Introduction
Why do small businesses often have blogs on their websites? Blogs are a great way to share your small business’s achievements, goals, history, and more. They also
come with the added benefit of increasing the searchability of your business when you incorporate SEO terminology into your blogs.
So where do you start? Creating a blog without a plan can lead to sporadic posts and loss of interest, so it’s a great idea to come up with several blog post ideas to put on the internet on a regular basis right from the start. If you’re having trouble figuring out where to begin, this article is for you! Below, you’ll find a few blog topics and ideas that you can use to get started as you learn what your customers want to read about.
All About Me
Small businesses are sometimes misunderstood as brands that haven’t taken off or are thought of as old-fashioned. In truth, the small business model is a beautiful
concept that allows for ultra-personal customer interactions and can bring great success to business owners without ever going large scale. However, there
are ways you can show your current and potential customers that you’re thriving and reaching your goals by explaining who you are.
“Having a blog post about your brand’s goals, missions, and values can help people understand why you exist,” says Phillip Montalvo, Director of Marketing at Azuna. “People love to feel connected with the businesses they support and providing a way for them to access this information on your blog is a perfect way to get your story out there.”
“One of the big reasons people love small businesses is because they support the ideas or concepts that brought the brand to life in the first place,” says Ann McFerran, CEO of Glamnetic. “Give them something to fall in love with by giving the information to them in an accessible way through your blog or website.”
Meet the Staff
This goes hand in hand with the previously mentioned blog post idea. If you’re looking to become more transparent and authentic with your audience, a “Meet the Staff” blog post is a great way to go about that. With Millenials and Gen Z audiences flocking to brands that provide that high level of transparency and authenticity, this is a great way to increase your exposure while also catering to a very large and influential demographic.
“Introduce the faces of the people that your customers can expect to interact with,” says Anne-Marie Faiola, CEO and Founder of Bramble Berry. “Even if your small business does a lot of sales over the internet, it’s great to be able to put a face to a name if the customer needs to reach out to someone about an issue or question about the product.”
“A blog post or even a series of blog posts featuring your staff can give people insight into the experience you have on your team,” says Michelle Hodgden, Chief of Staff at Kinoo. “There’s sometimes a misconception that small business staff are just learning the ropes. In reality, there is usually a wealth of knowledge and specific experience present. Show your staff’s accomplishments with pride and explain the importance of each staff member’s skill sets to help build your brand’s reputation as a well-rounded and knowledgeable team.”
Product Introduction Series
Your products or services are at the heart of your brand. As a small business, it can be easy to get hung up on promoting your big sellers and aesthetically pleasing products on platforms such as Instagram. But how often do you actually explain the significance of all products? A two-line description on your website is often not enough for some of the more unique products that a small business might carry. Create a series of blog posts about your products to allow people to explore each item and gain a more holistic view of your products and brand.
“If you find that people are gravitating towards a specific product heavily, it can be tempting to continue advertising that one product over and over to increase exposure because it’s clearly performing well,” says Omid Semino, CEO and Founder of Diamond Mansion. “While it’s okay to feature that product in a blog post, it can also be helpful to explain why you carry and/or produce your other products as well.”
“If someone comes to your small business for a specific purchase, they may not even peruse the entire store or website,” says Breanne Millette, CEO of Bisoulovely. “It can be overwhelming for some people to look at a large variety of products or services so having individual blog posts about some of your products can pique their interest. Oftentimes, you can also mention some similar products within that blog post as well so you’re subtly introducing them to even more of your products. The great thing about blogs is that you can link the products you’re talking about right there in the post for an easy purchase opportunity.”
Highlight Your Top Customers
Every small business has some die-hard customers who they see on a regular basis. Let them know that you see them and value them by asking if they’d like to be featured in a blog post. These blogs are especially fun if you can capture each customer’s passion and personality within the blog post with either quotes or video from an interview with them.
“We’ve known for years that word of mouth is one of the best ways to encourage someone to buy your product,” says Rachel Roff, Founder and CEO of Urban Skin Rx. “That’s why this is such a great blog post. Not only are you providing an opportunity for word of mouth to spread, but you’re doing it on a digital platform so that customers can share it on their own social platforms and hopefully their friends will view and share the information as well.”
“Loyal customers are so important to small businesses,” says Georgia Dorfman, CEO of All My Love. “Advertising is also expensive. If you have customers that are
not only supporting your brand financially by purchasing your product, but also marketing the products for you by sharing your brand’s posts or posting about
you regularly on social media, this is a great way to let them know that you appreciate them. It also gives you a chance to help bring your brand to life by
showing the ways your products have benefitted your customers in a way that feels much more organic than a commercial or social media ad.”
Talk About Struggles
So often, we live in a world where people only share the good things that happen on their online platforms. It can be refreshing to see a person or a brand that’s
willing to be raw and honest about the struggles that are faced in reality. Don’t be afraid of letting your customers know of the struggles you faced as a
business early on or if you’re currently going through a bit of a rough spot. You don’t have to let them know every detail of the issue, but allowing them to
see that imperfection in your brand can actually generate more respect.
“Talking about struggles you’ve faced as a brand doesn’t have to be a ‘happily ever after’ story,” says Chris Vaughn, CEO of Emjay. “Maybe you lost a lot of business over the last few years and you’re still recovering. That’s okay! Bringing them along for the ride can allow them to feel like they’re contributing to something bigger than themselves, which can actually be a selling point.”
“So many people feel alone in their struggles,” says Michael Jankie, Founder of The Natural Patch Co.. “Sharing that your brand isn’t perfect and you’re learning and growing can make an impact on people who feel like they only ever see success outside of their own lives. Showing how you’ve overcome a trial can give others hope and inspire them which leaves them with a positive impression of your small business.”
Conclusion
Small businesses have a great opportunity to connect with their customers through blogs, but consistency is key. Using some of these ideas to increase your
transparency and create more material for your website is a great opportunity with very little associated cost. Blogs help people associate feelings with
your brand through storytelling and transparency which can help small businesses thrive, especially among millennial and Gen Z customers.
