Blogging 101

blog

I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again. Content is Key! Just look online!

When it comes to building your online presence, having informative content available for your current & potential residents and their families to consume is extremely important. Not only can a great online presence bring in sales; but allow your community to become a trusted source for information related to the industry. I’ve written before about the importance of using social media services like Facebook and Twitter, but don’t stop there. Take it one step further and start blogging!
Over the past several years blogging has surged in popularity, making it a key factor to building your online presence. Some main reasons to blog include.

• Developing better relationships with potential residents 

• Drive traffic to your website

• Position your company as an expert in information on senior living & care
If the task of blogging seems daunting to you, below are a few tips on how to get started!

• Brainstorm and develop the purpose of your blog (What are you going to talk about?)

• Choose a platform to host your blog (Are you going to host your blog on your website? Or use hosting services such as WordPress.)

• Make a schedule for your posts (Are you posting once a week, twice a week?)

• When you are ready to start writing, start collecting ideas for posts (Don’t forget to write them down & ask for an extra opinion internally and externally)

• Create an outline, so you know how to structure your post

• Start your post with an engaging introduction

• Break up the body of your post into sections so it doesn’t seem to wordy

• Use bullet points, numbering, charts, video, pictures and other interactive media to keep your posts alluring

• Make sure your title corresponds to the post

• Then close your post with a purpose or conclusion ( Ask a question and engage the reader)

• Share links to the post on your other social media sites (Twitter, Facebook, LinkedIn)

• Stay committed & stick to your schedule & monitor for ROI

In all, when it comes to blogging getting started is often the hardest part. If you stay consistent and put out quality posts you can increase the possibilities for boosting your overall online presence as a senior living and care provider.