Today, it’s unlikely you need convincing that your brand or business needs to be online. If your customers can’t find you online, they’re likely to find someone else who offers a similar product or service.

That said, blogs are becoming a tool to provide extensive value, keep your brand competitive, and differentiate your expertise or services from that of your competitors.

Bottom line: if you’re running a business website without a blog, you’re missing out on some big opportunities to engage potential customers and increase your website traffic. Not convinced? Here are a few reasons why every small business should blog:

Search engine optimization
SEO, the most misunderstood and underutilized piece of the internet by small businesses. If we’re being honest, I don’t fully understand it either. It’s possible that the developers at Google are the only ones who truly know how the ranking system works.

But here’s what I do know: every new page you write on your blog gets indexed into your website. Google then counts any and all links back to your main page toward your ranking score, as well as the keywords you use, thus increasing the likelihood that your potential customers will find your website when they search for the kinds of goods or services that you offer.

A website that is entirely static is essentially an online brochure, but in a world driven by social media and real-time engagement, blogs become an essential part of marketing your business!

Customer relationships
Loyal consumers who value your business and the content you’ve delivered to them are more likely to become customers, which is why it’s so important to engage with them on a regular basis.

By writing a blog, you don’t just promote your own goods and services, and you really don’t focus strictly on selling. Instead, you give readers insight into the ins and outs of your business and what matters to you; you give them something of value and offer the touchpoints they need in order to make a purchase decision in your favor. This should be at the heart of your social media strategy.

Positioning
By maintaining an active blog, you position yourself as an industry expert. The more you share your thoughts and ideas, the more your customers will see you as a trusted thought leader (and thus, the more likely they are to gravitate towards your goods or services).

Best part: as you establish yourself as a credible professional, other industry leaders will begin to take note. This can open up new business opportunities and lead to additional (free) promotion for your business.

Need some quick ideas? Grab a pen and paper and jot down what comes to mind when you consider the following:

1. Frequently asked questions
2. Trending topics on Pintrerest
3. Giveaways
4. Industry news and insights
5. Personal or brand stories
6. Behind-the-scenes
7. Practical purposes and how-tos

 

Want to talk more about your blog strategy? Need a brainstorming session? Email hello@lindseyhabenicht.com