The importance of blogging for B2B and b2C

Does your website have a blog? And if so, are you updating it on the regular? You should. An active blog, in addition to helping establish you as a subject matter expert and thought leader in your field, can be a significant SEO boost, pushing your website up in search rankings. A blog also gives you something to talk about on social media and keeps people returning to your website for fresh content.

Launching a new medical device that will change the face of healthcare as we know it? Blog about it! Or maybe you're just updating the features of last year's model. That's a blog, too. There's lots of exciting content to mine in the medical and healthcare fields. Content that's just waiting to grace the pages of your blog.

Here's how to get started.

Start by doing a keyword search to discover what popular keywords people (and potential customers) are using to find info about your industry. In addition to keying what people are searching for, using these keywords in your blog posts will boost your blog's visibility.

Possible topics to consider blogging about include answering frequent customer questions, details of your latest product line, expert analysis of trends in your field. But don't think it has to be all serious and business-related. Don't be afraid to show off your fun side by writing about topics you and your colleagues are interested in, whether it's fantasy football or the proper techniques for making French press coffee. And win bonus points for tying less serious topics back into your business.

Research your customer base, as well. Learn what your customers and potential customers find interesting and relevant for your blog, and don't be afraid to ask. Poll your current customer base and ask for content ideas that they would find helpful. Ask colleagues what blogs they currently read and what kind of information they want.

Get an editorial plan. Mapping out potential stories and getting a plan in place will help you manage topics, and deadlines will help you maintain consistency. Just like a newspaper or magazine, a consistent schedule helps build readership. And, of course, you can leave room in your editorial plan for any relevant hot topics that may pop up.

A caveat: Don't push blogging duties down to interns or your newest staff member because you don't have time yourself. We know a thing or two about blogging, so if you need assistance starting or managing your blog, we'd love to help.