Here’s a question for you:

What is your single largest roadblock to keeping an active website blog?

One of the most common responses we receive from our dealers is “I don’t know what to blog about.”

It’s a fair statement. We know you’re busy and don’t have much time to sit down and plan out a series of blog topics. This is why we’re presenting some foundational tips on how to generate blogs FAST so that you can get back to taking care of in-store business.

First, let’s address why a blog is important, in case you are on the fence about keeping a blog at all. The fact is that a blog checks off several of the requirements for good SEO:

  • Fresh, unique copy
  • High-traffic keywords
  • Educational content
  • Website visitor engagement
  • Cross-channel capability

Basically, a blog provides natural and valuable content churn for your website, which increases your site’s searchability and also creates an educational resource for your customers. Furthermore, you can share your blogs on other channels, such as social media and e-newsletters, to drive traffic from other platforms to your website.

So, how do you regularly create blogs that add value to your website without taking up a large chunk of your work day?

Dealership News
Does your dealership have big news to share? Maybe your store added a new brand to your inventory lineup or you’re hosting a big sale? These are events worth blogging about! Unlike emails, social media posts or website banners, your blog allows you to create long-form copy so that you can go into more detail on WHAT is taking place and why this is the best thing ever to happen for your customers. Following an event, you could create a follow-up blog featuring photos and thanking all who attended.

Community Events
If your dealership does not have any special events or news on the horizon, you can expand your focal point to your local community. Report on events that your team members are involved in or causes that your dealership supports. Is your neighborhood hosting a food drive? Do you sponsor any community organizations? Show your readers that you’re a community-oriented business!

Seasonal Changes
Each season corresponds with its own relevant topics that your audience would find helpful. For example, as we approach the official launch of summer, OPE customers are highly receptive to content on backyard BBQ recipes to enjoy amid the summer bloom of their lush lawns. First-time boat owners would appreciate a how-to tutorial on tuning up their vessel after it has sat in storage for months. And with more and more bikes on the road, there is ample need for content that focuses on the best local bike paths or at-home bike maintenance for riders who may not have time to schedule an in-store appointment.

Personal Experiences
Customers love to see the more personal side of a business. Share why you’re passionate about your industry! Did you get interested in motorcycles at a young age? Did you inherit your family’s legacy lawn care business? Your audience is just as passionate as you are, so it’s safe to say they would get a kick out of reading about how you and your team got into the industry. After you’ve mined your team for personal experiences, you could also ask long-time customers to share their own reasons for entering the industryーand why they chose your dealership.

Dealership History
Do your customers know the history of your dealership? Even if your About page already includes your dealership’s origin story, certainly there are several more details that could be shared. Do you have an anniversary coming up? Share a timeline of how your dealership has changed over the years and How Far You Have Come. In fact, this topic alone could generate a series of blog posts extending from your store’s early days to its present-day growth and goals. Even if your dealership is new, you can share the story of how it came to be and what inspired your decision to create your brand.

Struggling to come up with topics in the moment?
Instead of sitting down and trying to think of a topic each time you’re supposed to write your next blog, brainstorm several topics at once and add them all to a content calendar. This way, you always know what your next blog topic will be, and you can think strategically about which topics go best with certain dates and seasons.

No matter what you decide to write about, the two most important tools you should use are THOUGHT and CONSISTENCY. Make sure your articles add value to your dealershipーyou want your audience to find your blogs worth reading. Plan ahead to make sure you can post your blogs at consistent and regular intervals, whether that’s weekly or monthly.

If you are struggling to keep a blog that drives results for your dealership, contact ARI today. Our content experts are full of industry advice for creating sales-worthy copy.