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Most likely, a business already has a clear view of what it wants to share with current and prospective customers and what aspects of its business are best suited for featuring in a blog. Figuring out how, and where on the world wide web, to get that message across is the hard part.

The first critical aspect of finding a niche for a successful blog is determining the desired voice for the blog. This may involve some trial and error, including testing various writers and blog styles with the most trusted existing customers. A good way to accomplish this goal is to prepare some blogs and post them on the company’s social media outlets. Feedback will be quick and invaluable in pinning down the right fit.

Research shows that emerging trends for 2017 in blogging, as well as all social media marketing content, include use of video and infographics, as well as less of a focus on personal blogs in favor of website content geared specifically for customers that tells the personal stories of the company through these pictorial devices.

As a result of these trends, the best blog hosting tool will be one that is less word-driven and more graphics friendly.

Another important consideration in setting up a blog is whether to use a hosted service. Those who have little experience with the inner mechanical workings of web design will do well to go with a hosted service. However, if your business employs a computer whiz or two, hosting your own website and blog will eliminate outside hosting costs.

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So, why are blogs so popular, especially for businesses? It’s because they work, plain and simple. A blog combines so many of the marketing strategies that are proven to bring in and keep customers. They tell a story, they are creative, they are easily created and even more easily shared, and they keep consumers coming back for more.

As a result, it is no surprise that many companies, firms and marketing specialists maintain at least one blog and encourage their employees to contribute their thoughts on the latest industry trends or, to provide the personal touch, a random account of the company picnic or customer feedback on a new product.

In addition, for the most part, blogging has traditionally been an inexpensive way to generate revenue. Hits on a blog and a faithful, returning readership means those advertising on blog sites are being seen, and that means income for the blogger.

However, the trend of raking in the dough by writing a blog entry and just sitting back and waiting for the ad visits to pay off is dying. Studies have revealed that less than one-third of blog readers actually click on the advertisements on the page. While the number of blogs has exploded in recent years, the ties to blog revenue have sharply declined.

Rest assured, however, that there is still money to be made through blogging for those who are willing to think outside of the box, find new investments to fund their endeavors and keep up to date on the latest trends, such as inclusion of videos and creative, personal storytelling.

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For a business manager who is not all that well-versed in the best SEO practices, the ins and outs can be complicated and overwhelming. Talk of algorithms and constant changes make the fight to keep your online presence as high as possible on the list of search results a challenging one. However, even a basic knowledge of SEO can help a business get started with this crucial marketing concept.

Also, there is plenty of help out there for businesses who want to bring in a professional to keep up with the ever-changing rules of the game. In addition to keeping up with the changes, there are a few other good pointers for those starting out on the path of SEO familiarity.

First, don’t expect to implement SEO measures one day and have yo
ur website on the first page of a Google search the next day, week or even month. Don’t give up. These things take time and persistence, but the results will come. Those who do decide to turn to an outside SEO company for help should do their homework and ask as many questions as possible before signing on to make sure their unique brand is understood and will be well represented and that the SEO expert’s methods are acceptable.  Gateway Marketing.com offers its clients a “Pay for Performance” SEO service where there is zero cost upfront and you are never charged unless we rank your site in the keywords you select.

Also, before a business either starts their own SEO work or hires someone else to do it, the overall marketing goals should be clearly defined.  To boost a business’s chances at a prime listing, make sure the website is worthy of a top spot, use keywords wisely and consider the customer first when writing site content and target local search results.

-Michael J Kowal

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Like in emails, videos are always a great way to spruce up any social marketing campaign. With the advent of live streaming video services on forums like Snap and Facebook, this is especially important in the 2017 social media marketing climate.

Many businesses already utilize video as part of their marketing tools, relying on the notion that consumers love visuals. The key is to craft these videos so they can be broken into segments. That way, several installments can be posted each week on various social media platforms. If a customer knows he or she can expect a regular new post keeping them up to date on the latest offerings, that customer is likely to keep that business in mind.

More and more, consumers also crave personal interaction and want a chance to have their voices heard. After all, convenient communication is the basis of social media. As a result, marketers need to go beyond simply telling and showing customers what their products are and why they should purchase them. Allowing customers to provide instant feedback and get real-time support and service will most certainly make a difference.

In a similar vein, consumers today want to see firsthand proof that a business cares not only about the people who are purchasing their products and services, but also about the world we all live in and the customer’s overall happiness.

To best achieve this through social media marketing, use content that is creative and artistic and shows emotion. Demonstrate that the company is not just a product, it is people with the same interests and needs as the customer.

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