Sep 10
24
A Blog Post About Construction Blogs
On the heals of our Social Media for Construction Webcast and Panel Discussion, with experts from Caterpillar, USG and Emerson Electric, one thing is for certain, BLOGS are a very important component of an internet and social media program.
Why? Because no other single marketing tool can have such a demonstrable effect on search engine results, while positioning you or your brand as the thought leader or subject matter expert (SME) for your product or service.
Blogs drive search results for several reasons. First, blog posts are picked up by search engines quickly and broadly. When blogs are integrated with websites (in primary navigation, and/or subdomain), each post builds search engines indexed pages for that site. Links on Blogrolls of relevant blogs and websites, when reciprocated, build a websites authority, increasing page rank, another key ingredient to search optimization.
In 2010, the reach of excellent blog content is growing faster than ever. Why? The now omnipresent Twitter retweet button, and the recent addition of the Facebook Like button (see both buttons above). In addition, Twitter can now integrated with Facebook so tweets automatically populate a users corresponding Facebook page. AND tweets or retweets can now automatically populate LinkedIn users UPDATE features. With the multiplier effect of Twitter Followers, Facebook Friends and LinkedIn Connections, it’s easy to understand how the reach of compelling blog posts can build quickly.
Getting Started
Now that you too are convinced of the power of BLOGS, how can you implement a great blog? There are many free blogging software and hosting applications to choose from with excellent features. WordPress is the most popular, however some companies prefer Typepad, or Blogger. Other companies want more customization or control, so they develop a custom platform that fits their needs. Mashable has a great list of 40+ free blog hosts to get you started blogging, but before you do – think of a topic that would be interesting for you and for your readers.
The Hard Part
The reason most construction industry companies or brands DON’T have blogs is because developing content on an ongoing and frequent basis is difficult. Your product or service might not be that dynamic. Or you get busy with RFPs and drop your blog content research and writing like a hot potato. Start with a list of themes and topics, then rough out an editorial calendar. Construction Marketing Advisors manages this ConstructionMarketingBlog.org with such a calendar. To help you get started, following is a List of 21 Topics (and growing) to Blog About:
- Product/service features, benefits, applications
- White papers on industry topics
- How you solved a customer problem
- Tips, how-to’s, best practices for your product or service
- Upcoming trade shows, programs and industry events
- Frequently asked questions (FAQ’s)
- Videos, seminars, and presentations
- News announcements, news releases, editorial
- New products, programs, promotions
- Industry news (economic, trends, new technologies)
- News from relevant partners or alliances, associations, trade unions, etc.
- Customer case studies and/or testimonials
- Profile a staff member or industry leader
- Share resources that customers might be interested in
- Conduct industry surveys with free tools like Survey Monkey
- Blog about company history
- Provide technical info
- Write about a government program or legislation
- Share a new ad campaign
- Publish results of a recent research project
- Welcome customers and detail your content ideas for the blog
Remember, blogs don’t require editorial perfection. The personal perspective can build credibility. And in fact, blogs should err to shorter subjects and a quick read. But do blog regularly. Depending on the scope of your company and customer base, a good frequency could be daily, weekly, or bi-weekly. Experts say it takes 50+ posts to achieve blogosphere traction.
Build your blog user base with an RSS subscription tool. Promote your blog through Twitter, Facebook and LinkedIn. Cross-promote your blog in all print and internet campaigns. Do Retweet, Facebook Like and bookmark this blog post! And please comment on this post with your suggestions for blogging topics, or other suggestions.
Happy Blogging!
thanks for the blurb lol 
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