Should You Call Your Blog a Blog?

If imitation is the sincerest form of flattery, then Denise Wakeman should be flattered. I noticed that she described herself on LinkedIn as a "Business Blogging Consultant for Service Professionals" and decided to try it on for size. And so far I like how it feels!

Titles and names are important. As we know, people skim when they read online and titles help them decide whether to keep reading.

So when people land on your main website and you want to lead them to your blog, what do you call it? "Blog" seems like an obvious choice, but it may not necessarily be the right fit for you.

If your particular readers don't understand what a blog is, or what they'll find there, they won't click on it. So they'll never see the high-quality content you've worked so hard to produce (unless, of course, you're also sending email newsletters).

When you're setting up your blog and choosing the names of your navigation buttons, consider one of these names for your blog: Free Tips, Health Tips, Career Tips, Articles, Resources, Musings, News, Journal or Updates.

I have one caution about using the title News: Be sure you're delivering on your promise by posting current industry news or announcements about your business. Also, make sure to publish new posts frequently, or it will seem as though nothing is happening or that you're not on top of things.

When a blog is a blog

As I was brainstorming about this post, I reflected on what I'm looking for when I click on the name Blog. Not as Linda Dessau, Business Blogging Consultant for Service Professionals (still testing that out - yes, I still like it!), but as Linda, a consumer looking at hiring a prospective service provider.

Here's why I click on a blog named Blog: 

• To see how active the business or clinic is, and what's going on with them
• To observe how they communicate with their clients and prospective clients, before I take the next step of joining a mailing list or speaking to them directly
• To get to know the voice and personality behind the business - who is the person (or people) I'd be receiving services from?
• To learn tips I can use to improve my business and my life
• To assess how knowledgable the service provider is 

When you're deciding whether to call your blog a blog, consider what your audience is looking for on your site, and what terminology they'll be using. 

If you'd like to get off to a good start with your blog, check out this free webinar.

Comments

[Linda Dessau]

Thanks for your comment, Denise :)

[Denise Wakeman]

Thanks for the shout out, Linda! And great point about whether or not to call your business blog, a blog. Social Media Examiner is a blog, but they call it an "online magazine" since they felt their target market would be able to relate to that description better than "blog." Judging by their phenomenal success, I'd say they made the right choice! Blog on!