Are you a business owner, non-profit organization, consultant, or election candidate without a traditional presence on the Internet (your name/business name.com)?
If you answered yes to one of the above and want to drive more people your way, you should have a web presence. You don’t need a fancy website to provide basic information that people may be searching for (i.e. phone number, address, products, services, hours of operation, etc.).
Do you think you have to spend loads of money for a website?
Create a blog for FREE to promote your business or cause! Blogs are a popular way to spread your message. Blogger.com is a user friendly way to create a blog and web presence. You don’t have to be a professional writer to use a blog to market your business and advertise your products and services.
You can use a blog to:
- offer consumer tips
- promote discounts or specials
- provide contact information
- build trust and customer loyalty by providing a transparent presence
- use videos and photos to showcase your products and services
Blogs can be used in numerous ways. Some may use blogs as a diary of events; offer free do-it-yourself information; publish information about products and services, etc.
Some people hear the word blog and automatically think - negative comments. Not true. Some bloggers write controversial content to provoke comments. These bloggers are typically in the business to spark conversation vs. attracting customers to purchase products or services.
If you decide to create a blog as a web presence, you don’t have to allow any comments. If you provide good customer service and people enjoy your services and products, they may provide positive feedback on your blog. This ultimately increases the chances of someone visiting your blog, reading about your terrific service, and before you know it – you have a new client. It’s highly recommended that you choose the option to moderate the comments. Otherwise, you may end up with spam – this is a bad thing for those who aren’t familiar with the term.
Janet Francoeur, owner of Carolina Creations Fine Art & Contemporary Craft Store, uses a blog to market her business. Her blog is a terrific example of how blogs are used to showcase products and services.
New Bern Now’s Community Blog (this blog) is a different type of blog that can be used by realtors, consultants, government officials or candidates, and non-profit organizations to offer free advice or document their current initiatives, fundraising events, etc. This type of blog is used to communicate information, not necessarily sell products.
If you're interested in creating a blog for your business or non-profit, please give me a call at 252-638-6858 or email if you need assistance. There are local businesses and individuals in New Bern who can help you establish your blog.
Wendy Card
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