Having high-quality content on your website is essential to rising in the rankings, driving traffic, and increasing sales. Recent trends have shown that it is the best way to make a name for your business. Since search algorithms weigh more recent “fresh” posts a certain degree higher than what would be considered more “stale” older ones, keeping a blog has become a great way to put out great stuff, and keep it up-to-date. But what should you blog about? Webmasters and bloggers alike want to know how to drive traffic and increase sales with blogs, and there are a few universal tips that will go a long way.

News

News within your industry is important because it will not only turn interested members of the public toward your blog, but it will also drive “insiders” to you as well. People within your industry will want to read and discuss the events with you. In order to really give your blog a flavor, though, you need to do more than just report. Consider predicting future trends in the market, giving an opinion, or referring visitors to other helpful content or pages on the web that could help them take advantage, or get more information. This will help you generate discussions and get your buzz going. One of the key components recommended by experts is to give it a personality to stand out from the crowd.

How-tos

One of the most important aspects of any blog for your site is that it needs to teach people something they can use about your subject. This means that people will come to you to learn things. When they have problems, they will turn to your blog. If you are a plumber, show them how to fix a clog. If you are a music shop, show them how to adjust their tuning. Make yourself an expert in your industry and people will notice.

“Why” topics

Although many think these are just interchangeable with how-tos , they are in fact very different. It all comes down to how people search. Typing questions into Google is one of the most common uses for the engine. What’s better is that the audience you will draw from people who find you this way will always be interested specifically in what your content has to offer. Think about the younger, internet-savvy generation that is coming of age, and how they will turn to the internet for all of their questions in the future – it may be a little scary, but certainly great news for your blog. Topics such as “why your toilet won’t stop running” or “why do we call it a Blue Moon” will always bring people to your site.

Pro tip: Google is your friend. Type why into the engine along with other words from your niche, and see what it suggests. If you are a flower shop, try “why do roses”, and the suggestions will give you topics that people are searching for.

In the end, most businesses blog because they want to build a good reputation for themselves, help out people that need it, put out fresh content, and claw their way to the top of the SERPs. These three basic tips will help make your blog one that people want to keep visiting, and one that they will be able to find via search instantly.

For help with search engine optimization, contact the experts at BlueHat Marketing.