Social media now dominates the business world, whether we want to admit it or not. If you haven’t jumped on that bandwagon yet, you’re missing out big time.
It’s one thing to have a Facebook page, Instagram or Twitter account for your business but there’s another tool that’s quickly becoming a must-have, the blog. It’s another way to reach your customer base with valuable information, share company news and just show off what you can offer.
If you’re still on the fence about throwing your hat into the blogosphere come 2017, here are five reasons that will make you think otherwise:
1. Drives Traffic to your Website
A beautifully designed website is useless (and a waste of your hard earned money) if no one is visiting it. A well-written business blog helps make sure your site isn’t just another pretty face. It does this by increasing your online visibility and reach.
Here’s where that mysterious and often scary concept comes into play, Search Engine Optimization, or SEO. Basically, you want your website content to show up in the results of people searching for relevant information, products or services on search engines like Google.
The more pages of good content your website has the more chances it has of ranking well with search engines. Regularly updated pages tell search engines that they should check your site more frequently for new content.
Having a business blog is an easy way to publish additional pages since each and every blog post adds a new indexed page to your website. When someone discovers one of your blog posts, through a search engine result or because you’ve shared it on social media, they can then click through to your website and voila, you’ve got traffic.
Over time, well-written blog posts that meet the needs of your target audience can significantly increase traffic to your website.
2. Converts Traffic into Leads
After you’ve got a steady flow of readers coming in, the next step is to turn those leads into customers or clients. Is your content interesting and compelling enough to prompt them to contact your office or sign up for your newsletter?
A call to action at the end of a blog post is a great way to generate leads. Offer up a free fact sheet, eBook or special offer in exchange for their information.
3. Establishes you as an Authority
You’re the best at what you do and can prove so with a business blog. Share your knowledge and expertise with readers by answering frequently asked questions, providing helpful tips and information they are looking for. These will be the posts that are most likely to drive traffic to your website over time.
Your blog can also be used to highlight a specific employee or product/service you offer. This helps your readers learn more about you and why they should trust iyour business.
4. Lasting Results
The beauty of a blog post is its longevity. Something that you wrote last year will continue to show up in search engines if it includes appropriate keywords and searchable topics. The more people read your posts, the more they share … a classic domino effect. In a nutshell, a helpful and informative post that is well-written could realistically turn into thousands of views and ultimately sales over time.
5. FREE Marketing and Advertising
Last but certainly not least, blogs are essentially free marketing for your business. Use your posts to share tips, resources and information that will be beneficial to your target audience and to share the good word about a new product or service you’re offering.
Think of your business blog as another salesperson that’s on the clock 24-hours a day, 7-days a week.
Business blogging is such an underutilized marketing tool and the benefits are simply undeniable. Think of your posts as a trail of breadcrumbs leading people to your website. Well-written content will drive brand awareness, generate leads, develop great customer relations and improve the SEO value of your website. Who wouldn’t want all that?
Your Marketing Liaison can help you better establish your online presence. Contact us to schedule a consultation today!