Why do we write this blog anyway?
Think about the content that stops you on the web. You probably land on blogs (like this one) at least once or twice a day when headlines or infographics or other content catches your eye. The internet allows anyone to become known as an expert… wait don’t leave yet. Did you see what we said there? Become known as an expert.
Blogs are a wonderful, and egalitarian, way for people to share their expertise quickly, easily, and freely with eager audiences. It’s a way to gain attention from those who can benefit from your business, and get them engaged by providing content and advice they need and may not be finding anywhere else. So let’s talk about setting up a blog for your side hustle to start gaining the attention you deserve.
Benefits of blogging
Driving traffic to your business
We’ve talked before about easy ways to market your business and gain attention on the internet. Blogging is a great tool for that mission.
Blogging accomplishes several things you need to do for a solid marketing foundation, but may not have time to consider.
Blogs add pages—and more content—to your website, which increases your authority with search engine algorithms and makes your content easier to find in search engines. Remember the adage “garbage in, garbage out”? Think of blogs as “content in, audience out.” The more you write, the more people will find you and follow you.
Blogs are also a great way to make connections with other websites where your audience may be spending time. Sharing content through backlinks (linking to other sites to share related information to your own) is another great way to improve your authority ranking with search engines.
Save time and money by testing content first
Blogs are a great way to road test content before investing in paid advertising. See which messaging and topics get the most attention from your blog, and start with those topics when you’re ready to make the leap into paid efforts.
Start converting followers to customers
You are trying to attract people to your website and social media so they can become customers. Blogs are another way of converting more visitors to customers. Always remember to include a call to action (CTA) on your blog. It might be an invite to read more blog content that relates to the current topic. It might drive readers to subscribe to your emails, sign up for a free trial, download a longer piece of content (this is called gating content), or register for a webinar or demo. Test different CTA goals and language to see what works best.
What to write about
We find inspiration from this blog from a variety of places:
- Current news/topics that relates to small business management
- Competitor blogs
- Thought leaders in project management, business growth, and more
- Comments and questions from current customers
- New features and use cases for Solo Hustle
When in doubt, write about things in your business about which you are particularly passionate. Your enthusiasm for the topic will come through, even if the words are more difficult. Other easy ideas to get you started:
- Highlight use cases and successes from customers
- Run through a list of recent updates or new products
- Interviews with people in your field you admire (also a great opportunity to learn and make contacts!)
- Shared content from sites and businesses you respect
- Tips you’ve learned as you grow your business
- FAQ roundup from recent customer conversations
- Highlight the cons of your products—sometimes contrary and honest content can draw in more readers and gain more trust than the usual promotion
How often to blog
Chumbawamba. Toni Basil. House of Pain. Vanilla Ice.
You can blog once in a while when the mood strikes, but your blog will be about as impactful as the average one hit wonder. Remember that a big reason to blog is to gain trust and respectability for your expertise in your field. Throwing readers a bone a few times a year won’t accomplish that.
Plan to blog at least twice a month to start, working up to more frequent posts as your team, audience, and reach grow.
Tips to make the most of your blog
If you’re going to take the time to write out thoughts and advice, make sure you maximize that effort. Blog content can easily be repurposed for social media, email content, website content, and advertising. Some tips:
- Let all of your content marketing work together. If your social media accounts are buzzing, quiz your audience about questions they have to get blog content ideas.
- Join relevant associations to your industry—especially if they have newsletters. Associations are always looking for great content. Submit blog articles for publication to reach an even larger audience.
- Reuse, repurpose—promote new blogs on social media and through email campaigns. This also makes your initial blog attempts less of a lift.
Insert CTA here
Never say we don’t take our own advice! Here’s that CTA we suggested you include on every blog.
Solo Hustle is committed to helping side hustlers and solopreneurs grow their businesses at their pace, with the tools they need at the right time. Sign up now for a free account and see how you can put Solo Hustle to work for you.
