Blogging as part of your ongoing content and overall digital marketing strategy can be a fun and powerful way to promote your business online. Many small business owners we’ve talked to are on the fence about whether it’s really worth the effort and don’t quite understand why blogging is an important piece of the marketing puzzle. Is it really worth the investment? If that sounds like you, keep reading. We’re sharing just a few of the main benefits of blogging for your business and hopefully demystifying the process a little bit so you can figure out if it’s a good fit for your business.
1. Drive traffic to your website.
Think of how you search the internet. Chances are, most of the time you’re searching for general questions and topics, rather than searching for a specific brand or product. That’s how your customers are searching too! In the last month, searches for “strawberry picking near me,” “kohls hours,” and “ups customer service” have all been trending here in Wisconsin! Consistently publishing strategic and educational content that targets the key words and questions your audience cares about helps drive potential customers to your website, even when they’re not familiar with your brand. As a Fox Valley digital marketing agency, we’re always looking for ways to answer searches for phrases like “digital marketing agency near me” or “should I start a blog”. One of the biggest pluses when it comes to blogs is that organic traffic should continue to grow over time, meaning each post should pay off for months, even years down the line!
2. Generate leads and sales.
While it’s great to get more traffic to your website, a strategic business blog doesn’t stop working there. In fact, a business blog plays directly into your main business objectives, whether that’s generating leads or selling more products. Well-written and educational content will help your customers make informed decisions and continue guiding them through the buyer’s journey — from first learning about your brand all the way through to a strong, ongoing customer relationship. In fact, research shows that content marketing, which includes blogging, costs 62% less than traditional marketing and generates about 3 times as many leads.
3. Connect with customers and build community.
Websites are generally pretty one-sided and focused on your company and the products or services you provide. A business blog, on the other hand, is centered around your customers. Your blog posts should be more conversational and written to address your target audience’s concerns and questions, more so than pushing specific products. By telling your brand’s story in a more casual and unique way, you’re allowing potential customers to get to know your brand and building connections before they ever even step into a retail location or connect with your sales team. On top of that, blogs can also open up the lines of communication between you and your customers through the comments section and social media comments and shares, making customers feel connected and heard. Those insights can help you learn even more about your audience and improve your marketing strategies accordingly.
4. Fresh content & ideas to share
You may know you need to be posting on social media and sending out emails regularly to keep your brand top of mind, but figuring out what to write about isn’t always easy. How do you break through the noise and go from views to clicks, comments, and increased engagement? A blog can be a key part of the solution. When you’re posting regularly on a business blog, you have a hub of timely and relevant content to share with your audience, so you’ll never seem repetitive and your other online platforms never get stale or dormant. Think of your website’s content as the hub of your marketing wheel. A blog allows you to grow your content library naturally while focusing on the pain points, challenges and questions of your target audiences. You can use data across channels to find out which blog posts are performing and repurpose them into social posts and email blasts to reach new audiences.
5. It helps differentiate you from competitors.
We know exactly how tough it is for businesses right now, especially in the crowded online space. With plenty of other businesses offering similar products and services, it can be hard to compete. That’s where a blog can be a great fit for your marketing strategy! A strategic blog allows you to show off your personality and tell your brand story in a unique way, which is exactly what’s going to help you distinguish yourself from competitors and larger brands (especially those that aren’t blogging or focusing on content marketing).
We know blogging is a big commitment for small businesses, especially when you’re already wearing a lot of hats and strapped for time. If you’re interested in starting a blog for your business and you’re not sure where to begin, we can help! From helping you develop a consistent tone and voice to an ongoing strategic content development plan, our team is here to help you reach your business goals. Interested? Let’s get started.
