s tweetup with the #intdesignerchat was well worth following for so many reasons as many interior designers were tweeting on the topic of blogging – focusing on the importance of blogging for business in 2012.

The transcript of the use of the hashtag is here and it shows that 163 people contributed as well as lots of other interesting information which demonstrates the success of using a hashtag to publicise an event and build a community.

Here’s some of the responses to the questions posed by the organisers – all of them focusing on business blogging.

Q1 What are the benefits of having a business blog?

• My blog lets me communicate with my customers
• Having a place to direct people to see your work
• People can get to know me through my blog
• Potential clients can ‘suss’ me out before they call me
• Can go into greater detail of my expertise than on a website
• I can stay connected to clients through my blog
• My blog is like my shop window with fresh displays everytime I post
• It’s a great way to work through ideas as you research
• My blog helps to establish my credibility
• It’s a great place to host my portfolio
• I can show my expertise on my blog
• I can connect with like minded designers and potential clients
• A blog is a great way to foster relationships
• Your blog tells who you really are
• A blog can build trust
• Blogging has opened doors that wouldn’t have otherwise.
• Allows engagement. Casual and friendly.
• SEO benefits – drives more traffic to my website
• Blogs offer up-to-date content. Magazines can be dated by the time they are published
• People buy from those they like. Blogging introduces you to them
• Your blog is the core of your online presence
• A blog forces you to keep current and up to date

Q2 What are some of the basics of good blogging (that some people may forget or neglect) and that will help to grow business?

• A good blog is one that has a clear vision and is authentic
• Remember you are blogging to your clients not your peers
• Get the focus right for every post
• If you have nothing to say, don’t post for the sake of posting
• Always respond to comments
• Blog consistently and at least once a week
• Always give credit if using other people’s photos
• Be Yourself – do not write in a voice that is not authentic
• Remember to proofread
• Blogging is for clients, twitter is where you talk to your peers
• Have a strategy planned to deal with negative comments

Q3 Do you have any tips on how to get more attention for your blog?

• Tweet links to your posts
• Share your blog on directories and sharing sites such as Stumbleupon
• Use youtube too
• Put highly searched keywords into the tags
• Be topical
• Be slightly controversial
• Offer sneak peaks
• Offer giveaways and contests
• Be original
• Be different to your competition
• Schedule your tweet links to your posts

These are some of the advantages of business blogging as well as including lots of tips as shared by many interior designers who are blogging. If you would like to join in the next #intdesignerchat, they take place on Tuesday nights at 11pmGMT.  If you feel you would like some more help with your business blog, do get in touch with Marie and I and we’ll be happy to answer any questions or prepare a quote for you.

As a matter of interest, what is the best tip, in your opinion?  I think the best one is to write for your customers/clients, not for your peers. Write for those that will be buying from you, not for those in your industry.