The benefits of blogging for your business are pretty simple: increased website traffic, credibility, leads and customers. All of these things sound great, but now you are stuck wondering, “What should we write about?” Because after all, a great blog is only great if it gets read.

First, we want to start off by saying that there is no “perfect” blog post. The thing to keep in mind though whenever you are writing one is to think, “What is it about this post that is going to help my customers?” The benefits to blogging are only there if your customers, and potential customers, are finding your information relevant and helpful. So be sure to keep that in mind when you begin writing.

So, what should you write about? Below are 4 types of posts to consider.

1. How-to articles. Many people nowadays want to do things on their own, but they need a little bit of help getting there. Just think about all of the how-to YouTube videos that are out there: “How-to Tie a Tie,” “How-to fix a casserole,” “How-to pack your suitcase.” The list goes on and on. Consider writing how-to articles about some of the most common questions you receive. Some examples for this industry could be: “How to prep your lawn for winter” or “How to properly clean your fuel injectors.”
2. Inventory Comparisons. Your customers may be coming to you with a specific job in mind, and they are looking for the best option to meet that job need. One way to help them with this is to compare and contrast different models/types. Your comparisons shouldn’t focus on the specs of that piece of inventory, but rather the functionality and job types that it is best suited for. For example, one article could talk about a skid steer versus a backhoe, and why one would be great for certain types of jobs over the other.
3. Safety Tips. Once someone purchases something from you, chances are they are going to want to be informed about the proper way to operate it. The amount of content that you can write about around safety tips is endless. Think about it. You can write about: operation safety, safety tips for new operators, protective wear, on the jobsite safety, avoiding common safety fails, etc.
4. Increasing Efficiency Tips. Let’s face it, most of us want to know how to do a good job and do it more efficiently. So why not offer your customers some tips on making their day more productive? You could write about new technologies, such as mobile apps or new equipment/trucks, or employee motivation/retention ideas.

These are just a few ideas to help you generate content for your first blog post, but keep in mind that the main reason for having a blog is to help answer the needs of your customers. This will keep them engaged and coming back for more, and also help develop your dealership as the authority. If you are stuck on what to write about, give us some examples of what questions your customers are asking in the comments below. We would love to help generate blog topics!