Like most business people, I know and love the benefits of blogging, and even like to write for mine. In fact, making blogging a regular part of my life – by carving out some time each week to do it – has had huge benefits that aren’t obvious on the surface: Writing about business keeps me engaged in thinking about my business in full, not just about client needs or sales. Writing about other topics keeps my learning going. And what other reason is there to own a business other than learning new things? Oh, yeah – I guess making money would be one.

So, now what? You’ve got a good habit of posting your blog, but it feels like nobody is reading it. That’s because nobody is… unless you’ve taken some steps to promote it. Thanks to social media, we have many ways to get it out there, and there are good tools to make that easy.  This great article outlines many different tools and ways by seasoned pros: www.clambr.com/how-to-promote-your-blog

Here’s my routine:

• Before writing my post, I make sure my WordPress blog is ready for it. Using a great plugin called Jetpack, I have my blog configured to automatically email each new post to my subscribers, and automatically post it on my Facebook, LinkedIn, Twitter, and Google+ business pages.
• Next, I schedule my blog post to be released at an optimum time. Analysis of my blog statistics has shown that the best time for me to post is early in the day, mid-week (either Wednesday or Thursday). You’re business will be different. Try a few different times, and watch the stats in your dashboard (provided by Jetpack) to see when more people see your article.
• After the post is released, I re-post it in a few Facebook and LinkedIn Groups that are appropriate for the topic at hand. For instance, the post you are reading now will get re-posted in some business network types of groups, and some about WordPress. I do about one per day, so it doesn’t take much time.  These groups are great places to start discussions and get comments from others, which builds your reputation as a blogger.
• Finally, I send out an email newsletter monthly containing my 4 blog posts as articles.  This presents the content in a different format, and reaches a different audience.

You can do it, too! Don’t be shy about getting your info into the hands of others. If you have the guts to run a business, you have something relevant to say. Own it, and say it!

Oh, and don’t forget: If you need help with any of this, we can help. Don’t hesitate to be in touch for a free consultation.

(Photo courtesy Stuart Miles, freedigitalphotos.net)