Blogging offers numerous benefits for businesses, from boosting SEO to engaging with your audience. This article explores eight reasons why blogging is crucial for your business and highlights the advantages you might be missing out on by not having a blog.
If you’re not running a blog for your business, then I’ve got bad news for you. You’re not fulfilling your potential for success. In 2013 Hubspot reported that 82% of marketers who blog daily acquired a customer using their blog.
But what are the exact benefits that blogging can bring to your business? And why implement blogging when you’re already utilising your social media channels, pay-per-click advertising or e-mail marketing?
1) It drives traffic to your site
Content Marketing is about providing value to your audience. If you’re giving them useful and engaging information, they’ll keep coming back for more.
You’ll gain organic traffic but you can also combine this with a social media or pay-per-click campaign (budget willing) to increase your readership. As you gain more visitors, you’ll be able to learn more about them with analytics. This new information will allow you to improve the targeting options in any of your advertising campaigns.
As you post more articles, you’ll also have access to a growing library of content you can refer and link to in new articles. This will result in users spending more time on your website (which could be one of your conversion goals).
2) More traffic to your site equals more leads
You can take advantage of the increased traffic to gain more leads. In fact, B2B marketers that blog receive 67% more leads than those that do not.
Create a great landing page with a strong call-to-action, and you can gain potential leads and/or conversions. For example: build up your e-mail list by including a newsletter sign-up on your blog.
3) Grow your social media following
One of the main concerns for businesses on social media, is finding regular high-quality content to share. If you have a single person (or team) dedicated to producing valuable blog articles, you’ll have a consistent stream of content to share with your following.
This way you’re growing your social media following by posting great content, but also creating a larger audience for your future posts.
For the best results you can share your blog posts then broadcast them even further with targeted social media campaigns, in order to reach the correct audience. With the great targeting options that platforms like Facebook offer us (location, sex, interests etc), you’ll have no problem reaching your preferred customer.
4) Connect with your audience
Your aim is to create engaging content for people to interact with – like, share and comment. With blogs you’re showcasing your personality through your writing, giving your brand a human aspect, a very particular voice.
You are also creating a persona that your audience wants to engage with, and have trust in.
5) Great for SEO
As you add more unique content to your site and it gets indexed by Google, your website will gain higher rankings. Not only will SEO efforts lead to your pages showing up higher on search engine result pages, but you will also improve your rankings for your main keywords.
And your work gets discovered, shared and referenced, it will lead to high-authority inbound links to your site. Other marketers and bloggers are always on the lookout for good content to share, either for themselves or for the companies they represent.
6) Blogging is a cost-effective means of marketing
Blogging is one of the most cost-effective ways of content marketing. The only real cost involved with publishing regular blog content is your time, and spending money on promoting your blog posts are entirely optional – definitely useful but optional nonetheless.
The best way to maximise the use of your blog posts, is to create topical content that is always going to be relevant – “evergreen content”. You can reuse these and promote them on a regular basis (which then helps free up time to create new content).
7) Establish yourself as an authority
Blogs are a highly trusted source of information. More so than the fleeting pieces of content you find on social media, people flock to the valuable content that blogs can supply. Provided you can create content regarding current trends within your vertical (or better, predict new trends), your readers will view you as an authority in your industry, and you will gain their trust.
8) Improve yourself, improve your brand
Creating valuable content on a consistent basis is a challenge. It requires that you know all you possible can in your industry – constantly doing researching and applying this knowledge to your writing.
But this information can be applied to your job as well. Share thoughts and ideas with your colleagues – see if any of your processes can be streamlined, or where money can be saved by working smarter.
The Challenges You Face
- Hard work – Though cost-effective, you won’t gain instant notoriety when starting your blog. You will need to present readers with content of genuine value. Which means you’ll need to invest time and effort.
- The competition – On WordPress.com alone, 56 million posts are published per month. In order to succeed you’ll need to create superior content than the majority of bloggers, and market / share extensively.
- Content length – Dr. Jonah Berger found in a study that long-form content is 76% more likely to go viral. The old days of 400-word articles working wonders for your marketing / SEO purposes are gone. Your minimum article length should be 1,500 words, with 2,500 to 3,000 words being your ultimate goal.
If you can overcome these obstacles, you’ll realise how much value it can bring as part of an overall digital marketing strategy. It’s a wonderful tool that can complement all of your other digital marketing channels.
If you’re new to content marketing, there is no doubt that this should form part of your overall strategy. If you’re doing everything else except blogging, you’ll be amazed at how easy it will slot into your existing plans. It is another source of fuel that keeps your content marketing running.
The most frequently asked questions on why blogging is important to your business
How does blogging help improve my website’s SEO?
Blogging improves your website’s SEO by providing fresh content that search engines love. Each blog post is an opportunity to use relevant keywords, which helps search engines understand your website’s focus. Additionally, blogs can attract backlinks from other sites, further boosting your SEO. Example: Imagine you own a bakery and write a blog post about “Top 10 Tips for Perfect Cupcakes.” By using keywords like “perfect cupcakes” and “cupcake tips,” you increase the chances of appearing in search results when someone searches for those terms.
How can blogging help establish my business as an authority in the industry?
Blogging allows you to share your expertise and insights, positioning your business as an authority in your industry. When you consistently provide valuable and informative content, readers begin to trust your knowledge and see your business as a go-to resource. Example: A home improvement company could write detailed guides on various DIY projects. When customers see your comprehensive and helpful content, they’ll be more likely to trust your expertise and consider your services for larger projects.
In what ways can blogging generate leads for my business?
Blogging can generate leads by attracting potential customers to your site and encouraging them to take action. You can include calls-to-action (CTAs) within your blog posts that guide readers to sign up for newsletters, download resources, or contact you for services. Example: A digital marketing agency could write a blog post about “Why Blogging is Important for Any Business” and include a CTA at the end inviting readers to download a free eBook for more in-depth strategies. This exchange of content for contact information helps generate leads.
How does blogging contribute to building a community around my brand?
Blogging fosters a sense of community by encouraging interaction between you and your audience. Readers can leave comments, share posts, and engage in discussions, creating a space where they feel connected to your brand. Example: A fitness brand might write about workout tips and invite readers to share their own experiences or ask questions in the comments. This interaction not only builds community but also provides valuable feedback and content ideas.
Can blogging help with my social media engagement?
Yes, blogging provides a steady stream of content to share on your social media platforms, keeping your audience engaged and driving traffic back to your website. Well-crafted blog posts can be shared multiple times, in different formats, and on various platforms. Example: If you run a travel agency, you can write a blog post about “Top 10 Destinations for Adventure Seekers” and share snippets of the post on Instagram, Facebook, and Twitter, with links back to the full article on your website.
How often should I blog to see significant benefits for my business?
The frequency of your blogging can depend on your industry and audience, but a general rule is to post consistently. Many businesses find success with posting at least once a week. Regular posting keeps your content fresh and encourages repeat visits from your audience. Example: An online clothing retailer might post weekly fashion tips, seasonal trends, and style guides. Consistent blogging ensures that readers keep coming back for new content, keeping your brand top of mind.
Conclusion
Blogging is an essential component of a successful digital marketing strategy. It drives traffic to your site, generates leads, grows your social media following, and enhances your SEO efforts. By regularly posting valuable content, you establish yourself as an authority in your industry and build a community around your brand.
Although it requires consistent effort and overcoming challenges, the long-term benefits of blogging far outweigh the costs. If you’re not already leveraging this powerful tool, you’re missing out on significant opportunities to connect with your audience, improve your online presence, and ultimately boost your business success. Start incorporating blogging into your digital strategy today to unlock its full potential.
