Reading is my favorite past time. Nothing else like it has given me the ability to travel to so many different places, meet a variety of new people/creatures, and learn so many fascinating things for $19.99. Reading as many books as I do, I’ve also noticed they have a lot to offer for my professional career, and yours as well!
Blogging is an important marketing tactic for any company – especially if it wants to increase its online visibility and search engine optimization (SEO), and knowing what to do and how to do it is the first step for any successful blogger. The most important tip for blogging for your company is to always keep your brand in mind. Your whole company revolves around this, and it should be the first thing you refer to when writing a blog post. Just as a reader wouldn’t want the plot line to change in the middle of their story, you don’t want to confuse your readers and change your brand in the middle of a post!
Blogging is one of the best ways to reach consumers.
I’ve picked out my top eight favorite books of all time (so far) and compiled a list of tips from each about the world of blogging for your business.
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Stay, Deb Caletti
This book revolves around a young girl, Clara Oates, who travels to a coastal town in Washington State to distance herself from an abusive relationship with her boyfriend, Christian. During the book, Clara reflects on her relationship with Christian and realizes that nothing she could have done would have stopped him from trying to control every aspect of her life; that was just the kind of person he was, and as much as she might have wanted to, you can’t change people, and you shouldn’t change yourself to please everyone.
This is true when blogging for your business, too. Many newer bloggers can spread themselves too thin, trying to write about everything for everybody without a clear focus. This just isn’t realistic, and it won’t help you achieve your content marketing goals. With so many people turning to blogs for news, information, style tips, etc., you don’t need to try to write about everything. Instead, find your niche and go after it with all your heart. Write about what inspires you and show your readers your brand; you’ll find your own people who love your message.
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Pellinor, Alison Croggon
The Pellinor series is a fantasy story about a young Bard named Maerad who discovers her magical abilities and travels with a mentor across their world of Edil-Amarandh so she can discover what happened to her home of Pellinor and stop the darkness that’s spreading across their land. A big issue for Maerad is trust, having been betrayed by people her entire life.
It can be hard to trust consumers with your blog posts as well. Putting a post out there about your brand or your company is nerve-wracking, because you never know how it will be received. But you have to trust your consumers. They know your brand, and they’ll remain loyal consumers as long as you continue to remain loyal to your brand’s voice. To do this, you need to show your consumers they can trust you in the first place. That means being constant with your messaging and honest about your business. Create an open dialogue with your consumers to show them you are easily approachable, and watch your camaraderie turn into mutual trust.
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Nancy Drew, Carolyn Keene
Who doesn’t love a good mystery like Nancy Drew? This series always kept me company when I’d stay home sick, and it still does to this day. One of the best blogging tips I learned from my favorite detective is to never stop looking for the truth. Research is a big part of blogging, believe it or not. You need to fact check all the information you include; your readers will appreciate your dedication to making your blog as accurate as possible.
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Divergent, Veronica Roth
Divergent is an amazing post-apocalyptic adventure series from the perspective of Tris Prior. Where everyone is born into a specific group (Abnegation, Dauntless, Amity, Erudite, and Candor) teens are able to choose a different path if they want to, though this is not very common. With Tris being Divergent, she feels drawn to several different groups and alternative ways of thinking, which is forbidden in her world. She tries to hide her differences by moving from Abnegation to Dauntless, leaving her whole family behind to adapt to a new, freer way of life.
Luckily, alternative ways of thinking aren’t forbidden in our world. None of your consumers are the same, just as no two blogs are the same. And how boring would the world be if they were? Use that difference to your advantage. Share your one-of-a-kind personality and insight, and listen to your consumers’ unique perspectives!
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Beautiful Creatures, Kami Garcia and Margaret Stohl
This is another great fantasy series that depicts a magical world that overlaps with our own. In it, Lena Duchannes, a caster, and Ethan Wate, a human, work together to try and create a peace within the caster world and the mortal world and stop a dark caster from taking both over. As a mortal who is involved with a caster, Ethan spends a lot of time moving back and forth between both worlds; no matter what, though, he always finds a way to come back to his roots in his hometown of Gatlin.
When you’re blogging for your business, it’s important to remember your roots. You have to keep your brand in mind, always. That’s what brought your consumers to you in the first place. Your brand should be front and center in everything you do; make sure you don’t forget what your company is and why you’re writing your blog in the first place.
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The Universe of Us, Lang Leav
This book isn’t a novel; Rather, it’s a collection of love poems. All of her poems showcase how fleeting moments in life can be, and how important it is to say what you feel before it’s too late.
Relationships you have with your consumers are the most important ones your company or brand will ever have, so let them know how much they mean to you! You should be telling your consumers frequently how important and appreciated they are to your business, and your blog is a great place to do that. And your consumers will be more likely to remain loyal if they feel appreciated!
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Midsummer Night’s Dream, William Shakespeare
I love Shakespeare, despite being forced to read his plays in junior high; A Midsummer Night’s Dream is my favorite of his, because I love the tangled love triangles. They offer so much hilarity, and it’s always sweet to see them resolved in the end. But it’s always a little frustrating to see people who belong together torn apart. Don’t let your blog be the reason your consumers are no longer in love with your business!
Keep up the relationship with your readers; involve them in different aspects of your business, and make sure to let them know their voice is heard. Your consumers came to your business for a reason, and it’s your job to let them know they made the right choice with every post.
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One More Thing: Stories and Other Stories, B.J. Novak
This is a collection of short stories written by Novak (Ryan from The Office, if you didn’t know). My favorite thing about this book is how his writing elicits so many different emotions from me while I read it. Some stories are longer, like Sophia, the tale of a young man who invents the perfect robot girlfriend but things backfire when she falls intensely in love with him. My personal favorite is “Romance, Chapter One”. It’s exactly 3 lines long:
“The cute one?”
“No, the other cute one.”
“Oh, she’s cute too.”
I love it because it allows the reader to finish the story; they get to choose the characters and backstories.
Your blog should evoke similar responses to your consumers reading their favorite books. It should make them laugh, think, maybe even cry. It needs to make them feel, like all other forms of art. If you can’t make your consumers feel something when they interact with you, they won’t be your consumers much longer.
The wonderful world of books never ceases to amaze; for all the readers out there who also love these favorites of mine, can you think of any other blogging tips I missed? If so, I’d love to read them in the comments! And if you’d like to learn more tips from the fabulous ladies of Three Girls, check out this blog post featuring CEO Erika Montgomery’s top 3 blogging tips for businesses, or these tips for becoming a blogger to increase SEO by Senior Dir. of Publicity Emily Sidley.
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