A brand new year has started. With it, a fresh set of blogging resolutions for us online marketers. One of the main areas we focus on is content marketing. Generating engaging content for our target audience that helps them solve a problem or identify an opportunity and drive action is critical for SEO and Marketing success.

But… where do I start? Blogging is such a broad area, with so many different platforms to choose from. Should I dive into computer science to build a massive blog that can compete with the likes of Google and Facebook? Or should I specialize in eCommerce to provide value-added content to online shoppers that want to purchase items from my product catalogue? Or should I try my hand at lifestyle blogging to promote skincare products and makeup trends?

No matter what niche you choose, you’ll most likely run into competition. There are already thousands of brands and blogs focused on providing content to online shoppers. To succeed, you’ll need to develop your own strategy and find your own unique angle. The key is to find a way to engage your audience and make them feel that you’re listening to their needs. Only then can you really start driving sales.

The Basics Of A Blogger’s Life

Blogs are fairly simple to set up. You just need a hosting account with your favorite web host and a domain name. From there, you can either install a free WordPress or purchase a premium, hosted copy. Once you have a live blog, you can start adding content.

WordPress makes it fairly easy to edit the appearance of your blog. From a mobile-first design to cutting out the navigation bars that take up space on your desktop website, you can have a completely different look and feel for your blog. To help you get started, the WordPress team offers some fantastic free tutorials that will teach you the basics of blogging.

Why Blogging Is A Great Vehicle For Marketing

Let’s face it. As an online marketer, you’re bombarded with advertisements. There are ads on just about every website you visit, some even taking over the entire page. Now, not all of these ads are bad. Some are quite informative, providing valuable marketing information or allowing you to review a product or service and so on. But sometimes, you just want to get rid of the ads and focus on the content.

Blogging is a great source of information for your target audience. Not only do you have the opportunity to provide them with helpful content, but you can also engage with them via social media.

Take the example of Skinora Australia. With over 50 million monthly active users across its various platforms (including its blogs), the company can boast some pretty impressive figures. As a brand new blogger, you’ll likely be tempted to compare your blog’s engagement stats to those of renowned beauty bloggers like Megan Jayne Crabbe and Shaunna Jack. But… how can you compare apples to oranges?

Although all three have an audience of over a million monthly active users, you must remember that they each have a very different audience. Crabbe’s primary audience are beauty and lifestyle enthusiasts, while Jack’s focus is on skincare. While your target audience might consume your content because they’re interested in fashion or lifestyle, Megan Jayne’s or Shaunna’s audience are more inclined to click on an article about skincare because they’re more likely to be affected by it.

Think of it this way. Your blog’s content is typically useful to your target audience. But, what will make your content special? What will drive action and make your blog stand out? In other words, what is your blog’s unique angle?

If you can answer these questions, you can then decide whether or not blogging is the right choice for you as a business. If you can find a way to answer “yes” to all three, but especially the last one, you’re set for life. Keep in mind that Google loves when businesses prioritize providing value to their customers over profit. Blogging is a great way to do that.

The Emerging Trends In 2020

As mentioned above, web hosts and domains are fairly inexpensive. Allowing you to start a blog for under $2 per month. So, even if you’re trying to save money, you can’t beat the cost-effectiveness of blogging.

One of the best things about blogging is the freedom of expression. You can post whatever you want, whenever you want. Although you should always build content that is valuable and helpful to your target audience, you’re not bound to any formulas. This is one of the main reasons why blogging is such a flexible and valuable platform. You can experiment with styles and topics without the fear of offending your readers.

This is certainly the case for fashion bloggers. Fuelling the COVID-19 pandemic through their various blogs and websites, the Burberry and Versace brands have both seen a significant increase in blog traffic as a direct result of their fearless coverage of the pandemic.

As the world becomes more digital, we’re seeing more companies creating blogs. With many people working remotely, having a virtual office where you can interact with potential customers is becoming essential. Having a blog that shares valuable information and provides an opportunity to connect with potential customers is a great way to achieve that.

How To Create An Effective Marketing Plan

If you’re looking to become a more successful marketer, you should first develop an effective marketing plan. To create a solid foundation for your online marketing initiatives, you should start by taking a hard look at the type of content that performs best for you.

Based on your target audience, you can determine what type of content will be most effective for you.

Lifestyle and travel bloggers can easily achieve success by publishing content that is heavily populated with photos. As an advertiser, you’ll be able to connect with an audience that is highly motivated to consume your content.

In 2020, content marketing will dominate. Serving content that is both relevant and valuable to your target audience will be the key to web traffic and business success.