Help! Why Aren’t People Reading My Business Blog?

You’ve just come up with an awesome idea for a business blog. To you, it seems innovative and unique. You can’t wait to sit down at your computer and write about something that fuels your desire and passion in your field, with the hope that others will feel the same way. You write your first post, share it with your Facebook newsfeed, and wait for people to like and respond to it.

And wait…

And wait…

And wait…

Hours later and you get two or three likes (one being your mom). Maybe someone wrote “Great idea”. You feel disappointed because your blog isn’t generating the buzz you hoped it would. You begin to worry and look through back through your text. You managed to put a creative spin on your writing, placing careful thought on each sentence used. Each point is stated clearly and carefully. You’ve even added some humor to your blog. But still no luck.

Your blog may be relevant to your business field and may be well-written, but these aspects alone don’t ensure reader interest.  Let’s explore the issues at hand.

1) You’re Addressing too Broad an Audience

While it’s good to garner the attention of many readers, when writing a business blog, you should have a specific target audience in mind. Something that appeals to a 20-something aspiring entrepreneur may not necessarily appeal to a seasoned online marketer. Choose a target audience and revolve your topics around their interests.

2) Your Paragraphs are too Long

Your paragraphs should be informative, but not overbearing. Only include information that the reader could take away from your blog. If you find yourself rambling, it means you need to do some cutting in order to keep your readers’ attention. Trimming lengthy, tangential paragraphs into succinct, interesting sentences makes a big difference between skimming the blogpost for useful information and reading it word for word.

3) You Talk too much About Yourself

I get it. I like to tell personal stories as much as I like to hear them. But imagine meeting someone at a party who only talks about themselves and their accomplishments. Do you really want to stay tuned or run away to the bar to get another class of champagne? Lengthy stories should be limited to memoirs or creative non-fiction, not business blog writing. Cut the story down to a short and relevant anecdote. If one of your accomplishments somehow pertains to your business, write a snippet about it. Otherwise, take out the self-talk.

4) You Only Stick to What You Know

Much like the previous issue of talking too much about yourself, writing only about the topics you know can hinder your business blog’s success. Committed readers like versatile blogposts, so long as the writer stays true to the business. Don’t be afraid to expand your horizons, explore something new in your business’s field, and write about it.

5) You Write Just Like Everyone Else

It can happen that you’re inspired by some of your favorite business bloggers and seek to imitate their styles. Don’t do that. Copying someone’s writing style will make your business blog unoriginal and boring. You can explore other types of writing by looking at others’ techniques and the way they approach the subject, but use them as inspiration, not as a template. Give your style of writing a unique voice that represents you, not someone else.

6) You’re not Optimizing Your Blog for Search Engines

If people can’t see your blog, they can’t read it. If your business blog doesn’t show up on Google or many different forms of social media, it will get lost in the sea of business blogs and lost to prospective followers who care about what you have to say. It’s also not enough to just post to Facebook. While you may get a share or two, not all of your Facebook friends will be interested in your blog. Be sure to optimize your blog with relevant keywords and link to Twitter and LinkedIn as well.

Now that you have these alterations in mind, go update your business blog and see improvements. Happy writing and good luck in your endeavor!