This is the fourth article in the Business Blogging Basics series. In the past we’ve covered Information vs. Insight, Quality vs. Quantity and Personal vs. Professional. If you’ve had a chance to read those articles already, then you may have already sensed a pattern. Though I use “versus” in the title, none of these issues are really either/or situations.
A good business blog will incorporate a healthy balance of these different strategic approaches.
Still, it’s important to understand the differences between what I would consider “news” compared to what I would consider “knowledge.” Then, you can better incorporate both approaches for a more effective blog campaign.
What is News?
For the purpose of this article, news would be defined as something current and time-sensitive. Something interesting recently happened at your company (a new hire, a new award/certification, new office location, new product/service offerings, etc.). Or, maybe something significant is affecting your industry as a whole (regulatory changes, market trends, new technology, etc.). Or, perhaps something is going on in your community (special event, charitable involvement, etc.).
These are all newsworthy issues and great topics for blog articles. Just remember if you are repurposing an existing article from another online source, rewrite it so that the content is unique to your site. Click here for tips on how to do this effectively.
The positives of news-based articles are that they are timely and interesting. They can also provide a lot of insight into the way you do business. This is especially true when news stories are focused around something happening at your company or within your community, such as a charitable event you are involved in.
However, the downside of a timely news article is that there is usually a limited shelf life. That article won’t be as relevant in another week, month or year. We talked last week about the importance of having a certain percentage of evergreen content that will always be there for strong SEO appeal.
News stories are most effective when you already have a strong base of blog subscribers and/or social media followers. These are people already familiar with your business (usually past customers, vendors and others in your community). They like to keep in touch with what’s happening at your company, in the community and in your industry. They don’t necessarily need to be sold on your products or services, but they need to be engaged with interesting articles and content so that they remain loyal fans.
What is Knowledge?
Knowledge, again for the purpose of this article, refers to the content that is more evergreen. It is information about products and services relating to your business. It is insight about the industry and your approach to customer service. It is content that anyone can read at any time and get a good feeling about your business. It creates credibility. It is informative. It builds your brand. And, it in the process it should show at least a glimpse of your company’s personality.
Knowledge-based content will be great for SEO as you build up your depth of online content with a regular blog. You can feature informational articles, consumer tips, product and service features, and customer testimonials and case studies. These are all articles that will stand the test of time. As products and services evolve, do new articles to showcase the latest developments. In a way, this will be both a news and knowledge article, which is fantastic.
The knowledge approach will still engage existing customers and regular blog/social media followers, though maybe not as much as the news-based articles. However, it will be better for attracting and converting new customers who find you through online searches or other means. The more content you have on your blog and the more information/topics you cover relating to your business, the better your chances of someone finding your company through organic online sources.
The Right Blend
Every company’s blog will be different, but a good business blog will use a balanced blend of news-based articles and evergreen knowledge-based articles. Don’t think of it as a “versus” situation. Find the right mix of information, insight, quality, quantity, personal, professional, news and knowledge. If you do this, your blog will be as effective as possible.
For more information about business blogging or to set up a free marketing consultation, contact NextGear Marketing today!
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