Beginning With the Protagonist in Blogging for Business

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“Always begin with your protagonist,” advises N.M. Kelby in Writer’s Digest Novel Writing. “The readers need to discover who the hero is and why they should root for him….Introduce your protagonist, either directly or indirectly, within the first 300 words.”

With business blog content “servings” typically not much larger than 300-500 words apiece, SEO marketing blog writers need to move that piece of advice up a few notches, to the first sentence or two of each post.

According to humor speaker and coach Bill Stainton, the first five minutes of any talk must be indicative of what the audience can expect. The audience will go along with any number of different approaches, he explains, but they want to know “the deal”.

Translated into blog writing for business, what this means to me is that when readers arrive at your business blog, it’s because they already have an interest in your topic and are ready to receive the information, the services, and the products you have to offer. But, from the get-go, it’s up to you to assure them that they’ve come to precisely the right place to get what they’re after.

From an indexing standpoint, of course, by using keyword phrases in the title and in the very first sentence of a blog post, you’re providing clues to the search engines to help them “match” your material with online searchers’ queries.

Aside from that compelling technical motivation for introducing the focus of each blog post early on, we Indianapolis business bloggers can learn a lot from what Writer’s Digest has to say about readers, online or off. “Your readers should know exactly where they are… Establish time and place.  They have to trust that you are in control of the story.”

The tight focus on one, and only one, aspect of your business or profession, one service, one product type or feature, begins with the writer.  Posing the question, “Who will be the protagonist today?” is the perfect prelude to writing sharp, engaging, reader-compelling blog posts.

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Jargon as Jump-Starter in Corporate Blogging for Business

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“Jargon is here, and it’s not going anywhere,” observe four professors at the University of North Carolina, adding that, in its most positive light, jargon can be seen as professional, efficient shorthand.

But what about using jargon in blog writing for business? One thought I have from the point of view of a corporate blogging trainer is that commonly used phrases and terms can be used as a way of establishing common ground with a select audience of readers, an important goal in SEO blog marketing..

Jargon, though, is a handle-with-care writing technique.  In face-to-face conversation, as Roundpeg points out, rather than admit they don’t know what you mean, people might just nod knowingly.  To avoid this effect, blogger Lorraine Ball suggests, introduce jargon by saying “You probably already know this, but….”.Of course, in corporate blogging, online readers won’t be doing any nodding – they are far more likely to click away, impatient to find the information they need without any navigational or terminology hassle.

In corporate blogging training sessions, once you’ve established that common ground, reinforcing to readers that they’ve come to the right place, I stress how important it is to add lesser-known bits of information on your subject. This serves several purposes:

  • positioning the business owner or professional practitioner as an expert in the field
  • adding value to this “visit” for the reader
  • increasing readers’ sense of being part of a group of like-minded customers

For example, here’s a piece of lesser-known information that I can share with Say It For You readers:

The word “jargon” itself comes from a 14th century word for “twittering of birds”. Jargonauts, who like to study jargon, argue that no deceit is intended – jargon simply makes communication easier within a group of people.

Then, towards the end of the post, the blog content writer can allude to the jargon term again, giving the impression of “collusion” with the reader because they share this tidbit of knowledge. That, in turn, needs to lead to some call to action on the part of the blog visitor.  In other words, the jargon needs to be a jump-starter for the next step!

 

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Indianapolis Blog Content Writers Can Take Tips From a TV Movie

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Around professional blog content writers’ circles, there’s much talk about fresh content.  The word “fresh” seems to imply “new” material, and I couldn’t help reflecting on that after seeing an old TV movie the other evening about Marie Antoinette.

On the surface of it, historical film making in general seems the very antithesis of fresh content-centered blog writing for business. Given the legendary short attention span of online readers and the modern what-have-you-done-for-me-lately attitude so prevalent in business, you’d think the very last place freelance blog content writers would look for business blogging help would be a historical TV movie.  After all, as a viewer, I knew how the story would end before it began!

Why, then, did I find “Marie Antoinette” so riveting?  Why did I hang on every word of dialogue, waiting for what I knew had long ago already taken place?

There was a simple answer, I realized.  It wasn’t about the material itself being “fresh”; it was about the “fresh“ point of view. Sure, in high school and college I had studied the events leading up to the French Revolution, but I’d never experienced those events through Marie Antoinette’s eyes.

That insight reinforced something I’ve spoken about many times in corporate blogging training sessions:  Readers may know some or all of the information you’re presenting in your business blog, but they need your help putting that information in perspective.  In fact, that’s where blogging for business tends to be at its finest, helping searchers with more than just finding information, but helping them understand its meaning and significance.

Well-told historical fiction, explains Jennie Lundquist of teacher.scholastic.com,

  • Portrays character realistically, folding in facts
  • Provides accurate information through illustrations
  • Avoids myths and stereotypes

Neither “Marie Antoinette” nor corporate blogging for business deals in pure fiction, what the two have in common is perspective.  The film made me think about the facts  in a new way. Corporate blog writing needs to help readers answer these questions:

  • Who are the business owners or professionals providing this information?
  • Can I trust the accuracy of the information?
  • What should this mean for me?
  •  What are some choices I have?

The lesson for us Indianapolis business blog content writers is clear.  “Fresh” doesn’t have to mean “new” facts.  If our content is “fresh” in that it offers a new perspective on familiar information, we have a chance at have our online readers finding value in our every word.

 

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But I Repeat Myself, and That’s a Good Thing for Blog Content Writing

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“Suppose you were an idiot, and suppose you were a member of Congress – but I repeat myself,” quipped Mark Twain.

Clever line!  In general, though, if we make a habit of repeating ourselves, we run the risk of being bo-o-o-ring.  On the other hand, as a business blogging trainer, one concern I hear a lot from business owners or professional practitioners is that sooner or later, they’ll run out of things to say in their SEO marketing blog posts.  “I’ve already covered my products and services on my website – what else is left to say?” is the question.

A lot.

Effective business blogging is centered around keyword phrases and key themes.  And, as we blog content writers create material about our profession or industry, we’re continually fine tuning and adding insights we gain in the process. I like to think of the “exercise” I’m getting as a professional blog writer as “building blog muscle through repetition.”

One really interesting thing I’ve discovered over the past five years of writing Say It For You blogs and offering business blogging help to hundreds of others, is that blogging for business really does offer a “training benefit”.  Here’s what I mean:  when you blog:

  • You’re verbalizing the positive aspects of your business or practice
  • You’re putting your recent accomplishments into words
  • You’re reviewing the benefits of your own products and services
  • You’re learning to communicate effectively and convincingly about your business

So, does that mean all those “training benefits” are lost to business owners or professionals who hire freelance blog content writers to be their “voice”?  Really, the answer is “no”, at least not if things are done right, with your blogger becoming a true part of your marketing team

The very process of choosing themes, sharing strategies, and planning for content creation involves both the owner and the writer, creating a 2 + 2 =5 synergy effect.

Suppose you were a busy business owner, and suppose you hired a skilled freelance blog content writer.  Together (and that’s the key word here) you create a wonderful, long-sustained series of posts expressing what you do, who you are, what you believe, and what you have to offer.  Your SEO marketing blog wins search and wins hearts.

But I repeat myself…..

 

 

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Labor Day Lessons for Business Bloggers

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Suppose you’re a freelance blog content writer in Indianapolis and your client is Labor Day.  Your task, through your SEO marketing blog writing, is to attract online readers looking for information about Labor Day, engaging their interest to the point that at least some of them “convert”, becoming Labor Day clients or customers. (LaborDay.com might be offering history courses, an e-book, picnic supplies, holiday decorations, food, parade float construction, or membership in a new society for Labor Day buffs.)

Here are some things you might do:

Establish common ground.
Since today’s the first Monday in September, we’re “celebrating the economic and social contributions of workers,” as Wikipedia reminds us. (Of course, your readers all know this, but confirming they’ve come to the right place is always a good idea in blogging for business.)

Offer some lesser-known information.
“In 1887, Oregon became the first state to make Labor Day a holiday. By the time it became a federal holiday in 1894, thirty states officially celebrated Labor Day.”

In corporate blogging training sessions, I often explain that it’s perfectly OK to repeat a theme you’ve already covered in former posts, adding a layer of new information or a new insight.

Play off current news.
Watch for topics currently trending in the news, especially items that relate to your profession or industry.  In fact, professional ghost bloggers like me are always on the alert for news items in each of our clients’ fields).

“Job Market Continues to Improve in Bartholomew Country” is an upbeat, Labor Day-appropriate example.  Once having introduced that tie-in to the news, thought, the blog writer’s next step must be to offer “ client Labor Day”’s own slant on the information, answering the “So what?” “ and “Now what?” questions in readers’ minds. “What can YOU do to take advantage of the slowly-improving job market and land the right position after such a long dry spell?” is one direction the writer might take.

Build trust.
“You must make the audience sense that you’re comfortable with your information…and yourself,” advises friend and professional speech coach Jean Palmer Heck.

Merely gathering information on their topic and presenting it as part of their blog, online content writers are providing a valuable service, but to go the next step, we must ensure that each blog post offers a perspective.  WHY is this information important to the reader?  What can that reader “do about it”? How can you help?

“The holiday is often regarded as a day of rest and parties,” Wikipedia concludes, adding that in U.S. sports, Labor Day marks the beginning of the NFL and college football seasons.”

Rest, partying, and footfall, are all well and good, but can you see what, at Say It For You, we see all kinds of blogging “labor” possibilities connected to Labor Day?

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