You may be wondering why blogging is important for your business. Well, the answer really depends. Are you committed to writing it on a regular basis and is anyone going to read it? Those are the two questions you need to answer first.
Blogs can be an excellent way to connect with your customers, but that is irrelevant if no one reads it. The best way to get people to read your blog is to post regularly, advertise your blog and produce interesting information that people want to know. If you don’t post regularly, it can make it look like your company went out of business; which is probably worst than not having a blog for your brand at all.
When done right, there can be many benefits of blogging. It can be one of the most effective ways to build brand awareness and demonstrate that you are an expert in your field. You can provide your current and potential customers with relevant and useful content. Blogging can also be an inexpensive way to drive traffic to your website to attract more potential customers, this is why blogging is important for your business. Did you know that according to WordPress, over 409 million people read blogs? If you’re not blogging, you could be missing out on reaching and interacting with new clients. A business that has a blog receives 55 percent more traffic than a business without one. This kind of platform also allows people to share your content with others, boosting your search engine optimization.
So where do I get started?
The first step is to just start writing. Write about something you know. This will establish you in your field. You want customers to know they can come to your website to find answers and start a conversation with you.
Here are some tips that will help you as you begin blogging for your business.
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Consistency is important. There is no right or wrong answer about how often you should post because every company is different. You just want to post consistently. If you post several articles in one week and then you don’t post anything for a while, your articles will go stale. Companies that post 16 blogs per month receive three to five times more traffic than those companies that post less than four times during the same period. Relevant, eye-catching and shareable content can gain traction over time.
Answer your customers' questions. Understand what your customers are searching for on the web and answer those questions. Use those words in your title and throughout your blog. This will help your articles have a better ranking on search engines. When I’m getting ready to write my blog, I always ask myself, “what are the questions that need to be answered in my field?”
Add visuals. Images and videos can help tell your story and engage people with your page. We all have short attention spans and we want customers to retain key information after they’ve read your blog. You can also use charts and graphs to emphasize your point and increase the time someone will spend on your website. Visuals will help customers remember the content and your business.
Invite guest contributors. I know it can be time-consuming to write all of these blogs. Consider asking a business leader in your field to be a guest contributor. A guest contributor can provide a fresh outlook on a subject and you might learn something new.
Another one of the benefits of blogging is that it keeps all your great ideas in one place. Your blog creates an online archive of your articles and ideas. It can also help you become more organized.
If you’ve decided that blogging isn’t for you, then there are other alternatives. You can join and be active on social media platforms like Facebook or Twitter. Maybe it’s the writing that you don’t like, then consider starting a video blog or podcast. You can use a video to teach a customer how to do something or answer a question they may have. Use your imagination and engage with your customers to drive your business forward.
A blog can be the most effective way to help draw people toward your business. If you’d like help starting a blog or finding someone to write for you, we’re here to help. Contact Outlook Business Solutions to learn more about blogging.