Five Tips to Inspire Business Bloggers

Last week we explained why blogging is good for your online business. If you’re stuck for ideas on what to write in your e-commerce blog, here are five simple ideas to get you off to a good start.

1 - SHARE YOUR PASSION

Make your blog articles interesting to read by sharing your passion and expertise about whatever it is you’re selling. If you’re selling sports shoes, for example, you might write about running. Tell your readers about your amazing run through the forest as the sun was coming up, made even better by the new running shoes you were wearing (and that you stock). If you’re passionate about something, it will shine through and inspire your readers.

2 - TALK ABOUT THE ISSUES THAT MATTER TO YOUR READERS

Engage your readers by discussing the issues that matter to them. If you sell beauty products online, perhaps your readers are concerned about the use of parabens. You might explain why parabens are so bad (or not). As an e-commerce nursery you might discuss why using non-organic fertilizers is bad for your health and your garden, and suggest alternatives from your product range. Whatever you’re selling, write about what you know are the important issues for your readers.

3 - GIVE YOUR READERS FREE TIPS & ADVICE

Showcase your expertise by sharing your knowledge and experience. Everyone loves free advice and tips, especially if written well and by someone who obviously knows what they’re talking about. An example for an online retailer selling niche food products would be how to use saffron in a recipe, or how to use Spanish cookware.

4 - SHARE YOUR OPINION

As an expert in your field, share your opinions. If you think the latest MP3 player on the market has serious flaws (and you sell a better one), then say so. Explain to your readers (no marketing fluff though) why you think they should buy the product you stock. Maybe you’ve found the battery life is better or the user interface rocks. And invite your readers to comment and share their views too.

5 - KEEP YOUR FINGER ON THE PULSE

Get inspiration from various sources and keep your posts topical. Share your thoughts about an interesting article in the newspaper that you read over breakfast. Or that great idea a customer emailed you about. Or your spin on what another online retailer, such as Amazon, wrote about in their blog. Keep a note of your ideas and make a quick list of the key points you want to make.