It surprises me when business owners deliberate over having a regular blog post, especially when you look at the figures; WordPress reported that over 409 million people view more than 21.4 billion website pages each month. So, doesn’t it make sense that at least some of your pages are offering timely, relevant and engaging content?
Yet there are still some who question whether blogging is still relevant in today’s social media marketing environment. One customer of mine for instance – “those two blog posts you’ve written for me have not made any difference at all.” Clearly this customer expected the world to come running to his website because he’d published two new blog posts.
Do it right and a REGULAR blog post can benefit your business in a big way. According to Hubspot, businesses that prioritise blogging experience a 13X increase in ROI, year after year. No matter the size of your company, blogging is essential in this highly competitive business environment.
Okay yes, I would say that, blogging is my thing. So here are a few reasons that might convince you.
1. Blog posts drive traffic to your website
It’s difficult to maintain an active social media presence without offering unique, high-quality content. If you use Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest, LinkedIn, chances are you regularly share others’ content. By posting a blog, you can entice visitors to click through to your own website; to give you the attention you are so generously offering others.
If you send out email newsletters, then you automatically have content to go in it if you’re writing a regular blog post. You are giving your recipients a direct line to your content, and your website, where they might be tempted by your offerings.
2. Blog posts increase your SEO
Think of blogging as fishing in a big pond; the more hooks (content) you have in the water, the more likely your target market will find your bait. The more content you add to your site, the more your domain becomes indexed in search engines, thereby improving organic search visibility and increasing your traffic.
Regular blogging about your business, industry or product will naturally increase the keywords, topics, and categories you want your business to be found with. Also, the more content you add, the better the chances you have to rank for less common, higher-converting keyword phrases.
Regular fresh blog posts show Google that your business is alive and well and it will reward you with better visibility. If your blog is dying a death because you don’t have the time to update it regularly, then you might be better off not having one at all, but don’t be surprised if your footfall reduces.
3. Blog posts build authority in your industry
The best blog posts will establish you or your brand as an expert in your field. Writing regularly gives you the platform for sharing important industry-related news and insights, and it shows your knowledge. Over time this builds trust and familiarity and the knowledge source for your niche. This means customers will think of you when they’re ready to buy.
4. Blog posts help your customer relationships
If you’re looking to differentiate yourself from your competitors then a regular blog post, with your own unique thoughts and insights, is the best way to do it. A blog allows your clients to get to know your business or product and get a feel for how you work, particularly if you respond to comments and questions in your posts. This also shows that you’re open to comments or feedback. This potentially leads to a dialogue whereby you can get an insight into your customers’ needs and you can structure your future content accordingly.
You need to invest time and money in your content publication strategy, beginning with the company blog, to make any difference to search visibility, leads, and sales. Two lonely blog posts a year just won’t cut it. Keep your online presence alive, and your business healthy by committing to a regular and timely blog, if you want to see any significant return.
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