Should my business have a blog?
(3 minute read)
When we hear the word blog our minds wander towards fashion, marketing and lifestyle – topics that make up a large part of the online blogging sphere. However, writing a blog isn’t just for lifestyle/consumer brands. And although blog is the technical term, many businesses are now avoiding the word blog all together by using navigation links like insights, news or thoughts. Some brands even opt for a branded title like Finisterre’s Broadcast or Pyscho Bunny’s the mischief.
You might not realise it, but writing a blog can be an incredibly important part of any business marketing strategy, especially if you want to stand out as a thought-leader in your market.
What are the benefits of blogging for business?
It gives your business a personality
Every business needs a voice, and each of your branding touch points such as your website and marketing materials help share this. But, with a blog you can take this one step further and speak to your audience without selling to them. A blog is your chance to share your business news, goals and achievements in a more personal way, and it’s the next best thing to speaking to your customers in person.
Through your writing you can give your customers a better idea of the sort of business you are, show them the humans behind the brand and build a sense of community by adding value to their lives.
It’s an essential SEO boost
You really can’t ignore SEO if you want your business to succeed online, and blogging is a great way to boost your rankings in Google search. With each new blog post you’re creating a new page for Google to index, which means new chances to be discovered in specific search results.
Google loves content, and rewards you for creating it by ranking your website higher in relevant search results – if it’s good content that is. Good content is well written and not stuffed full of keywords, but created to solve a genuine problem or provide real value for readers. If you create this sort of content you’ll be able to outstrip any competition that isn’t keeping up.
Don’t write content just for the sake of SEO, your content must provide value and be genuinely interesting.
If you create great content that others in your community or industry want to reference you will also benefit from backlinks. What are backlinks?
It can help you acquire more customers
According to HubSpot’s 8th annual inbound marketing and sales report, marketers who prioritise blogging are 13 times more likely to achieve a positive ROI on their efforts, which highlights just how effective it can be for acquiring new customers.
Your blog posts are the perfect sort of content for sharing on social media channels as well as on your own website, which creates more chances for your business to be discovered and can help drive new traffic to your website, potentially generating new business leads along the way.
It builds credibility
Sharing your thoughts and expertise in your field via a blog is the quickest and easiest way to position your business as an authority in the eyes of your target market. The more useful content you share, the more your customers will consider you as a thought leader in your sector, and you may even find journalists approaching you for interviews or comments, which is incredible free PR for your business.
This increased credibility can then be turned into solid and measurable sales results. Think about it, the more potential customers find their questions being answered by content from your company, the more likely they are to trust you and engage in the sales process.
Blogging allows you to show your audience what you know rather than tell them. And, is very affordable if you or someone in your team is a good writer.
If writing does not come naturally to you or your team here’s what to do:
Ask the senior level members of your team to bullet point information around a certain topic and have a copywriter turn those points into a blog post
Start a podcast instead
Host video interviews
Blogging takes commitment. And, as with anything, consistency is key so don’t start a blog if you cannot maintain a steady flow of high-quality content.
