Top Reasons Why You Need a Blog for a Product-Based Business
It’s time to get real.
What I’m about to tell you is going to be cringe-worthy for most.
You need a blog, especially if you’re doing Pinterest marketing.
I’m talking to you product sellers. While I’ve danced around this topic for some time, it is my experience that a blog is no longer a nice to have but a must-have.
I can already hear the audible groans, so I’m going to try and make a compelling case for why a blog can have a massive impact on your business. Spoiler alert, it’s not for SEO, although that is a nice side effect.
Whether you like it or not, most products don’t convert right away unless your Amazon. Most eCommerce businesses simply want prospects to decide to buy. I get it; sales are essential. But when you focus your marketing goals only on this objective, it’s going to be much harder to get your prospects to take your desired action.
There are steps your customer needs to take before she decides to buy. Think of it this way, would you ask someone you had just met on Tinder to get married? Of course not.
There’s a process with messaging, maybe hopping on FaceTime before a first date, with a series of ongoing dates over time, meeting the family, and so on before you arrive on the topic of marriage. Then the proposal.
Customer journeys behave similarly. First, you got to attract them, and then you need to inform them before you sell to them.
A blog can help you do both, like a great wingman setting a lay-up for you to close the deal.
Blog For Products With Intention
Are you convinced? If so, you may be asking yourself, now what?
That’s a great question because nobody wants to find themselves in the wasteland of ‘Random Acts of Marketing’ with intermittent blogging and no strategy. In my opinion, this is worse than not having a blog at all.
I want your efforts to return results, and having a strategy in place to achieve your objectives is the best way to do this. Creating blog content to meet your audience at every stage will help them know, like, and trust you to convert them into buyers.
To create a strategy, let’s work backward to what your goal is. Here are some questions to get you started -
Do you want people to be aware of your brand and products? - Know
Do you need more prospects? - Like
Do you need the decision of buying from you an easier one to make? - Trust
If your main goal is #1, then you’re in the attraction phase. Inspiring lifestyle posts work well for this because you tend to cast a wider net, plus these are more searchable topics. Meaning people might be actively looking for these solutions. To come up with content ideas, you’ll want to go broad and then niche down. Start with these two things first.
Imagine you’re filling out a survey, and it asks you what category best describes your business? These are usually broad, which forces you to select the closest option to your brand. For example:
You make custom engagement rings ------------> Your general category is weddings.
You make sea-inspired jewelry ----------->Your general category is oceans.
You make statement jewelry -------------->Your general category is fashion.
Now take your category and pull relevant topics from it that are more specific to your dream client’s interests. For example:
Your general category is weddings ←- Your content idea could be: 10 Romantic Ways to Propose She Won’t Be Able to Resist Telling Her Friends.
Your general category is oceans ←- Your content idea could be: The Best Jewelry to Pack For Your Next Beach Vacation.
Your general category is fashion ←- Your content idea could be: The Surprising Comeback of Pearls On the Runway During Fashion Week and How to Wear Them.
Use this exercise to identify what type of content ideas might pique the interest of your dream client who isn’t familiar with your brand yet. It’s an effective way to introduce your brand that’s not at all salesy but instead provides value, building trust along the way.
That’s a win-win.
Just make sure you are creating pins of your blog content for this business objective for Pinterest. It is the best platform by far to get discovered through your excellent blog content.
If your objective is #2, then you’re in the informing stage. Delivering engaging, insightful, and value-packed content is key here. Think of the different ways that you can show your expertise on what you do. This mindset is a simple way to pull content ideas.
Some examples to help get you started are -
Sharing your gemstone knowledge
Show your process of creating a custom piece
Create a jewelry care guide
Talk about the different metals you use in your work
Take your audience behind the scenes of how you cast your jewelry
Explain your design process
Give ideas on how to wear your jewelry
Take your audience inside the experience of shopping a gem show
If you need to fill the gaps in your sales system by removing the barriers to buy from you, then you’re in #3, the decision stage. This phase is where you want people to convert and become buyers. Focus your content on building trust for this objective.
Here are some ideas to help get your creative juices flowing -
Celebrate one of your collectors and write a highlight piece on them.
Answer frequently asked questions.
Get a two-way conversation started with a blog series that answers or addresses questions and feedback directly given to you by your audience.
Spotlight charities or social causes tied to your business.
Feature any press opportunities you’ve had recently.
Create a customer testimonial round-up.
Write a legacy post that shows the transformation of your brand throughout the years.
Give sneak peeks to upcoming product launches.
Share your story and why you started your brand. Recycle content with a more extended and more intimate version of your about page.
Highlight why your brand is different from other product makers.
Conclusion
Aligning specific business goals with your blog content will not only streamline your efforts but produce more desired results. Creating an arsenal of blog content for attracting new customers is a MUST HAVE for your Pinterest marketing.
No more throwing spaghetti (or content) at the wall to see what sticks.
You likely will find yourself creating all three types of blog posts at some point in your business. The key takeaway here is to blog with intention based on your potential customer’s needs and how you serve them best where they are.
Prospective clients need at least eight touchpoints to become buyers. It’s also helpful to keep in mind that some brands will convert easier than others. I don’t make the rules; it’s just how it is.
But, no matter how difficult it is for your brand to convert, you will see some results if you follow these guidelines. To help you get started, I created a Blog Content Generator designed to get you implementing today. Download your free copy below.
