This is a special guest-post by Erica Bell from Business.com
Running a small bookstore isn’t easy. From locating the right books for your customers to catching the attention of people passing by, bookstore owners often wear multiple hats. Marketer is one of them. If you’re looking for a way to reach new customers or increase sales, blogging is one online marketing strategy you should make the most of. Even if your bookstore doesn’t have a website, you can have a business blog. Businesses have freedom when it comes to blogging. You can write about how to find a perfect novel for summer, the perfect book to cozy up to in winter and everything in between. If you’re running a bookstore and hope to gain some traction, it’s time to start running a blog.
Be Creative
Because you’re surrounded by books, there is a never ending supply of blog post inspiration. Blogs are a great opportunity for bookstore owners to be creative. You could write out a short story in weekly posts, share thoughts on the latest releases or your favorite reads, and provide recommendations to people looking for new reads. If you get stuck with a writer’s block, there are ways to break through a blogger’s block. Take a trending topic and tie it to a recent read, share personal stories and your favorite books, or include a list of your store’s bestsellers. Make sure each article you post includes creative or artsy imagery. You’ll want something to catch the readers eye right away.
Be Consistent
Content may be king, but consistency is key. Part of running a successful blog, whether it’s for a bookstore or a grocery store, is providing content on a consistent basis. While you may not have the time to write every day, you should aim to post a few times a week. Write regularly so your audience begins to look forward to seeing what you have to say. It also takes some time before Google will begin indexing your pages, so getting content up when you’re first starting is important. Spend some time writing on slow days in the store and stock up on content for later use.
Be Social
Part of having a successful blog is effectively promoting the content across social media networks. If the content you’re creating is interesting or resourceful, it’s more likely to be shared. If you haven’t already, create accounts on the social media networks. Bookstores are likely going to be able to make the most of Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest and Google+. Google+ is great for helping people in your area locate your small bookstore. Facebook and Twitter allow you to create and be a part of reader communities, engage with customers on a more personal basis, and promote your business. Pinterest is a hub of book lovers and the artistic types – perfect for bookstore marketing efforts. Share your content, share the content of others and engage with readers, especially those in your area.
For bookstores, running a successful bookstore blog means taking the time to produce great content that your audience and potential customers will want to see. Because you are trying to reach consumers, make sure you share information that will add value to their lives. While it isn’t always easy to afford a coupon or discount, you can still provide useful, interesting information. In order to have a successful blog for your bookstore, you need to provide content on a regular basis and promote it to your audiences on social media. Set up an RSS Feed, asks friends to share your blog posts, and let people who come in know you are online.
Author Bio: Erica Bell is a small business writer who focuses on topics such as online and e-mail marketing strategies. She is a web content writer for the B2B directoryBusiness.com.
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