So You Need More Data in Your Business Blog?

Talk about “pow” opening lines – the Maritz Research ad sure caught my eye with this pair of statements advertising their Capella system:

 “You don’t need more data.  You need a way to solve the    problems flowing deep inside the data.”

Citing statistics and other data is certainly one tactic I teach Indianapolis blog content writers to use as a way to capture readers’ attention. But my own experience as a business blogger has shown me that statistics, even the startling sort, aren’t enough to create positive results for any SEO marketing blog.

The fact that readers’ have a problem or need that is shared by many other people is not enough to make most readers take action (and of course the success of any blog marketing effort depends on readers doing just that.) Yes, it’s true, as I stress in corporate blogging training sessions, blogging has one enormous advantage over traditional “push marketing” tactics, because it delivers visitors who are already interested in a particular product, service, or area of information.

But, as the Maritz Research ad implies, a lot more needs to happen in the “so what?” department before visitors take the next step towards becoming buyers.

Once readers’ interest has been stimulated through the attention-commanding statistic, the blog content writing can focus on creating the emotional connection with the reader.

• Context:  Most business blog posts make claims, but, often readers don't have any basis for comparison, not being as expert as you are in your field. The blog content needs to address what is “flowing deep within the data”, so that the facts not only are true, but so that the information feels true to your online visitors.
   
• Connection:  Readers must be shown how the data connects to their own problem or need. But, even more important, they need to connect with the business owners or practitioners who will be providing the product or service to them.

Do you need more data in your business blog?  Only if your blog content uses that data to create more content and more connection!