A reader emailed me recently, to say she is about to start a business blog. She wanted to know how I find the time to keep this blog updated as frequently as I do, with useful content.
Image: Maria Reyes-McDavis
The answer is that I don’t have to “find time” to write here!
Let me explain: I see business blogs a little differently from most people. I regard business blogs as massively valuable assets. So, I give this site high priority within my business.
To me, business blogs are online magazines, which provide articles to interested people; with an opportunity for the readers to connect with the author and their fellow readers.
Just as you can’t play around and accidentally produce a worthwhile business magazine, you can’t play around with a business blog and expect it to develop a great community of highly valued readers.
Magazine thinking?
Think of any great business blog. It provides valuable articles for people interested in their niche, just like any high quality business magazine. For example, Brian Clark from copyblogger refers to his site as a media asset and his posts as magazine style content. I have always been of the same mindset. I see this site as a genuine media asset and I treat it with the respect it deserves.
- It’s not a hobby.
- It’s not a passtime.
- It’s not a gesture.
- It’s not something I do when there’s no real work that needs doing.
- It IS an extremely valuable business asset. Look at this!
This site never needs me to have spare time to invest in it. If it did, it would be another infrequently updated business blog. I regard Jim’s Marketing Blog and the reader community here as an integral part of my business, so it gets worked on ahead of many other less important (to me) business activities.
- People who just write posts when they have spare time, after the important work is done, end up with a site which reflects that level of investment.
- People who regard their site as the important work, treat their site very differently and see very different results.
The bottom line: It’s a question of priorities. Professionally, I place an extremely high priority on developing this site, so it always gets the time and attention it deserves.
Jim Connolly can help you grow your business and achieve the breakthrough marketing results your hard work deserves. To find out more, simply click here!
Great post. If someone wants to have a successful blog, it doesn’t happen as an after thought. It happens when knowledge, effort and passion are the foundation for interesting and captivating content.
Absolutely, Claudia.
Like Jim Rohn used to say; “Success seldom interrupts us.”
It takes work.
Building a permission asset, a group of loyal readers willing to hear from you, and who trust you is the most important activity a business can engage in. Blogs are a great example of this. Thanks for the reminder, Jim.
You’re welcome, Al.
To add Jim a business blog is also a huge marketing asset, and for those without ad budgets, the only marketing asset they have. As we know, marketing isn’t a one-time thing, it requires consistent effort, like a magazine.
So this begs the question if someone is not going to invest the time to build an asset, should they do it in the first place?
An infrequently updated blog can be worse in the mind of a reader (and much less influential or relevant) than one that is updated on a regular basis.
The customer of today is increasingly demanding information and two-way communication with a business before making a purchase decision. A blog is one of the best ways to provide both and build strong relationships.
That takes more than a single post every once in a while.
Some good points there, Robert. Thanks!
Blogging is Marketing, and part of Marketing is Blogging. I wrote about this recently at http://allaboutfocus.com/internet-marketing-training/blogging-marketing-marketing-blogging.
If you are a person who is interested in blogging about your cats for the fun of it, you are a business that is always marketing .That is exactly what your blog is – covert marketing.
Hi Patrick. My blog is blatant, transparent marketing.
Blogging should be an integral part of your online marketing strategy. After all, your blog is the hub of your social networking processes, as everything comes from and goes to it. To neglect it is like neglecting all your online marketing activities. In my mind, updating your blog comes first, therefore providing the correct material to update the rest of your social networking facilities.
You make a good point, Alice.
I regularly see people with very active Facebook profiles, who have not updated their primary hub in weeks or months.
Digital share croppers!
Thanks for the kick in the pants, Jim. It’s been difficult juggling my schedule lately, and I really need to schedule content production more diligently. This post was a strong reminder of that!
Best,
Scott
You’re welcome, Scott.
Thanks for the swift kick reminder Jim! I’ve been juggling my main business (technology training) and multiple blogs. Here’s to making sure I give them – and my readers – *all* the priority they deserve.
[...] marketing blogger Jim Connolly says, blogging is not something you do after “all your important work is done.” It is important [...]
[...] marketing blogger Jim Connolly says, blogging is not something you do after “all your important work is done.” It [...]