So if think you know “something about something” than you can offer your advice online. Indeed small business owners are good candidates for becoming online experts - their unique knowledge, experience and understanding of a particular market or industry gives them immense leverage, which in turn can prove to be very lucrative.

 

Initially blogging or web articles were considered a low-cost alternative to websites, especially for small business owners who neither had the time to learn web designing nor the money to hire professional designer/developers. Consequently for entrepreneurs and small business owners blogging presented an inexpensive method of getting the company’s name out on the Internet.

 

However with time the concept of “getting the company’s name out” has acquired a whole new meaning. Small business owners are increasingly focusing on the medium of articles and blogs to enhance their company’s “credibility” online. They are doing this by sharing their expert knowledge and giving out free advice about a particular industry. In fact according to a recent study conducted by Hubspot.com, 52% of the companies surveyed are use blogs to improve their business credibility and share opinions online.  The study further reveals that small companies that are using blogs are getting 55% more visitors than those that aren’t.

 

It is interesting to note that most such blogs and articles are not published with financial aims in mind; instead, as mentioned above, the central purpose behind offering free online advice is building “credibility”. With credibility comes exposure, which in turn can help pull potential customers and increase revenues in the long-run.

 

So if you are a small business owner willing to share your expert opinions online, we have some advice for you. We are confident that these simple rules will help you reap profits from your blog posts.

 

Rules for a good article – Blog post

1. Know yourself – Your expertise, your skill, your industry and your offering.
2. Know your Audience – Know your potential customers, their needs, wants and demands.
3. Select a Relevant site to Publish Articles – Publish your article on a relevant site, i.e. an industry specific site where it can be read my people and experts linked to the industry.
4. Article Optimization & Linking - Check to make sure the sites you post your article on is optimized for search engine utilization. Moreover link the article to your social media page, as well as with your business directory pages.

 

In short, whether you are a mechanic offering advice on a car or a real-estate broker offering information about a particular neighborhood, a blog with genuinely good advice can help you increase your company’s status in the market.