Wyoming Business Tips for Aug. 5

A weekly look at issues facing Wyoming business owners and entrepreneurs from the Wyoming Small Business Development Center (SBDC) Network, a collection of business assistance programs at the University of Wyoming.

By Jake Dixon, marketing manager, Wyoming SBDC Network

There are many benefits to writing frequent blog posts, as long as the topics are relevant to your business. The simple answer to whether your small business should have a blog is “Yes, if you have a website.” Of course, every small-business owner should have a website. Even if you’re not selling products online, a website can help people learn more about what you offer and give you a chance to collect their contact information.

Benefits of a Blog

Having a blog creates an opportunity for you to drive new traffic to your website. You can be active by posting links to your blog on social media and in newsletters. You also can sit back and reap the benefits that new, relevant content can have on search engine optimization (SEO).

In a recent Wyoming SBDC Network webinar, nationally recognized digital marketing expert Eric Spellmann stressed the importance of updated blogs. Spellmann says having original and recent content on your website will help you rank higher in search engine results. To learn more, visit the training section of www.wyomingsbdc.org to register for the event and watch the recording.

How to Write a Blog

To get the most out of your blog, try to stick to the following guidelines:

-- Make it relevant. Your blog posts should contain information that you, as a business owner, are an expert in. They also should address topics that your target market wants to know.

-- Make it original. Don’t copy the information from another website. The key here is to create unique content that your customers -- and search engines -- can’t find anywhere else online.

-- Keep it recent. Each day that passes is a day that your content gets less prioritization in search engine results. However, don’t just repost or slightly edit your old content. Search engines will know if similar content already exists and may ignore it.

-- Be yourself. You talk with people every day. During those conversations, you are always on topic, discussing something you haven’t already covered with them and speaking in easy-to-understand terms. These are the same qualities that make an effective blog post.

Your best resource for creating blog posts, websites and business strategies is your local Wyoming SBDC Network adviser. These experts can personally help you come up with a plan to raise awareness, capture customers and increase your sales. To get started with no-cost, confidential assistance anywhere in Wyoming, visit www.wyomingsbdc.org.

The Wyoming SBDC Network offers business expertise to help Wyoming residents think about, launch, grow, reinvent or exit their businesses. The Wyoming SBDC Network is hosted by UW with state funds from the Wyoming Business Council and funded, in part, through a cooperative agreement with the U.S. Small Business Administration.

To ask a question, call 1-800-348-5194, email wsbdc@uwyo.edu, or write 1000 E. University Ave., Dept. 3922, Laramie, WY, 82071-3922.