What's the Point of Blogging? 

The point of blogging is to share your thoughts, opinions, experiences, and knowledge with the world. It is a great way to build an online presence, network with other bloggers, and establish yourself as an expert in your field. Also, blogging can help drive website traffic, generate leads, and increase brand awareness. It is an invaluable tool for any business or individual looking to build an online presence and establish themselves as an authority in their field.

When you write a fresh blog each week, Google recognizes that your website is being updated. In the search engine's opinion, your site is alive and worthy of promotion. In other words, you'll get ranked a little higher. In addition, if you use the same keywords that your clients use in their internet searches, your site is more likely to be found by the right people, i.e., potential clients. 

What Are the Rules of Blogging?

The rules of blogging can vary depending on the platform you are using, but here are some general guidelines that apply to most blogs: 

• Respect copyright laws and don't plagiarize others' work. This includes sharing images you found on the internet. Instead, you can find images that are copyright-free on websites like Unsplash.com.
• Avoid using any opinions that could be construed as political. 
• Aim for longer blog posts. The perfect length for a blog post to attract search engines is 1,000 words or more, but blog posts of 300 words or more will attract the attention of readers and can sometimes be the lead you need to build an audience. 
• Choose your topics based on good keywords. These are the same keywords (or phrases) that your clients use in internet searches. Try Googling "workers' comp," and you'll see a series of sponsored results, followed by some common questions. Answer these questions in your blog, and more potential clients will come to your site. 
• Track your keywords (or phrases). Using a spreadsheet, keep a log of your keywords in each blog. This will help you to avoid using the keyword in more than one blog (an SEO no-no!) 
• Blog weekly. Having a routine will bring your visitors back to your site frequently. 
• Add a Call To Action (CTA) on every blog. The call to action encourages readers to take action. For example, "If you're interested in learning more about topic A, click through to download our case study." The CTA can be a link to more content, a contact phone number, a form, or many other things. 
• Write blogs that are helpful and informative but also humble. Your writing should be less formal than business correspondence and more inviting. Readers want to feel like they know you and would like to connect with you when reading blog posts. 

What Should I Write About?

When blogging, you want to write about relevant things to your audience. So, spend some time thinking about topics and perhaps even a series of topics. For example, we provide informative content on the Normandy blog that helps insurance agents get more clients. An example of a series of blog posts we might write would be "How to Get Started on Social Media."

You can get ideas from Google through keyword searches, looking for the "People Also Ask" section of Google, Quora.com, and Reddit.com, and by asking in your networking or social media groups. 

How Do I Measure My Blog's Success?

There are easy and more complex ways to measure your blog's success. If you are tech-savvy, Google Analytics is the best way to see if more visitors are coming to your website since you started blogging. 

If that's too techie for you, you can use free and easy methods, depending on where your blog is hosted. If you are using WordPress, download the free plugin Jetpack. Once set up (you don't need to pay for extras), you will get a bar chart on your website to show how you are progressing. Wix and Squarespace both offer easy options similar to that on WordPress. 

At Normandy Insurance, we often offer marketing advice to insurance agents. Be sure to bookmark: www.normandyins.com/blog and check back weekly to catch future posts about how to attract new customers. Normandy Insurance has evolved since 2006, becoming a top choice for agents in 22 states. Originally focused on workers' compensation, Normandy now underwrites general liability, commercial property, cyber, and yacht insurance. Preferred by independent agents for offering innovative and cost-effective coverage solutions with an emphasis on customer service.

Learn about becoming an agent: Becoming An Agent | Email Us: info@normandyins.com | Call Us: 1-866-688-6442