Blogging has become an important option to consider for your online marketing strategy. However, developing a blog has its own set of challenges and considerations. Many dealers may question which blog platform to use, what type of content they should provide, whether or not to allow comments, and how to build it and get the process started.
Beyond simply having a website, a blog’s real benefit is that it provides further insight into who you are and what your business is about. If you avoid rehashing press release content and provide conversational content and insights into what you offer, a blog may be what’s needed to set your dealership apart from your competitor.
So where should a car dealer begin? When planning a blog, you may want to research which blog platform you want to use. Another consideration is deciding whether to host the blog for free or to purchase hosting on your own.
Regardless of which platform you choose, a successful business blog is one that has good content and one that provides value to readers. However, an import consideration when choosing a blog platform is that your content is subject to the terms and conditions or content policies of those blog providers.
To get a quick start into blogging, Blogger and WordPress provide free alternatives that require only a couple steps to get your blog up and going. Both of these popular blogging platforms are easy to use and allow multiple authors to contribute, so potentially anyone in your dealership can get involved. Tools such as ShareThis can easily be added to your blog as well, making it easy for readers to share your content with others via social media and social networking websites or even via email. The actual process of writing the blog can be simplified thanks to tools like Google Docs and Windows Live Writer, enabling users to save time and post blog entries without even going into the blog itself.
There are plenty of ways a dealer can communicate with potential customers via a blog. This includes discussing new model year arrivals, new additions to the dealership, and general community news. The real challenge is simply getting started and making the committment. The result will provide consumers with a greater understanding of who you are and what you’re all about. Plus, blogs are a great way to bolster your website’s visibility in the SERPs, and what car dealer wouldn’t love that?!
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Find additional tips on business blogging here.
