How many readers do you have for your blog?
For many printing companies, writing a blog is a thankless task. It sits on the website unread and unloved. The only activity is the tumbleweed blowing through the posts.
In my last article, I suggested that it as easier to engage with a small social media audience. However, it is also possible to have too small an audience.
A blog is a great way to create engagement from prospects and clients. However, this strategy only works if people read it.
Having a blog is not enough: you also need to promote it
Many people who have blogs spend a lot of time writing content. But they don’t go and spread the word about their content. Without telling people that your blog exists, there is little point in writing it.
Let’s look at three strategies to promote your blog.
1. Use LinkedIn groups
LinkedIn groups are a great way to find a very targeted audience. The first rule for printing companies that want to use LinkedIn groups is to use the right ones. It is important to choose groups where you will find your customers…not your peers. These are rarely the groups that focus on printing.
Instead, focus on marketing and business groups. You will find that LinkedIn groups can be highly focused. You will probably find a group that is dedicated to exactly the market vertical that you wish to engage with. (To find groups, use the search bar at the top of the LinkedIn screen and set the button on the left to groups. See illustration below.)
Make sure you are aware of the rules of posting for the groups that you choose. Some groups welcome relevant blogs. Others prefer that blogs be added to the promotions section, which actually gets your blog very little exposure.
I have found that LinkedIn groups have driven a lot of traffic to my blog. But there is another useful social media route as well.
2. Post your blog on Twitter
Twitter can be a very effective way of driving traffic to your blog. It can drive traffic even if you do not have many followers.
If you are engaged with people on Twitter who have larger groups of relevant followers, they will often re-tweet good information. These people are called influencers. In this way your post can reach a much larger audience.
Make sure that the type of customers you wish to engage are active on Twitter. Twitter works best for consumers and smaller businesses.
There’s one last place to promote your blog.
3. Offer your content to other blogs and magazines
Much of the trade press is eager for good content. If you are writing posts with useful information (rather than just promoting your printing services), many people may be keen to feature it.
Make a list of places where you would like your blog content featured. Reach out to the editors of these blogs and publications and ask if they would like to feature your content. You may be surprised at the results.
Why not use Facebook?
Facebook now chooses what content is seen by users in their timelines. The chances of your content being seen by the right people are small. These days I would suggest that Facebook is rarely worth the effort.
Use these strategies to get more readers for your blog
However, you want to be able to rely on more than just passing social media traffic to make sure that your content is read. You want readers who receive your content on a regular basis. You also want to make sure that your customers are receiving this content.
That’s why it is important to build a newsletter list. We will look at how to do this in my next article.
Editor’s Note: This post is part of a larger series on how to effectively leverage social media:
- I Have a Small Social Media Audience: How Can I Drive Sales?
- Tips for Attracting Readers to your Blog
- 4 Ways to Drive More Readers to your Newsletter
- Driving Sales with your e-Newsletter
PS If you’d like more information on how to use social media effectively to sell printing services, download my free e-guide “Ten Social Media Rules For Print Sales People”. You’ll also receive my regular “Views from the print buyer” bulletin, full of ideas on how to use social media and sell print effectively.
Comments are closed.