Process Server Blogs: Why Get Started & How in 5 Easy Steps

• November 13, 2011
• by ServeNow Staff

What is a blog?

A blog is your own online publication where you can let your thoughts run free for all to see. This idea might be a little scary to some, but once you squash any fears of sharing your thoughts with the world, you’ll find that blogs are an amazing tool for process servers. Blogs help servers market their agencies, boost traffic to their websites, establish themselves as experts, and more. To top it all off, blogging is fun. For more specific reasons why you should start your own blog today, read on.

1. You can offer your opinions

Journalists are usually required to be objective, which means they have to keep their opinions out of news stories. Process server blogs don’t have the same restrictions. You can share your opinions on news stories, legislation changes, or anything else that has your attention at the moment. Your opinions can actually spark healthy online debates where others can chime in with their opinions. Enjoy this freedom of speech and have fun with it!

A word of caution: Because your readers may include potential clients, media professionals, legal professionals and more, ask yourself whether the opinions in your blog posts may badly offend or alienate anyone. Your blog will be associated with your process serving firm, so you’ll want to keep the content and voice professional.

2. Blogging can be fun

Even though we just said you should be professional in your blog doesn’t mean you can’t have fun with it. You can always indulge your personal interests and put a humorous spin on news to give your readers a laugh. Some ways to have fun with your blog can include highlighting comical news stories related to service of process, discussing or reviewing new technology, or commenting on movies or TV shows that feature process servers or other legal professionals.

3. Blogging boosts your website traffic

Process server's websites are one of the most valuable sales and marketing tools for your process serving business. It’s a place where potential customers can learn more about your process serving firm and services, as well as contact you directly. You want as many people as possible to visit your website, which is where a blog is useful.

Your blog’s unique content draws in readers and tells search engines like Google that they should pay attention to your site and rank you higher in search results. Posting blog entries regularly on interesting, industry-specific topics will give your website traffic a welcome boost.

Related reading: 9 Essential Elements of a Better Process Server Website

4. Blogging can establish you as an expert

The term “expert blogger” has become increasingly common because even regular Joes can establish themselves as experts by sharing their opinions and analyzing news. Becoming an expert in the public eye is beneficial because most people would rather work with or hire someone who is extremely knowledgeable about laws, techniques, news, and everything else in a particular industry. The expert is who people come to for answers and business, and there’s no reason why that expert can’t be you.

5. Create a personality for yourself and your agency

The CEOs of most major companies keep blogs because they know it’s a good way to address industry and company issues, speak directly to customers, show off new products or services, and generally build an identity for their businesses. By injecting your voice and personality into each blog post, you give readers a reason to keep coming back, and you give people a face and voice to associate with your firm.

6. Talk about the good in the process serving industry, and the good that your firm does

Many process servers go above and beyond to help clients, assist strangers they meet on the job, and help the community. Too often, these deeds go unnoticed by the general public, but you can do your part to change that with a blog. For example, you can blog about the sports team your agency sponsors, the proceeds from certain efforts you donated to charity, the memorable ways you have helped certain clients and their families, etc. Telling your stories or highlighting those of others offers a view of the process serving industry that many people don’t get to see.

7. Attract media exposure

Reporters and journalists pay attention to blogs, both as a source of topics to write about and as a way to find people to interview about certain topics. If you regularly post about positive stories in the process serving industry, journalists may decide to expand on one of your stories and bring it to a wider local or national audience. And if you are posting thoughtful analyses of news and legislation, the media could turn to you to provide your take. This positive publicity can only help your reputation and increase your business.

8. Blogging is free

Once you combine all of the above benefits with the fact that setting up and maintaining a blog is free, there’s really no reason not to give it a try.

Conclusion

Take a look around the internet and you’ll find that many of your peers are writing blogs. The reason that millions of small-business owners blog worldwide is because blogging’s benefits have been proven over the years and because many of them genuinely enjoy sharing their thoughts. We encourage you to set up your blog and see what your creativity and industry knowledge will produce.

Getting Started

Now that you know why you should write a blog, it's time to set up your process server blog! Starting a blog can be intimidating, but following these steps can help you breeze through the process.

Step 1: Choose a Blogging Platform

There are several free or inexpensive, easy-to-use blog platforms with features process servers can use for simplified blogging. Some popular sites include:

• Blogger: Blogger is a platform with an ease of use comparable to sending an email. Linked to Gmail accounts and offering posting options through Microsoft Word, Blogger targets users with limited technological experience. Layouts, posting, and adding media and links are done through straightforward commands. As a traditional blogging platform, Blogger is easy to set up and maintain.
• WordPress: Though it caters to a more experienced blogger, WordPress is another option for traditional blogging. Like Blogger, WordPress has many layouts and features, but it also offers more customizable functions and the ability to alter HTML. Though it showcases advanced options, WordPress is a great option for the inexperienced blogger.
• Tumblr: Tumblr is a great site for microblogging, and the platform of choice for bloggers looking to post shorter, less formal, and media-centric entries. Somewhat similar to a Twitter feed, Tumblr is the best option for bloggers looking for quick posting. The ability to completely alter the HTML makes it the platform of choice for the technologically savvy, and with apps for various gadgets, Tumblr makes blogging quick and easy.

With many more options for blogging platforms, it is important to do some research and decide what will work best for you. Once you have made your selection you will need to set up your blog.

Step 2: Set Up Your Blog

Setup can take a few minutes or a few days, depending on the platform and your appearance preferences. Regardless of which site you host on, you will need to take the time to set up a few things:

• The title: Perhaps the most important step is choosing a title. Choose a name that relates to your company, communicates what you will be writing about, and is easy to remember. If possible, make your blog name and URL identical. Most blogging platforms allow you to add your blog to your website's domain (e.g., www.xyzprocessserver.com/blog), and though sometimes it requires an additional monthly fee it is considered a good promotional practice.
• About me: As a great place for showcasing your credentials, listing your name, company, and how long you have been a part of the industry will help establish you as a qualified contributor to the process server blogging community.
• Layout: All platforms offer a variety of formatting options. It is best to select fonts, color combinations, and layouts that make your blog easy to read and navigate.

Your settings are not permanent, so if you want to make changes, you can.

Step 3: Choose Topics You Can Blog About:

There is a constant surplus of news within the process server community. Your blog can be a place for you to:

• Share your opinions. Whether it's legislation changes, breaking news, strategies, or ethics, your blog can be a place to share your point of view.
• Connect with clients. You can explain common terminology, explain what happens during a serve, and walk clients through service of process.
• Reflect on your experience. A blog can be a great place for sharing tips, step-by-step advice, and specific experiences with clients and colleagues.
• Be informative. Your blog posts can inform readers about special events and company news, or be a place to discuss conferences you have attended and new laws or practices related to your industry.

It is important to give your unique point of view, but be mindful of the fact that other industry professionals and potential clients will be reading, and always present your opinion in a respectful way.

Step 4: Create your first posts

Rather than launching your blog with one post, it is best to publish 3-5 posts to establish variety and gain interest from early readers. These initial posts are a great place to introduce yourself and your company, discuss your experience, provide some information on your industry, and add some media or links to news articles.

Step 5: Maintain your blog

You may settle into regular blogging with ease, but there are a few things you should keep in mind.

• Post regularly. If you are concerned about your ability to post consistently, set aside a specific time devoted to blogging regularly, or create a schedule with time for brainstorming, research, and writing. Keep in mind that if you post too often you may lose followers, and if you do not post often enough, you might not be promoting your firm.
• Vary your content. It is important to keep your posts up to date. Photos, videos, and audio clips can add interest to your blog, but make sure that you are not violating any copyright terms.
• Don't be overly promotional. Your blog is a great tool for marketing your business, but posting promotional material too frequently can deter customers and decrease your following.
• Stay professional. Remember, you are creating a blog to promote your services. Speaking negatively about other companies, using improper language, or including personal or unrelated content can hinder your blog's credibility.
• Keep up with routine maintenance. Set aside a specific day once every few months for updating your blog. This can be an opportunity to check for broken links, change your layout, and reorganize folders and archives.
• Link your media. To increase traffic to your blog and website, link your blog to your process server website and social media accounts.

With numerous advantages to starting your blog, you have every reason to join the process server blogging community. If you enjoy sharing your thoughts, opinions, and news while promoting your business at no cost, start blogging today.

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