Content is king. This well-known adage holds more than a grain of truth and the increasing shift towards online commerce means that a digital presence is an essential operational component. So, whether you are managing a traditional brick and mortar enterprise or (even more so) if you're running an online business, it's important to ensure that your audience knows about you.

Why Is Content Important?

So, why should business blogging be something that you pursue? We have a whole article that talks about the pros (and the few) cons of starting a blog for your business. However, we'll just say that 80% of the businesses that blog are able to attract customers through it.

In a nutshell, having an online presence creates brand awareness and provides you with a great channel through which you can interact with your audience, be it existing or potential customers. It also happens to be an inexpensive way through which you can support your marketing efforts.

What Constitutes Good Content?

The definition of 'good content' is to a certain extent subjective, however, there is a consensus that engaging content that answers the needs of your audience is the best way to create interest. Use a keyword research tool and look up what people are searching for so that the content that you produce actually has the potential of gaining traction.

How long should your blog post be? Again, this is also something that is subjective but guidelines indicate that the ideal word count for a blog post article should be in the region of 1,700 words.

Our Top 5 Tips for Awesome Blogs

So what should you keep in mind when it comes to writing blogs? Here are some easy tips that will make your writing process easier:

• What you know is valuable - Contrary to what you might think, trying to impress your audience with grandiose topics will not get you far. On the contrary, there is value in the knowledge that you have acquired through your day-to-day business activities and that is the information that readers will find useful. So, if you're a florist go ahead and write about low-maintenance plants, if you're a vet share your top pet hygiene tips, and if you're a hairdresser tell your readers all about the best haircuts for every face shape.
• Answer questions - A reader will consume a piece of content if it provides an answer to a query and adds value. So, make sure that your blog posts provide an answer to commonly asked questions.
• Make it appealing - Wherever possible add relevant images or videos that create a more pleasant experience for your readers.
• Consistency is key - A sporadic one-off blog post here and there will not create a positive outcome. Indeed, it is only through regular posting that it's possible to build a relationship with your audience and create interaction. 
• Learn a little about SEO - Search Engine Optimisation is the practice through which search engines rank content that's available on the web on any given topic. It is a very vast subject (check out our detailed guide here) but having a basic understanding of how search results are classified will help increase visibility for your content.

When it comes to creating content, practice really does make perfect. So, as long as you are publishing blogs that truly provide value; the writing process will start to get easier as you go along. Alternatively, give us a shout out here at Yellow, relax and let us create great blogs for your business!