How to build an effective company blog in Poland in 2023

It gives you full control over the content you publish, has an excellent impact on website positioning, increases website traffic, allows you to attract customers without having to invest in paid advertising – you probably do not need to convince anyone that running a company blog brings many benefits. Blogs are the form of content marketing most frequently chosen by marketers. No wonder – just 21 articles on a company website are enough to increase traffic by up to 30%

How to build an effective company blog in Poland in 2023? Stick to these 23 steps!

Table of contents

  • Step 1 – determine why you need a company blog in Polish
  • Step 2 – consider who will be your readers and who will be your competitors
  • Step 3 – divide the readers into groups
  • Step 4 – find out what information they need 
  • Step 5 – find out what content Google likes
  • Step 6 – select key phrases in Polish
  • Step 7 – create a list of topics
  • Step 8 – determine the length and form of articles 
  • Step 9 – determine what the graphic side of the entries will look like
  • Step 10 – determine who will write the content in Polish
  • Step 11 – determine the frequency of publication
  • Step 12 – determine the time of publication
  • Step 13 – don’t be afraid to share knowledge 
  • Step 14 – stay on trend
  • Step 15 – create a well thought-out CTA
  • Step 16 – don’t forget the meta tags 
  • Step 17 – select distribution methods
  • Step 18 – respond to comments
  • Step 19 – listen to your readers
  • Step 20 – analyse the effectiveness of the entries
  • Step 21 – be consistent
  • Step 22 – update content
  • Step 23 – recycle content

Step 1 – determine why you need a company blog in Polish

Before you get overly optimistic looking at the above statistics, you should think about whether you really need a blog in Polish. It is worth knowing that Polish is one of the most difficult languages in the world (according to a study by Unbabel, it ranks 10th, just behind Mandarin, Arabic or Japanese). Its level of complexity means that you should throw out the idea of automatically translating already finished posts from the original language.

Hiring a translator or Polish copywriter (and preferably a proofreader overseeing their work) is therefore mandatory. And this is just the beginning. Your Polish customers are most likely looking for completely different content and different products or services than those in the UK or US. And consequently, the subject matter of your posts should be slightly different, adapted to the market situation. Instead of a copywriter, it is therefore often more cost-effective to hire a content marketing agency. 

Moreover, Polish law is also governed by its own… laws. In some sectors (e.g. legal, alcohol, financial, medical), legal support may be necessary. Ignorance of the regulations on online advertising by some sectors can lead to serious problems. And in the end, prevention is better than the cure. 

We, as an agency dealing with Polish content marketing, always suggest to our foreign clients that they think carefully (and preferably support these thoughts with a specific analysis) about how big their potential target group is in Poland and whether the investment in a blog will have a chance to pay off. If you decide that it is a game worth the candle, then indeed a company blog will be a great tool for long-term branding online. 

Step 2 – consider who will be your readers and who will be your competitors

Poles are a heterogeneous group, as we have written about on our blog more than once. Before you start planning your blog development strategy and coming up with topics for your publications, think about who you want to target with your posts. Perhaps at the market research stage it will turn out that investing in a blog will be completely unprofitable, because your potential customers are mainly looking for information on YouTube or TikTok? Or maybe, on the contrary, the potential of a blog will turn out to be so huge that it will be better to invest a little more in it than you initially expected?

A thorough analysis of the competition and their marketing activities will also be helpful in creating an effective corporate blog strategy. According to a study by the International Content Marketing Forum on the quality of content marketing in 8 European countries, Poland is number one in creating long-term content strategies. Polish marketers also stand out compared to other countries for their systematic approach to article planning. So if your Polish competitors are investing in a blog – there is a good chance they are doing it right. This is worth taking into account.

 Poland as one of the leaders in considering factors that are essential for good content production

Step 3 – divide the readers into groups

Not every blog reader will read all the posts. Or, very well! It’s a good idea to divide your potential content audience into a minimum of three subgroups in advance. Each of them will receive a completely different type of content, so you increase the chance of meeting the needs of as large a proportion of the target group as possible. In our experience in content marketing in Poland, we have found that the most effective way to divide readers is to use a sales funnel:

  • TOFU – people who are unfamiliar with the brand and come across the blog by accident (usually by searching Google for answers to a particular problem). Your aim will be to inspire their confidence and alert them to the fact that the brand even exists.
  •  MOFU – people who are considering using a service similar to what you offer and looking for the best option. Your view will be to present your options to them.  
  • BOFU – people who may have already bought and are customers or are at the final stage of the purchase path and need a final ‘persuasion’. Your job is to drive purchase, retain the customer and build customer loyalty. 

 

Step 4 – find out what information they need 

Based on the analyses and the breakdown of readers, it is time to do the most important thing – to determine what information each reader is looking for. In our experience, the more research methods we use, the better it usually is. It is worth reaching for professional paid tools, such as Senuto, Ubersuggest or Semstorm. The free ones, such as Answer the Public, Google Trends or Google’s autocomplete option, will also work quite well. These work particularly well for finding topics for the first and second groups in our funnel.

Results showing questions asked by users of the Polish Internet under the example phrase "urban bicycle"

We should not forget the third group, which includes our current customers. This is where tools for tracking mentions of the company (e.g. Brand24), Google Alerts, as well as customer reviews and direct conversations with them will work perfectly. Our agency also often uses more creative methods, e.g. analysis of Facebook groups, which are wildly popular in Poland (much more popular than classic Internet forums).

Step 5 – find out what content Google likes

In the search for blog inspiration, it will also be useful to have ready-made post schemes that search engines (but also readers in Poland) particularly like. These include, for example:

  • Rankings (e.g. best laptops for work up to £4,000)
  • Trends (e.g. popular dress models for summer 2023)
  • ‘How to’ guides (e.g. how to set up a blog on WordPress step by step)
  • Clickbait (e.g. 5 activities that spoil your computer, and you definitely do them)

Step 6 – select key phrases in Polish

SEO strategy is another important element to consider when creating a communication plan for a company blog. In addition to selecting key phrases for each individual article (this is where the aforementioned tools will come in handy), you should also detail the general additional phrases for which the entire blog will be positioned (e.g. bike shop, XXL fashion, etc.). 

Tools such as Semstorm allow you to generate reports on your blog and give you the opportunity to compare it with your competitors’ blogs (it’s worth taking into account the key phrases that competing brands are positioning themselves on). Just remember that the phrases must be in Polish! 

Step 7 – create a list of topics

On the basis of such brainstorming, you should be able to generate at least dozens and even hundreds of diverse blog topics. Now it’s time to select them. Which ones have a lot of competition in the search engines? Which are likely to reach the number one position in Google? Which ones are aimed at which group of our readers? It is not worth neglecting any of the groups, and the needs of all three should be considered when creating a schedule. 

Imagine that you run a school offering graphic design courses for adults. Examples of topics aimed at particular groups might be:

  • Group 1 How do you work with layers in Photoshop? (you are building awareness)
  • Group 2 How do you learn graphic design quickly? (you show the offer)
  • Group 3 Is it worth going on a paid Photoshop course? (you lead to a sale)

Step 8 – determine the length and form of articles 

The next step is to determine a standardised form and length of entries. Consider:

  • What language do you want to speak with your readers?
  • How will you address them? 
  • How do you plan to divide the headings in the entries?
  • How will articles be signed? 

From the perspective of a Polish content marketing agency, around 500 words is the absolute minimum a blog post should be (although we usually advise clients that it should be more like 1,000 words, or roughly 6,000 characters with spaces), and even more. Orbit Media’s research has shown that long posts are liked not only by readers, but also by search engines. Such content simply indexes better. From time to time, it is also a good idea to publish comprehensive guides, or so-called ultimate guides in a specific subject area.

Step 9 – determine what the graphic side of the entries will look like

The visual side (i.e. images, graphics, infographics, videos or posts from Twitter or Instagram embedded in articles) is something that is definitely not worth underestimating. Eye-friendly articles are not only more pleasant to read and allow you to scan content more comfortably than a long text blog, but they also affect the effectiveness of your entire website. 

According to a 2021 Semrush study, blog articles containing at least one graphic generate as much as 2 times more traffic, 30% more shares and 25% more backlinks than those that do not contain them. The same study proved that interspersing text with graphics every 75-100 words results in 2 times more shares. A game worth the candle. 

Step 10 – determine who will write the content in Polish

And also – who will be responsible for finding topics, creating a schedule, controlling the quality of the content or monitoring the effects. Different methods are used in Poland:

  • cooperation with a copywriter or content writer on a B2B basis,
  • employing a Polish copywriter or content marketing expert,
  • cooperation with a marketing agency.

One thing to note here: the copywriter is usually only responsible for content creation (although this is not the rule). So if you undertake to work with a copywriter, developing content strategy and scheduling will be on your side. A much safer solution is to work with a good content marketer or a Polish agency specialising in content marketing, which has not only copywriters, but also SEO experts, analysts or social media specialists in its ranks. We have written about where to outsource content marketing in Polish in a separate article.

Step 11 – determine the frequency of publication

How often do you publish content for a company blog in Poland? According to research conducted by Hubspot, this question is worth looking at based on the purpose of the blog. If it’s to increase organic traffic to the site, it’s best to publish 3 to 5 times a week (with posts that can be slightly shorter). If the purpose of the blog is to build brand awareness, it is worth focusing on useful content for your audience and publishing 1 to a maximum of 4 articles per week.

It is also good to know that the more articles that appear on the blog per month, the higher the number of visits to the overall site. The best results come from publishing at least 16 posts per month. The minimum number of articles for which a favourable effect on a page’s position in search results is observed is 8.

Step 12 – determine the time of publication

According to Socialfresh, the best day to publish articles on your company blog is Monday. The best time, on the other hand, is the morning, i.e., between 9 a.m. and 11 a.m. This is when most of your Polish readers are at their computers or on their smartphones (most often they are still before work or just starting work). The morning is the time for office workers to browse through their email inbox, look at news and scroll through social media. The worst time, on the other hand, is Friday evening. 

When choosing the time to publish your posts, however, do not rely solely on general statistics. Perhaps your readers have completely different habits and you will find that Friday will prove to be a hit? It is worth analysing this on an ongoing basis. You can easily find out what days and times your publications are visited by the most users in your website statistics in Google Analytics.  

Step 13 – don’t be afraid to share knowledge 

Congratulations – you’ve got all the preparation for your blog launch behind you. Now it’s time to create the content itself. What should you not forget when running a company blog in Polish (and many brands ignore this)? In our experience, there is still a fear in the Polish market of not sharing too much knowledge. This is because there are two fears: that customers will know so much that they will no longer need us (especially in the case of service companies) and that the competition will pick up on our know-how. 

In this game, however, you stand to gain more than you lose. This is because by sharing comprehensive advice, you build a reputation as an expert. Your customer may not need you today (because you can teach them everything in one post), but guess who they will turn to first when they think they need help? On the other hand, yes, your competitors can learn the basics of your know-how. But what good is it to them if they don’t have your experts who have developed this know-how? Poles very much appreciate specifics and do not  pour cold water on an idea. Give them what they need without beating around the bush, and we guarantee they will become your loyal customers.

Step 14 – stay on trend

An entry schedule is like a compass to keep you on the right course. However, it is not worth sticking to it stubbornly. Trends in your industry probably also change like a kaleidoscope. So if there is a hot trend or topic on the horizon that is on everyone’s lips, do not hesitate to modify your plan a little and publish an extra article. For trend analysis, themed Facebook groups and following hashtags on TikTok, Twitter or Instagram are fantastic. And of the more obvious ones, Google Analytics or paid web monitoring tools. 

Results showing trends for the keyword "bicycle" in Poland as presented in Google Trends

As a foreign brand, you may have a considerable advantage over your Polish competitors. Many trends circulate on the English-language Internet for some time before making their way to Poland. Follow them and be the first in your industry to write about them. And be the first in your industry to write about them before your competitors even know there is something in the air.

 

Step 15 – create a well thought-out CTA

It’s obvious that an article should have an introduction, a development and a conclusion. The latter is a particularly important part for you – and unfortunately, we know from experience that many brands treat it neglectfully. The final two or three sentences of a text are, after all, your moment to shine! So, how do you end your text so that it is not just a bunch of words closing a topic, but instead encourages people to get in touch with your company?

Firstly, briefly summarise the whole essence of the article. Secondly, indicate the problem the reader may have had when they came to the blog (e.g. they didn’t know how to choose a computer for themselves). Thirdly, show that if the problem wasn’t solved (or he has a different, similar problem), your company will be happy to help him solve it. Leaving a link to a contact opportunity increases the conversion of the post! 

Photo 5

CTA posted under one of the All4 Comms blog posts

Other CTAs that are effective in Poland are: adding buttons to share the text directly on social media, leaving a contact form to fill in, linking to several similar articles from the blog or encouraging people to leave a comment.

Step 16 – don’t forget the meta tags 

What the reader’s eye sees is not everything. What you still have influence over (and what many business blog owners in Poland still forget about) are meta tags. These are meta tags contained in the header section, which make it possible to establish the title of a given page, keywords or content description. From the perspective of the text itself, the most important meta tags to create are the meta title and meta description, which are visible not only to the robots themselves, but also to people using search engines.

Meta title – Google will build the content of a link leading to a specific article based on this tag. Write it in such a way that it communicates what the text is about, but also encourages the user to look at the article.

Meta description – be responsible for describing the content of a given sub-page (i.e. your article). Use benefit language here (to encourage the reader to read the article) or even use clickbait. Do not forget to also include relevant key phrases in the meta title.

Meta title and meta description of one of the articles on the corporate blog of the Inmotion brand

Step 17 – select distribution methods

Writing a good, visually appealing article is only half the battle. An equally important element of your strategy should also be to determine where to distribute the content you create. Many Polish marketers mistakenly assume that good content will defend itself. Unfortunately, even high-quality blog articles will fail if they do not reach the right group and number of recipients.

In Poland, there are three main types of channels for content distribution:

  • Owned media (own channels) – social media profiles, original applications, newsletter. 
  • Paid media (paid channels) – advertising, collaboration with influencers, press releases on expert portals.
  • Earned media (acquired channels) – mentions of the post on groups, in reviews, rankings or comments on social media. 

We won’t tell you which ones will work for you. We recommend a mix of channels – especially if there are noticeable differences among the brand’s audience, such as age. However, if your budget does not allow you to do this, it is a good idea to start with three of them (for example, Facebook, a newsletter and an ad on LinkedIn) and analyse the effectiveness of your outreach.

Step 18 – respond to comments

Poles are very keen to share their thoughts online. So don’t block them from commenting on your content. Also try not to leave comments under posts unanswered – especially if readers ask the brand questions or start a discussion in the comments section. This kind of direct contact with the brand is fantastic for building a bond with your audience and makes the brand more welcoming to potential customers. 

Be careful with criticism, too. Poles are a nation that likes to criticise by nature and is not afraid to express an opinion that is not necessarily favourable, or even to “pick on” a bit. Respond to negative comments calmly and substantively (in some, less threatening cases, a bit of humour will work). Do not block or delete comments. This makes Poles see red.

Step 19 – listen to your readers

Readers can be the biggest mine of inspiration, especially when it comes to topics to blog about. Don’t be afraid to ask your Polish customers what they’re struggling with, what they’d like to find out or what they’d like to read about on the blog. Also collect material sent in direct queries, comments or on thematic groups or forums. 

Do you see your customers frequently asking about a product or something causing them a problem? Write about it on the blog! There are probably more people who may have a similar problem. What’s more, in this way you can avoid having to give the same answer to everyone individually. Simply link the enquirer to a specific blog post explaining the issue. 

Step 20 – analyse the effectiveness of the entries

Providing readers with valuable and original content is the foundation of content marketing activities, but without measuring its effectiveness, it’s like a road to nowhere. Thanks to precise analysis, we know exactly which types of posts and which topics generate the most page views, interactions or conversions, and which ones “like” Google’s algorithms.

The tools for analysing the effectiveness of a corporate blog in Poland that we recommend are:

  • Google Analytics – allows you to determine the most visited and longest-read posts.
  • Google Search Console – allows you to determine the search engine position of individual entries.
  • Senuto/Semstorm – allow you to determine, among other things, the effectiveness of the key phrases used or the blog’s reach in Google.
  • Internet monitoring tools – allow you to identify all the online discussions that are taking place about a particular blog post and assess how the number of mentions of the brand itself changes after the publication of a particular article.
  • Social media analytics – Facebook’s or LinkedIna’s analytics tools make it possible to identify which shared posts generated the most interactions (likes, comments, shares).

Step 21 – be consistent

Systematicity and consistency. Without these, even the most interesting and valuable (but published once every two months) content will not bring the brand the benefits it could with a long-term plan. Content marketing is not a sprint (like paid advertising, for example). Content marketing is a long-distance run. This is why, in addition to effective distribution, a tool such as a company blog also needs… time.

It is assumed that a website needs about 3 months when positioning for low-popular phrases, up to months when positioning for medium-popular phrases and up to 12 months for very popular phrases. What does this mean? If you invest in a blog now, you may not see any (or minimal) results for the next few months. So it’s not worth making the popular mistake and giving up too soon. 

Step 22 – update content

Whether you are writing an article about the best pubs in Warsaw, a tutorial on Photoshop or a text on effective methods for cleaning suede shoes, any knowledge can become outdated. It is therefore worth making a rule that every now and then (e.g. once every few months) someone will go through the entire blog and post article updates. 

Do all texts need to be updated? No. It is best to bet on the most widely read ones, as well as evergreens, i.e. content that remains relevant long after it has been published. Of course, avoid those that cannot be updated. A text about computer news for 2023 has a rather short shelf life (so it is thus worth spending more energy and money on promoting it at the time of its ‘splendour’). 

How to do such a content update? Here are some steps we recommend you take:

  • Verify that the data cited in the text has not become outdated.
  • Add the latest statistics and research to the entry.
  • Post new paragraphs – perhaps your knowledge is now a little richer. 
  • Check the links provided, especially those to external sites.
  • Update keywords. 

Step 23 – recycle content

Content recycling, i.e. the reuse of previously published content in other brand marketing material, is a great idea for giving ‘new life’ to existing content. It requires less effort than creating content from scratch, thus saving money – while being highly effective. 

So how can you recycle your company blog posts? 

A few methods that we, as a Polish content marketing agency, use are:

  • A short post for social media based on the essence of the whole post or a specific part of it.
  • An infographic summarising the data posted (especially the figures).
  • Newsletter sent to regular customers.
  • A YouTube video or podcast in which you address the topic once again.
  • Live on Facebook or a webinar where you will answer questions from your audience.

These were the 23 steps we recommend you take to make your company blog in Poland an effective tool for promotion and brand building in the Polish market in 2023. As an agency that has been supporting companies in content marketing in Poland for years, we have many more tips, effective tricks and not-so-obvious tips that we wouldn’t be able to fit into the pages of one (or even several!) posts. So if you’re looking for experts to guide you step-by-step through the twists and turns of Polish content marketing and create a company blog that will help you win new customers (and not just readers), contact us today.

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