There are many ways in which those with online businesses can market their products and services however; blogging is becoming a very desirable form of doing just this. You may wish to create your own blog and build a customer base in this way or you may choose to get involved with those set up by others to market your company. Below you will find some great tips on blogging to get you started and ensure that your blog entries market your services effectively, having the maximum effect and encouraging a greater customer base.

If you decide to set up your own blog then the following five tips will enable you to use blogging to your advantage.

Know your market: it is important that you consider your potential clients and provide them with useful information which is both up-to-date and interesting. In order to do this, be sure to regularly check not only your local news, but also have an international perspective and always keep an eye on the competition.

Do not forget to use social media: never underestimate the power of an extremely large number of people. Facebook, Twitter, Google+ and Pinterest are some of the largest social-media communities, with millions of users that interact on a daily basis. Even businesses in third world countries, such as Nigeria, have decided to promote themselves in this way. For example, their local free-classifieds website has a Facebook page with nearly 40,000 followers! Not bad I’d say! Imagine how many your business could achieve in countries like the US, Canada or Australia!

Categorise your content carefully: ensure that you use a number of key words or phrases in your blog entries and titles which will allow you to maximise its SEO. All information should be properly categorised to make it easy for your readers to find what they are looking for quickly and efficiently.

Use blog directories: if you submit your site to blog and feed directories you can be sure that it will be viewed by a greater number of possible customers, as it will have a larger presence on the internet. Keep in mind many people that are looking for services online tend to check directories because they find more businesses in less time.

Add content on a regular basis: this will ensure that your content is kept up-to -date and on seeing this, your readers are likely to return to the site on a regular basis and begin to use the services and products provided by your company. Again, if you have a social media page for your business, it is important to also keep this one updates with posts and comments.

Encourage correspondence with you potential clients: make sure that you include a comments box allowing your readers to comment on the content of your blog and even ask questions. You must respond to these readers to ensure that they continue to return to the site, since there is nothing more disappointing than not getting a response from a service you are going to be paying money for.

If you choose to market your company by getting involved with other people’s blogs then the following three tips will allow you to do so effectively.

Research popular blogs: do a little research online in order to find the most popular blogs within your sector. This will allow you to see the different ways people are getting involved and allow you to do the same whilst subtly marketing your own business.

Contribute by writing useful comments: in doing so you will become a valuable member of this blogging community. Ask interesting and intelligent questions to start new discussions regarding the subject matter and enable you to find new potential customers online whilst providing a link to your own website.

Return on a regular basis: if you decide to leave a comment then you should always return to the site to see if anybody has answered or commented on your participation. This will ensure that you are seen as a valuable reader with ideas to share with others.

By following these simple tips on how to use blogging to market your business you will almost certainly increase the number of potential clients visiting your site. Through blogging you can build your own reputation and increase the possibility of referrals, whilst employing the SEO system to increase your search engine visibility.