I’ve been reviewing dozens of manufacturer’s blogs and have noticed that a number are committing a fatal error. They are trying to be all things to all people.

That brings up the subject of “niche marketing” and in this case, “niche blogging.”

The more general the blog, the less effective it is if you’re trying to reach a particular target audience. This is never more true when you’re trying to reach a specific group of tradesmen.

The purpose of a blog is to have an ongoing conversation with your customer or potential customer. In the case of professional tradesmen, whether they be electrician, plumbers or iron workers, they only have so much time, and when they’re looking for info, it has to be relevant to them. By focusing in on a niche, you set yourself up as an expert.

Here are six quick tips on how you can make a niche blog work in your favor:

1. Engagement. If your blog is focused on an niche, you will develop a following that will be easy to engage in topics presented.
2. Expertise. Because you’re focusing on a niche, you become an expert.
3. Feedback. Because your focused feedback will increase significantly.
4. Relationship building. Isn’t that what blogging is? What a better way to engage someone in a non-threatening way.
5. Organic search. Because your topic is focused, it will certainly increase the number of hits.
6. Branding. Added exposure, interaction and loyal readership translates into brand building.

Remember that casting a larger net won’t insure you’ll get more fish. You are better off fishing where the fish are.

This entry was posted on Monday, April 6th, 2009 at 8:02 pm and is filed under Marketing Tips. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.