There. You’ve gone and done it. You finally launched a new blog for your business, and though you can’t see us, bloggers everywhere are sitting in front of our computers, high-fiving you.

Now what? How are you getting word out that you’ve launched a new blog? Who needs to know about it? Start by answering this question: who are you writing it for and therefore SHOULD know?

Here are my top 7 suggestions for how to promote a new blog:

1. Post your blog in a prominent spot on your web site. I know, you’re thinking, “Well, duh!,” but trust me when I say that many companies fail to feature their blogs on their own site. This is where it lives. Make sure the blog is easy to spot on your site. Add a form for visitors to sign up and receive notices of new posts.
2. Share the news with your immediate network. Let’s say you’re a business owner. Tell your customers, your warm prospects, your colleagues, and your suppliers that you’ve launched a new blog. (Of course, all of your employees and sales reps know, right?) Send them an email announcing it with a healthy dollop of hullabaloo. Include a link to your blog, but also copy/paste the blog into the body of this introductory email. Explain what the purpose of the blog is, what you’ll be writing about, and by all means invite them to sign up to get new blog posts.
3. Let your social media communities know. Are you active in LinkedIn? Twitter? Do you have a company Facebook page? All social channels you use regularly should be the next stop when announcing your new blog.
4. Publish your blog on LinkedIn. Post your blog on LinkedIn using its publishing function (go to your own profile and look for that little grey pencil icon over on the right). Make sure you add a visual image (every post needs an image), a short bio, and voila! Your blog’s ready to publish once you preview and proof it carefully.
5. Reach out to key industry influencers. Hopefully, you know people in your industry who are major influencers. Get in touch with them when you launch your blog.
6. Add it to your business card. It’s one way to make sure you’re committed to this blog for the long term. Go ahead. Do it.
7. Bonus tip. Add a link to your blog on your email signature. If it’s a company blog, ask every employee to do the same. In this way, you get a little blog promotion with every email sent.

Over time, as you build your own library of blog posts (on your site) and share all new posts in your communications channels, you’ll grow your community, enhance your reputation, and build your business. Not too shabby.

(c) 2015 Margie Dana. All rights reserved.