Blogging…Do I have to?

Well yes and no. No, no one is holding a gun to your head but especially if you’re just starting your business and have more time than money, it’s a great way to get picked up by search engines and it establishes you as an expert in your field.

When I first started out in Real Estate, I had zero dollars and tons of time. I was completely un tech savvy at the time but easily picked it up. The hardest part about getting started is figuring what to write. By the time I launched my wedding planning business I was a pro and honestly that’s where most clients came from in the early years before I had direct referrals.

Do ] Write what you know. Blogging can seem daunting [and kind of is]. Just think, what’s one easy thing that I know to be true and want to share with the world. It doesn’t need to be some groundbreaking discovery. “Don’t let perfection be the enemy of good enough”. Just get it done!

Don’t] Write super long drawn out paragraphs. Ain’t nobody got time for that. Keep your thoughts in concise bullet points. Think “Top 5 Things to do when you first get engaged”, “The best family friendly hikes in The High Country” etc.

Do ] Use your unique voice. It’s ok to write like you talk. There millions of different blogs out there but only one YOU! The world is waiting to hear what you have to say. You want your target audience to get to know the real you. My favorite clients are the ones who basically prequalify me by reading my blog before we even schedule the first phone call.

Don’t ] Forget to tag your post. Ugh, it’s such a chore but figure out the top key words for your brand/location and use those. [Don’t forget to tag photos].

Do ] Incorporate engaging photos into your posts. Otherwise it’s just boring and who cares. There are plenty of resources for finding stock photos if you don’t have any of your own.

Don’t ] Fill your blog with superfluous keywords. Google is smarter than that now! “If you’re planning your destination blue ridge high country blowing rock nc mountain boho barn elegant rustic wedding”…you get the picture is too much. Just write a normal sentence and keep keywords [especially hyper local keywords] in mind. Lemme say keywords again…

Do ] Maximize your exposure. If you’ve done a blog, pat yourself on the back, take a long sip of coffee [or wine] and the make sure to then post it on all of your other social media channels….. And tag those as well….and if you’re feeling frisky, share to your personal pages so your friends can stay up on what you’re doing and share with their friends and your first grade teacher who you’re still friends with on Facebook [Hi Ms. Lloyd] will be proud of you… Are we exhausted yet?

Do ] Figure out how to SUB IT OUT if Blogging and Social Media Management etc isn’t your strength! There are tons of Virtual Assistants locally and across the inter webs and they’re really not that expensive. It’s just a matter of finding the right fit for you. Do make sure that the content feels like your brand, even if you have to go in after the fact and tweak the post to make it feel more like you.

Happy Blogging!!!! [I know it’s the worst……]