An impressive number of businesses have come to learn the value of blogging. This is mainly because a blog is a simple, easy-to-use platform for connecting with and sharing timely and relevant information with customers and prospects alike, building credibility and establishing your presence. It’s your direct communication channel.
Below are fourteen solid reasons to maintain a blog for your business:
- According to a Hubspot survey, 60% of businesses who blog acquire more customers.
- Your blog fuels SEO (Search Engine Optimization). Search engines love fresh, valuable content and will reward you for it in its ranking system.
- Blogging gives your company a voice. It creates a place to talk about new products or services, comment on timely news topics or market trends, and share company initiatives beyond your website. It’s also the place to let your brand’s personality shine and show people what you’re all about.
- A blog creates a two-way conversation with customers, prospects and industry peers. It encourages interaction, comments and feedback. (Make sure you reply to all comments!)
- Writing a blog shares your expertise. It also helps you be a leader, not a follower.
- A blog builds confidence, relationships and sales. Customers will look to you as a reliable resource for information on your industry; then come to you to buy.
- Business bloggers are often interviewed by journalists as industry experts. That creates great PR (Public Relations).
- Every post you publish is a long-term asset that helps build brand awareness and promote your expertise, products and services.
- Blog analytics allow you to track readers, click-throughs, popular topics, shares and comments. This activity helps you keep your fingers on the pulse of your audience.
- Blogging sharpens your business focus. To create a blogging strategy you must define who you are blogging for and why.
- You can tell your brand’s story. A blog is a great place to offer more insight into your company, philosophy, employees, and ideas. Tell your customers why you’re in business and how you can help them.
- Blog writing makes you think… about newsworthy topics, your industry, your customers and the world around you.
- A blog keeps you focused on your content marketing strategy. You must create a schedule and stick to it to continuously deliver purposeful content.
- Writing helps you stay ahead of the curve. You have to stay on top of news, trends and competitors to be a successful blogger.
There are certainly many more reasons to start (and consistently maintain) a blog, but these fourteen reasons alone justify the time and minimal expense of doing so. Additionally, there are also many free platforms out there, such as Word Press. That said, we recommend your blog reside on your website whenever possible as this directs search engine traffic directly to your site and for SEO purposes, you may rank better by virtue of consistently changing live content.