Reasons You Should Have a Business Blog

Blogging isn’t just for gossip columns and conspiracy theorists. It’s for people who want to connect with an audience, share a message, and foster loyal relationships. Sounds like good marketing, doesn’t it? Chances are, a blog can benefit your business or organization.

In this article, we share a few benefits of a business blog.

1. Establish your expertise

   Whether you realize it or not, you are gaining expertise in your area of business. You have special knowledge about your products or your industry that can help people.

   What are the top 3 questions you get asked by clients, customers, or prospects during the normal course of business? Why not answer those very questions on your blog? Share your expertise with your web visitors by providing information you already know people are searching for.

2. Add value to your customers

   Don’t let the technology aspect of blogging create a mental barrier. Think of your blog as a continuation of your customer satisfaction/support strategy.

   Use your blog to do what you do every day at your office or store…offer tips, provide product or service information, and help people get the most out of whatever business you’re in.

3. Develop a listening ear

   Most marketers today will tell you that it’s all about relationship. In the past it was enough to use the broadcast method to advertise. A company transmitted a one-way message via TV, radio, or print, and people heard the ad and purchased the product.

   The digital age opened up the pipeline for two-way communication and integrated marketing channels. Now, consumers have a voice and they expect to be heard! This presents a challenge for businesses operating on the old “one-way” model. They may be resistant to “listening” since they’re used to doing all the talking.

   However, insightful entrepreneurs, digital marketers (including television, radio, and print companies), and successful businesses know the information gathered from the marketplace is gold – it’s the next sensational product or the expansion into a new and profitable niche. When you invite comments on your blog, it can be a great listening tool to carve out new and innovative opportunities.

4. Get found in search engines (boost your SEO)

   Google has been tweaking its search algorithm over the years to deliver the content people are looking for. If you’re cramming search engine optimization (SEO) hacks into your content just for the sake of ranking higher, you are the person Google is trying to weed out of those top search results.

   Thankfully, you don’t need to worry over those SEO hacks…just produce genuine content that represents who you are and what you do. So don’t blog just to get found. But do know that blogging – from the heart, authentic, customer-focused blogging – will boost your SEO and help your search rankings.

There is a fifth benefit I’d like to share, but it’s worthy of its own article. I’ll post that next. In the meantime, you can subscribe here so you won’t miss it.