One of my clients is getting ready to start a blog. He asked me for some guidelines. Here’s my response.
Every post should help your readers solve a problem or answer a question. Anything else is self-indulgence or a waste of everyone’s time.
Follow my Law and Order Rule. In that series, you could enjoy any individual show even if it was your first. Your blog posts should be like that. You should be able to read them without having to read anything else.
Keep posts short. Most posts on successful business blogs are 500 words or less. Many are less than 200 words,
Post frequently. I think that three times a week is a good minimum. More posts usually mean more visitors.
Find out what works for you and your readers. Think of the above guidelines as a starting point. You can find excellent business blogs that are exceptions to every one. Check out my Blogs I Like page for quick reviews of several great business blogs.
Commit to blogging for at least a year. It takes time for you to learn what works best. It takes time to grow a loyal audience.