Blogging is great for your business – here’s why
To blog or not to blog? It’s a good question, with a simple answer.
Businesses who write a blog can expect greater website traffic, better-informed clients and stronger brand credibility than they enjoyed before they picked up their pens. A blog is usually considered an excellent investment.
Still not convinced? Read on.
Hang on a minute, what exactly is a blog?
A blog is an online space to publish anything you like in the form of blog posts (pieces of writing, usually at least 500 words long). The article you’re reading right now is a prime example.
Businesses often write blog posts about subjects relating to their industry, answering popular questions their clients might have and sharing insightful opinions.
Entice potential clients to your website
A blog is a bit like those delicious chocolate samples shopkeepers sometimes hand out as you walk past. You stop to take a bite, realise it’s incredible, and before you know it, you’ve stocked up on enough truffles to see you through the apocalypse.
Most people who end up reading your blog don’t set out to find your business specifically. They just want a bite of advice or a morsel of information, and there’s no reason why they shouldn’t get that knowledge from you if it’s something you’re well-informed about.
Once they’re reading your blog post, you can direct them through links (like this one) to your relevant services – or they might find their way there themselves to discover who’s behind such a helpful article. At its core, a blog is a marketing tool.
The technical side
But there’s more to it than that.
Your blog isn’t just leading customers to your website – it’s making sure your website shows up in the first place. Search engines such as Google like new content. It helps them to understand that you have relevant answers for internet users, and makes you more likely to show up in search results.
What’s more, Google can only point people towards your business if it knows how to find you – and it can only find you if you’re using the same words in your website that your customers are using when they search for businesses like yours. These are called keywords.
Creating a blog gives you the opportunity to strategically sprinkle keywords into your website content. Eventually, Google will pick up on this and rank your website higher in search results relating to your keywords, helping you be found by more people online.
Informed clients are happy clients
Another reason to start a blog for your business? It’s a genuinely helpful resource for clients.
When you write a blog, you’re essentially sharing information to answer your customers’ most popular questions. That means, when they make a purchase, they go into it feeling well-informed and satisfied with their decision.
It also means customers can find answers for themselves through the content you’ve written, rather than calling your business up. Removing obstacles like this makes for an easier, happier sale.
Incidentally, this cuts down the precious time you and your staff spend answering questions in person. At the very least, giving your clients useful advice and inspiration in blog form makes for a more productive conversation when they do get in touch with you.
An industry expert
One last reason why blogging is the business: it’s an excellent chance to show off to potential customers.
A blog is your space to prove you’re the real deal when it comes to your industry, instilling confidence in your clients by sharing niche advice, comparing products, commenting on industry trends, or explaining important concepts within your expertise.
In short, it shows customers that you’re the authority in your sector.
A content writer worth their salt will achieve all of the above while still infusing your blog posts with brand personality, making sure your business stands out from the competition. And this is the last golden nugget I’ll leave you with: work with a professional writer – because it’s not enough to churn out content stuffed with keywords and advice.
At the end of the day, people are the ultimate audience for your blog, not Google. Well-written, easy-to-digest content will stick with your customers and make it far more likely that your business comes to mind when it matters most.
Ready to start blogging? Come have a chat!
