A common question that I’m asked by small business owners is whether or not blogging is worth the time and effort. My response is a resounding YES! If you blog on a frequent basis it is a relatively inexpensive way to enhance your marketing effort, drive traffic to your site, and get your message in front of new prospective customers. Below are some key reasons for getting on the “Blog Bandwagon”.
Boosting Your Search Engine Optimization
Search engines, like Google, want to provide fresh and valuable content to searchers. Through blogging, you provide Google and other search engines new content to index, and your reward is increased authority in your particular field/area which translates into a greater opportunity to appear in customer searches.
You can also benefit from backlinks as other websites begin to link to the articles on your website. This rapidly adds more fuel to the SEO fire because search engines consider backlinks as to be an endorsement of the authority of your website.
Connecting People to Your Brand
Through blogging you can show a personal side to your business that existing customers won’t see through regular outbound marketing techniques. In a way, you can combine information with advertising. Many businesses use blogs to highlight the vision and personality of their company.
Generating Leads
Through effective blogging you can get interested readers/prospects to subscribe to your blog posts. You can then use those emails for marketing purposes to increase touch points. This will also open up opportunities to promote other products and services, special promotions, and more.
Blogs are Long-Term
Don’t look for instant leads in the week after you post a blog. Give your blog time to generate interest. Once a blog is indexed in search engines it stays there, meaning that your blog can still attract traffic and generate leads for weeks, months and even years after you’ve posted it. By focusing on blog topics that are timeless you will consistently generate increased views month after month. Make sure you are writing about topics you know will be of interest to your target audience.
Build out Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
If you already have a FAQ section on your website with short answers you can take each FAQ and turn it into a deeper article with more information for your prospects (diagrams, pictures, videos). This enables you to then link your blog article to your FAQ’s so visitors can get additional information about the topics they are researching.
If you don’t already have a FAQ section on your website now is a perfect opportunity to start developing that section!
Becoming a Thought-Leader in Your Industry
Whether you are a retail store, restaurant, or professional service provider you can write about growing trends in your industry. As you analyze these trends you can provide your own perspective and take on them. Don’t forget to include links to resources from your research as this increase the depth of your article.
The simple act of blogging about your industry forces you to stay on top of industry news. It can make you curious about other trends from similar industries and provide you added insight into how these trends may be relevant to you. Asking questions, comparing, and contrasting ideas will make you stand out as a thought -leader!
Add Rich Media Into Your Blogs
Break up your content with quality images to keep your readers’ attention. Consider adding a short video on the same topic of your blog. If you have a YouTube channel for your business this is a great opportunity to cross promote your blog between your website and YouTube (remember that YouTube is a search engine, so including written content in your video description will increase the opportunity for your video to be found).
Share Your Blog Through Multiple Channels
Utilize your social networks to expand the reach of your blog. If you have a monthly or quarterly newsletter, don’t forget to include your blog links. You want all your channels to be getting your message out. Use your blog to contribute content into industry groups that you may be a part of on LinkedIn and Facebook.
Reach Out To Us For Help
If you need some professional help in putting together a blog strategy for your business reach out to us. We can assist you in numerous ways, from providing high level content strategies to supplying content writing talent for your organization. We’ve worked with a wide range of businesses from high tech to forestry and trucking. CONTACT US. to explore how Zubak & Associates can add value to your business!
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