In this digital era, many companies want to keep users or subscribers engaged with regular updates. To do this, companies often start a professional blog, posting about relevant developments in the company or the field. Starting a professional blog can increase user engagement and expand a company's outreach.
Fig. 1 - A blog is an informal website in which writers regularly create posts on similar topics.
Create a Professional Blog
If a person wants to expand their business outreach, they might consider creating a professional blog. A blog is a website where writers regularly post about a topic in an informal manner. Anyone can start a blog, and those that write posts for blogs are called bloggers.
A professional blog is a blog run for a company as a source of income or business development.
One key difference between professional and non-professional blogs is that professional blogs are often monetized. If blogs have a substantial number of readers, they can feature advertisements on their page that the blogger gets paid to feature. Sometimes bloggers are also paid to write about products in their blog posts. To monetize a professional blog, the site has to be engaging, organized, and popular among readers.
Starting a Professional Blog
To start a professional blog, writers first need a focus. Writing about too many topics at once might be overwhelming for the reader. Instead, the blog should be a place where readers go to discover updates on a certain topic. For instance, a travel agency might start a blog on which bloggers write about a new tourist-friendly destination each week. This is a focused topic related to the company's mission and generates awareness about the company.
After brainstorming a focus for the professional blog and organizing it, writers should decide how they will promote the blog to generate user engagement. Effective ways of promotion include social media, email outreach, and advertising the blog on other sites the company may have.
There are several websites on the internet where writers can start a blog. Some cost money for a domain name, and others do not. Using a search engine to discover the best blog template for a company's needs is a good place to start creating a professional blog.
Writing a Professional Blog
Writing a professional blog is different from writing formal academic texts like research papers. Writers should follow the following guidelines when writing a professional blog.
Use Short, Straightforward Sentences
Readers often skim through blogs rather than reading all lines intently, like in a research paper. To keep readers engaged, writers should use concise sentences that get straight to the point. Avoiding esoteric vocabulary and too many words per sentence helps ensure the blog is accessible to all audiences.
For instance, a blogger might open a blog post about protein shakes with the following sentences:
There are three new protein powders on the market that are shaking up the world of protein shakes! They are all available now in-store and on our website.
Note how the blogger gets straight to the point. They engage the reader with their excited tone, but they jump straight into discussing the post's main idea.
Fig. 2 - Get your reader's attention with simple sentences and ideas.
Use a Casual but Professional Tone
When writing a professional blog, writers should maintain a professional tone that respects the company's. However, they can still be more informal than writing an academic essay. Blogs posts are casual texts that readers typically read for leisure. Writers should therefore use an engaging voice that is fun to read. Bloggers often incorporate jokes or personal anecdotes to give their posts personality and keep readers coming back.
For example, note how the following blogger uses informal language and exclamation points to cultivate a casual tone:
This creamy vanilla protein shake will have people thinking they are sipping on a vanilla milkshake! Nope. It's actually the most protein-packed and healthiest choice of the three new flavors!
Looking at a company's style guide and promotion material can help bloggers choose what type of language and tone to use in a blog.
Insert Evidence Where Appropriate
Bloggers often make opinionated claims. Using evidence to support those claims can help make them more convincing. Bloggers can insert links to other pages that back up their claims or references texts, news articles, or scientific studies related to their ideas. When bloggers insert links to sources they use to inform themselves on the topic, they also help readers learn more about it.
For example, suppose the blogger writing about protein shakes wanted to mention other flavors that were released in the past. In that case, they could insert a link to those articles.
Write about New Ideas
To keep readers engaged in reading a blog, bloggers should strive to create new content that is not already widely discussed on the internet.
For instance, if a blogger writes about how to make chocolate chip cookies, they are unlikely to get many readers since there are already so many sources of information that people can turn to on and offline for information on how to do this. However, writing about new spins on traditional cookie recipes might catch more readers' eyes and boost engagement.
Fig. 3 - Think outside the box for your blog.
As another example, the blogger writing about protein shakes is writing about new flavors that are on the market. The fact that these flavors just hit the shelves will likely interest readers because they have not heard about them before.
Professional Blog Format
The format of a professional blog will vary based on several factors, such as the company, the topic, and the blogger's style. However, blogs generally have the following characteristics:
Blog Format
Professional blogs typically have the following sections:
About Page
A blog's "About" section features information about the blogger or bloggers and the company. It tells the reader what kind of posts they can find on this blog and what the purpose of the blog is.
Categories
Bloggers often organize their posts into categories. For instance, a blog about Italian food might be divided into breakfast, lunch, dinner, and dessert recipes. This makes it easy for users to navigate the blog and quickly find the types of posts that they are looking for.
Archives
While not required, long blogs often have a section called archive. This is where users can search for articles by their subject or date. Just like a historical archive, it holds records of all posts in the history of the blog.
Contact Page
A contact page tells the reader how to reach the people who wrote the blog. For instance, it might feature the writer's email address or the address of the company's office. Including contact information maintains accountability to readers and enhances user engagement.
Fig. 4 - Bloggers often include images in blog posts.
Blog Post Format
Professional blogs often have the following features:
Headings
Writers should separate each main topic and subtopic in a blog post with headings. This keeps the writing organized and makes it easy for readers to follow along with the ideas or just read certain sections.
Lists
To keep readers engaged, bloggers often use bulleted or numbered lists of information in blog posts. For instance, blogs that feature the "top ten best" of something or "the newest models" of something can grab the reader's attention and make for an easy-to-read article.
Images
Writers often break up the text in a blog post with images or figures like graphs and maps. Including these helps writers visualize the ideas the blogger discusses. For instance, in a blog post about the different types of Italian pasta, the blogger might include images of a variety of pastas to help readers understand what makes each one unique.
Bloggers can get creative with the color scheme and the use of images and icons. Using a company's existing color scheme helps maintain consistency across company content. If the company does not already have a color scheme, using one that is clear and not distracting is ideal for readers.
Professional Blog Post Examples
The following example demonstrates how a blogger might write a post for a professional blog. This is an example of how a blogger might write a post for a health food company's blog about new types of protein shakes:
Fig. 5 - An example of a simple blog post that a blogger for a health food company might publish on their blog.
Note how the blogger who wrote this post used a casual tone. They used lighthearted, informal language to craft an easy-to-read text.
Consider how the writer of this blog post mentions the store several times. They point out that all of the products are on their shelves and website and that they will have their own products for sale soon. The blogger thus uses the discussion of the new products to promote the store. This demonstrates how a professional blog can help companies generate more attention and business.
Professional Blog - Key Takeaways
A professional blog is a blog run for a company as a source of income or business development.
A professional blog should feature new ideas related to the company's work
Bloggers should use an informal but professional tone, short sentences, and evidence.
Blogs should have sections about the blog, categories of posts, and contact information.
Bloggers should include headings, lists, and images in blog posts.
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