5 reasons your business needs a blog
Corporate blogging has a well-earned place in digital marketing strategy, and is one of the most effective digital marketing tools to grab the attention of customers, build the credibility of a brand and ultimately grow a businesses bottom line.
A recent report by Dream Systems Media has shown that over 23% of total internet time is used to crawl social media or read blogs, and yes - that includes time on the company clock. Although it is clear that blogs are popular to audiences of all demographics, unfortunately many business owners and marketing managers are still prioritizing blogs as a last priority on their ‘to-do’ lists.
Below are five key reasons that explain the benefits of corporate blogging, and why companies should be embracing the tool to not just talk at their customers, but with them.
1. Blogs promote expert positioning
One of the biggest barriers to success for a new business is a lack of industry credibility. Blogging can help to remove this barrier by showing that a business knows the ins and outs of certain industry topics, and even has the star talent to provide the best goods and/or services to the reader.
2. Blogs provide fuel for social media accounts
Back in 1996, Bill Gates made a bold prediction that content would be where the real money would be made on the internet. Flash forward 20 years and this prediction could not be more true.
So, what does your blog have to do with social media? Everything. It gives you original content to share with your followers.
If your business is active on social media, you should have a blog. If you have a blog, you should be on social media. Use them together to create a business growing machine.
3. Blogs and Google are best friends
Currently Google accounts for more than 40% of internet traffic. In layman's terms, that means that almost half of internet users are going to Google to search for a term related to what they are looking for, rather than directly visiting business and brand websites.
Strategic blogs use keywords that help to boost the website's SEO quality by increasing the chance of the website being found when someone is searching for terms that are directly or (loosely) related to the businesses offerings.
Statistically, companies who blog will receive 97% more links to their website to your customers' questions.
4. Blogs keep your audience updated about your business
Beyond your company website, a blog is a fantastic tool to keep your audience in the loop about your business. While a website might be more practical in content and straightforward in tone, a blog offers more flexibility to connect with customers, to share updates in a way that shows who you are, not just what you do.
Companies should think of their blog as their direct communication channel. It’s a space to talk in depth about the businesses products and services, share timely content, and comment on relevant industry trends in a way that lets the brand personality shine.
5. Blogs are low cost
Return on investment (ROI) is one of the most important metrics for all businesses. Chances are that businesses consider ROI when deciding what they should or shouldn’t invest in.
So, what is the ROI of blogging? It isn't astronomical. Setting up a WordPress or Tumblr blog is free, and the ongoing costs associated with blogging can be next to nothing. The benefits listed above should make it clear that there is plenty to gain and the costs are low. That is what we like to call an ROI dream.
Having a blog not only provides a strong foundation for your marketing, it’s also fun and inspiring—and a great way to share ideas, generate new ones, and build a community of like-minded and engaged people.
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