By Teddy Hunt
Blogging might have come to prominence in the late ’90s, but rumors of its demise are greatly exaggerated. Social media might have become the focus for many businesses, but theyÂre missing out on a valuable marketing opportunity. Read on to discover why your business needs a blog now.
A Blog Helps the Public Relate To Your Business
A blog can turn your company from a faceless corporation to a much more human firm. ItÂs the place where businesses can show their personality and act a little more light-hearted than they do in other professional avenues.
It may seem daunting to loosen your tie, but itÂll do your brand some good. The friendly voice of a blog can help you cultivate long-term relationships with your customers and increase their brand loyalty. Eighty-two percent of customers say they enjoy reading relevant blog content from brands, and three in five say they feel a companyÂs positivity through their blog.
Potential employees also read company blogs to help them decide on the best employer for them as they generally create a better sense of what a business is about than a stiff corporate site.
Through your blog, you may find youÂre attracting more appropriate candidates for available positions.
A Blog Gains Consumer Confidence
A steady stream of relevant blog posts shows readers you are dedicated to your industry and a good source of information. As your business blogs on a regular basis, youÂll start to establish yourself as experts in your field. Studies show that 81 percent of readers trust the advice they receive from blogs.
The key to gaining this trust is using the blog for more than self-promotion. Share your knowledge about your field, such as your insights about trends and your commentary on local affairs. Posts that are packed with insider information presented in a clear, accessible way are powerful marketing tools that are likely to be shared through email and social networking channels.
A Blog Improves Your Position on the Web
Your social media presence will drive visitors to your website and increase brand awareness, but it doesnÂt improve your position on the web the way that blogging does. Every time you update your blog, you add new content to your site, and search engines take notice. Remaining current is one of the best ways to stay on top of internet search engine rankings.
Ranking well is a complex science, but the most important factor Google considers is the number of inbound links. So itÂs worth noting that companies that blog have 97 percent more inbound links than businesses that donÂt.
Search engines also consider the number of indexed web pages when calculating your ranking. Websites with blogs perform so well because they typically have 434 percent more indexed pages than their competitors.
Web position is so important because three-quarters of browsers never scroll past the first page of Internet searches. A blog can help your business stay in pole position and more than double its website views.
A Blog Increases Sales
As you might expect, a blog doesnÂt just drive readers to your business website. It also encourages customers to spend up. Roughly three in five consumers say theyÂve made at least one purchase based on the information theyÂve read on a blog post.
ThereÂs even evidence to suggest blog posts may be even more important than traditional advertising, with 70 percent of consumers insisting they learn about businesses through articles rather than ads. This may be because customers can mentally switch off when they feel like theyÂre being marketed to. Blog posts are a much more subtle form of advertising, so they can capture the interest of these customers that donÂt warm up to commercials.
A Blog Can Become Part of Your Social Media Strategy
Coming up with all those pithy status updates for your Facebook and Twitter pages can be taxing, but your blog can help you out. ItÂs easy to blast every new blog post into your social networking feeds (just be sure to tweak the update to suit each social network, and engage with those who share it).
This means you can spend less time social networking yet still give your connections fresh, new material. Integrating your blog with Facebook and Twitter will also drive traffic back to your blog and company website, which gets customers one step closer to making purchases.
So what are you waiting for? ThereÂs no better time for your business to get blogging!
