Finding ways to save money makes life easier. From student loan debt to auto repair bills, it can be tough to keep your wallet from turning into empty space at the end of the month. A good personal finance blog can be worth its weight in gold.
If your business is in the finance industry, nothing will draw customers to your business faster than giving them a survival guide in a sluggish economy. Creating a personal finance blog can let you offer your expertise in finding debt solutions and bolstering financial security. People appreciate honest answers when they face troubling financial questions that leave them stumped.
There are specific things you can do to make your finance blog a smart investment for your target audience.
Offer Advice That Works
It isn’t enough to hire finance bloggers and set them to work explaining why it hurts to be in debt. People don’t want to read what they already know. Shift your focus to providing advice that works in the real world. It can be something as simple, for example, as offering tips to reduce unnecessary car expenses so your monthly payment doesn’t become a burden. When you provide a road map for people to follow, it becomes easier for them to heed your financial advice.
Provide the Right Tools
Poor choices can damage personal finance more than anything else. It can involve taking out a loan at an onerous interest rate. It could be falling victim to a financial scam. A good finance blog will give people tools they can use to avoid getting entangled in financial traps. Use relevant data and research to back up financial advice. Show them exactly how certain spending choices will impact their lives. When people can see the consequences of their actions, they can better steer their decisions in a positive direction.
Showcase Success Stories
Nothing reinforces sound personal financial advice from your business than creating blog posts that show the results of that advice in action. Do a blog profile on a customer who has found success doing the right things. Tell their story. If you have a person who was drowning in debt and is now debt free, let them explain in their own words how they improved their finances. Real-life examples reinforce principles much more strongly than simply giving a blog lecture.
Model Responsible Decisions
One of the best things you can do in creating a finance blog is to take your own medicine. Put your own advice into practice. Never tell your audience to take shortcuts, resort to unethical or illegal measures or do things you would not do if it was your own money on the line. Building trust with your target audience starts with modeling sound financial principles you espouse in your business. If you know certain financial strategies don’t work for you, there is no good reason you should try to convince your readers to choose that path anyway.
John C is a freelance writer available on WriterAccess, a marketplace where clients and expert writers connect for assignments.