For those of you who are blogging about your company’s industry, try these five ideas for your blog and watch your readership increase.

1. Follow trends and news in your industry and write about them.

Scan the trade publications and websites looking for trends.  Two similar events is a coincidence, but three could be an early indicator of a trend.  Writing about the trends and news in your industry will not only snag the attention of search engines, it will show your readers that you’re making it easier for them to keep up without spending as much time reading.  Blogs about recent news are often reposted by readers to their personal social media sites, a powerful boost to readership.

2. Give advice

Blogging about how your readers can better manage their company gains interested viewers.  Whether you give advice about hiring, cost-saving tips, or tapping new markets, people are always looking for new ways to improve their company.

3. Bring in a guest blogger

Having a guest blogger is a great way to inject excitement into your blog.  If you can employ several guest bloggers, you’ll be able to reach even more viewers and bring more regular readers to your blog.

4. Incorporate pictures/video

Incorporating pictures and video is a great way to keep your readers interested.  Adults watching video online has doubled from about one-third in 2006 to about two-thirds in a recent study by the Pew Internet and American Life Study. Giving a visual to your readers provides a change of pace to your usual copy and the opportunity to introduce a more complex topic that needs additional explanation through diagrams or audio.

5. Write about what you’ve learned

Blog about your personal experiences within your industry and how they have shaped your business philosophy.  Give your readers confidence that you’ve had similar experiences and you’ll keep them coming back for more.