In 2010 we wrote about “drop-dead simple blogging.” Our tip back then: if you didn’t want to blog inside your main website, use a free service like Blogger, then pull an RSS feed of your posts onto your site.
It worked. It was simple. But a lot has changed, and today we’d give different advice. Keep your blog on your own website.
Why we used to suggest an outside blog
Back then, many business sites weren’t easy to update. Adding a post could mean calling your web person. Free blog services were quick, so it made sense to blog there and show the headlines on your site with RSS.
Today, modern content management systems like WordPress and Joomla make it easy to write and publish posts right on your site. The main reason for the workaround is gone.
Why a blog on your own site matters
Your content builds your site, not someone else’s. When your posts live on your domain, every helpful article adds to your website. People who find a post land on your site, next to your services and your contact info.
You own it. Free platforms can change their rules, their features or their look. Some shut down. Social platforms can bury your posts or change who sees them. Content on your own site stays under your control.
It helps people find you. A good post answers a real question your customers ask. When someone searches that question, your answer can bring them to your site.
It shows you know your stuff. A steady set of useful posts tells visitors you’re active and you know your field. That builds trust before anyone picks up the phone.
It feeds everything else. One blog post can become an email newsletter item, a few social posts and a link you send to a customer who asked that exact question.
So is RSS dead?
No. RSS is still around, even if most people never think about it.
RSS (Really Simple Syndication) is a feed that lists your latest posts in a standard format. WordPress and Joomla can both create one. People who use feed reader apps can follow your blog with it. Podcasts still run on RSS feeds. Some email marketing tools can use your feed to send new posts to subscribers automatically.
So RSS is still useful. It just works best pointing out from your site, not pulling a blog in from somewhere else.
Simple blogging tips for busy business owners
You don’t need to post every day. You need to post things people care about.
- Answer real questions. Write down what customers ask you. Each question is a post.
- Keep it short and plain. A few hundred clear words beat a long, fuzzy article.
- Use clear headings. People skim. Help them.
- Link to your services where it makes sense, so readers know what to do next.
- Post on a schedule you can keep. Once a month done well is better than a burst followed by silence.
- Update old posts. If something has changed, fix the post instead of letting it get stale.
What about social media?
Use it. Just don’t make it your only home. Share your blog posts on social media to send people back to your site. That way social works for your website instead of replacing it.
We can help
We can set up a blog on your site that’s easy to use, and help you plan what to write about. See our Marketing services, or contact us. Call 678-379-9321 or email sales@3by400.com.