In my last post, 5 Awesome Reasons Why Coaches Should Have a Blog, I talked about why you should use blogging as a core marketing strategy. If you missed the post, be sure to go check it out.
In this blog post, the second post of the series of the what, how, why, and when of using blogging as a marketing strategy to grow your coaching business, we take a look at what blogging is exactly.
According to dictionary.com, a blog is defined as, “a website containing a writer’s or group of writers’ own experiences, observations, opinions, etc., and often having images and links to other websites.“.
The great thing about a blog is you can make it your own. That’s why every blog is different because it is based on the writer’s own experiences, observation, and opinions. As a coach or consultant, your blog is a great place to share your experiences, observations, opinions, and even your personality with your target audience.
Just as each blog is different, the format of the content that you share on your blog can be different too. Let’s take a look at 4 Types of Blog Formats You Can Use to Grow Your Business:
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Written Blog
Most blogs have some form of writing, even if they mix in other formats of content, they usually include some type of written content. A written blog allows you to share your content in a well written blog post that should be used to inspire or instruct your target audience. The key to your written blog is to create content that will resonate with your audience, and will make them want to read your entire blog post, and even join your community. A blog post should not be designed to hard sell a product or service, but to educate, empower and encourage your reader to take the next step with you (i.e. join your email list, follow you on social media, download additional content, etc.)
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Video Blog
Also known as a Vlog, a Video Blog is a really great way to make your blog personal and for people to get to know you and your personality. The video adds a level of connection that written word alone is unable to achieve. A great example of an awesome Video Blog is Marie Forleo, every week she comes out with a new video blog post. She keeps it short and sweet and encourages her viewers to take additional steps to join her community.
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Audio Blog
An audio blog is one is which you choose to share your content in an audio format. Many coaches and consultants who have Podcasts tend to also place their Podcast audio on their blog. The great thing about audio blogs is it can be a great format to consume content when you are multi-tasking. Every night when I am cleaning up my kitchen, I listen to various Podcasts, so I’m not only cleaning the kitchen, but getting education, inspiration, instruction and empowerment. Many people like to consume audio content so they can multi-task. A great example of an audio blog is Amy Porterfield. On average her Podcast tends to be about 30-50 minutes long and is filled with useful content, instructions and interviews. She usually has a download for each episode which invites listeners to join her community.
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Mixed Content Blog
Another format for your blog can be a mixed format, a format that includes, written, audio, and video or some formula that works best for you. The great thing about a mixed formula, is that everyone is different and everyone likes to consume content differently, so if your blog has various forms of content, you are better able to capture the various types of people you have in your audience. A great example of mixed content is Michael Hyatt. He encourages his viewers and listeners to join his community through the commercials on his show that promotes his ebooks, books, courses, and communities.
What type of blog do you have, or would you like to have (A written, video, audio, or mixed)? Be sure to comment below.
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