Is your accounting firm onboard with blogging? We know it can seem like an unnecessary addition to an already lengthy task list, and you might even think no one is interested in what you have to say anyway (spoiler alert: they absolutely are!).
However, in today’s digital marketplace, there is no better way of communicating with a large and targeted audience, no better way of sharing information or offering value and ultimately persuading prospective clients to use your services.
That being said, it’s not enough to throw some random content into the ether and hope some of it will stick.
If you’re going to go to the trouble of developing a blog, you’ll want to make sure you’re not wasting your time and effort. That’s why you need a strong content strategy to ensure you’re using your blog to maximum effect. Here are five ways to do just that.
1. Share valuable information
The key to successful blogging is the word ‘valuable’. Every piece of content you produce should be useful to your audience. When you’ve been in the same industry for a while it’s tempting to downplay your knowledge.
Remember, however, that you are an expert, so don’t be daunted by the thought of having to find worthy information to share. You already have the expertise you need to produce great content.
Remember as well that many people find the world of accounting and finance absolutely terrifying — they assume that developments in the industry will go over their heads. Your blog is the perfect way to break down these knowledge barriers and help your audience understand what’s happening in the industry.
Regular Clear Books blog readers will know that we’ve been adopting this strategy regarding Making Tax Digital. MTD is going to be a huge game changer for SMEs and sole traders. In fact, many are worried about what it will mean for them when it comes into play.
Our blog has been the perfect place to explain, in simple terms, what the basic principles of MTD are and why business owners don’t have to fear the changes.
2. Share your news
Your blog is the ideal place to share your firm’s news. For example, are you moving to digital accounting? Not only can you use your blog to announce this change, but you can go into as much detail as you need to in order to tell your clients how it will impact them and reassure them that they’ll still benefit from great service.
Or maybe you’ve taken on a new staff member or introduced a new service. Again, this is great content for a blog post. Some readers may be in the market for your new service right now, while those who aren’t will note that your firm is constantly improving and finding new ways to offer value to clients.
3. Grow your brand
We all want to be known for what we do, to be the go-to guys for our industry. What you talk about in your blog defines how people see you — and how they see your ‘brand’. If you want to be seen as an industry leader, write about topics that position you as such.
If your blog topics show you’re at the cutting edge of accountancy, that you know your stuff, people will flock to you. They’ll have confidence in your ability to get the job done without the need to try and sell your services to them. This is the beauty of blogging.
4. Expand your network
Your blog can be a fantastic resource for online networking. By guest posting on other, relevant blogs, or allowing others to guest post on yours, you’ll go a long way towards building new connections.
Commenting on or sharing posts by other bloggers can also be a great strategy. Not only does this let you share information that you think will benefit your audience, it’s also likely that these bloggers will be more than happy to return the favour by sharing your content too — it’s a great way to boost your own presence and reputation.
Also, don’t dismiss the potential for using your blog to enhance face-to-face networking.
If you’re talking to someone at a networking event and your area of expertise comes up, why not tell them that you’d be happy to send a link to a post that you think they’d find useful? They’ll appreciate your help and you’ll have formed a new connection.
5. Enhance your social media
If you’re stressing out about how you’re going to find time to update both your blog and your social media profiles to maintain your online presence, you may be overthinking things. There’s no need to reinvent the wheel here — your blog and social media channels should go hand-in-hand.
For example, you can always pull excerpts from old posts and repurpose them for a social media update, or you can put a new spin on a previous post.
Evergreen content is great for sharing and will likely do wonders for your social media engagement. Also, after a period of consistent content creation, your blog will contain plenty of quotable content. You’ll never need to struggle for a tweet again!
If your accounting firm has been relying on word of mouth and print advertising to acquire new customers, it is time to modernize your marketing strategy and use.