Make your blog informative, not just promotional

Talking with customers using blogs and social media sites isn’t optional anymore, said Laura Christianson, owner of Snohomish-based consulting company Blogging Bistro.

She has this advice on an effective blogging strategy: “Give away practical, usable, consumer-based information in 85 percent of your blog posts. When you give more than you take, your readers will be more amenable to reading the occasional promotional post. Use a blog to enhance — not replace — your existing marketing strategy. Outline a one-year and five-year plan that details the type of content you’ll give away. Set up campaigns that synchronize your blog content with your other marketing efforts.”