Content is currency online. If you have a small business, I am quite sure that your business could benefit from demonstrating your expertise online through blogging. There are all types of ways to communicate with your target customers on a blog; you can write, post pictures, develop videos or post audio interviews. Blogs used to be the exception in the small business world; now they’re the rule. If you haven’t gotten around to setting up a blog for your business, consider why you’ve resisted. This is the first of a three-part series to help you get started marketing your business through blogging.
Perhaps you think blogs are hard to set up, or are overly technical. They’re not. Maybe you don’t know what to write about. I’ll help you come up with topics. Maybe you just lack the time to write. You can always get one of your staff or an outside writer to assist.
Now that we’ve addressed your excuses, let’s look at 10 reasons you should start blogging today.
1. You’ll Increase Sales. Businesses that blog generate 126% more leads than those that don’t. If you could use more leads (and I’m betting you could), blogging is an essential component of that equation.
2. Blogs Drive Traffic to Your Site. Because your business blog is connected to your website, visitors are just one click away from discovering your products and services.
3. You Need to Build Trust With Your Audience. People buy from brands they trust, and these days, consumers are in control. So by delivering useful, quality content on your blog, you can begin to forge that relationship of trust you need to close the sale.
4. People Expect You to Blog. Visitors to your site may look for a blog as a starting point to get to know your brand. If you don’t have one, they may leave and visit a competitor’s site.
5. It Gives You Social Media Fodder. If you’re on social and are stumped on what to share with your followers, try sharing your blog content. It’s a great way to deliver value to your audience, as well as drive traffic to your blog.
6. It Shows You Off as a Thought Leader. You know a lot about your field. What better way to show it off than to write compelling blog content that will help your readers understand your niche?
7. It Can Lead to Other Opportunities. Blogs are great promotion tools that can lead to more than just sales. People read your content, and may invite you to contribute a guest post on another blog, or even speak at an event.
8. Your Competitors are Blogging. They’re capturing that market share you so desperately want, all because they post a few articles on their blogs each week. If you truly want to compete, you’ve got to step up and get writing.
9. You Already Know What to Write About. You may have ebooks, whitepapers, emails, marketing material, or other content you can use to create blog posts. You also can probably jot down a list of dozens of topics off the top of your head. The point is, blogging doesn’t have to be complicated, and you already know your subject matter.
10. You Can’t Afford Not to Blog. These days, small businesses are getting cutthroat when it comes to marketing. You can’t simply sit back and hope business comes in your door. You’ve got to fight for it. Blogging is a fairly easy way to increase your share of the market, educate your audience, and encourage them to buy from you.
Are You Convinced?
Blogs aren’t going anywhere, so if you’re hoping they’ll fade into the background and you can continue to ignore them, think again. Blogs are an essential component of content marketing, and one you need to invest time (and maybe a teeny bit of money) in right now.
In Part 2 of this series, we’ll look at how to launch a blog, and then in Part 3, we’ll discuss monetizing your blog.
“Blog Blocks Show Webpage Article Or Journal” courtesy of Stuart Miles / www.freedigitalphotos.net
Great blog post. We agree bloging is a great way to generate leads, and provide value to your customers. Thank you for sharing.
I need help getting started
Thanks for sharing this all-important and interesting post. One thing i like about blogging is that, the more you blog, the more knowledgeable you become. I really appreciate your post. Smallbizlady! Am also glad we connected on twitter. THANKS!
Good article to assist small business, thanks for the gift