Editor’s note (March 10, 2021): The author made some revisions in this article to keep it relevant for B2B companies today.
Blogging is one of the best tools online marketers have for communicating with their customers, but unfortunately, publishing a business blog is not as popular as it could be.
It should be part of your marketing communication tool if you want to become an influencer in your market niche.
What spark this business blog article
“I don’t know how to write blogs! I just want to sell!” Does that resonate with you?
I met someone who told me exactly that.
It is no longer enough for companies to just have a website and leave it at that.
Online search and users consumption have evolved as we continue to become more digital.
“Build it, and they will come” is only true in the movies.
If you want people to find your business when they search for your product or service, how will they find you?
There is a way: publish a business blog.
What is blogging?
Here are some terms about blogging:
Blog — (web LOG)
A blog is basically a journal that is available on the web. The activity of updating a blog is “blogging” and someone who keeps a blog is a “blogger.” Blogs are typically updated daily using software that allows people with little or no technical background to update and maintain the blog. Postings on a blog are almost always arranged in chronological order with the most recent additions featured most prominently.
Blogosphere or Blogsphere
The current state of all information available on blogs and/or the sub-culture of those who create and use blogs.
Source: www.matisse.net
But that is what it meant years ago….
Blogging Evolved
Blogging is no longer just personal stories of rants and raves about people’s day-to-day. Like a diary.
Many businesses are now publishing a blogs to tell their story in creative ways.
The 8 Business Blogging Benefits
While there are hundreds of reasons why businesses should have blogs, here are just a few of the most important ones that you are missing if you are not blogging:
1. Blogging gives you the ability to provide fresh & dynamic content what your static website pages cannot make because of the nature of the content.
Google loves new content and posting a blog regularly is one way to get crawled by the Google “spiders.”
There are pages on your website that are always the same and typically would only need minor tweaking now and then.
As an example that will be your “Company Info,” “About Page,” and “Products and Services.”
You can give the “spiders” a reason to keep coming back to your site by blogging.
You could say that you are “feeding” it with your NEW content (which is what it is looking for).
The more your site is getting crawled by the spiders, the higher the chance for your blog to appear in search results.
2. Blogs can help you get customers!
Do you want your company to grow?
If you want to be a success, and you’re not blogging, you’re missing a trick.
According to Fast Company , 79% of small business leaders say blogging is a great way to attract new clients. If you want to reach your audience, blogging is a must.
As you consistently and regularly blog industry-related topics, your site will continue to get indexed.
Getting indexed by search engines means that your chances of getting found is higher than those that do not.
If the search engine can find you, then chances are people looking for your product or services will also find you!
3. Blogging is one way for you to build your professional credibility & share your expertise.
It’s a platform where you can share your knowledge without being sales-y.
It’s a way to help others by providing them with relevant and helpful information. You see, you’ll become the go-to person.
You build thought leadership that way. (Please note that this takes time).
Building your authority online is like trying to grow an elm tree. It will not shoot up to 30 feet overnight, right.
When done with persistence and consistency, the impact of your blog is huge.
Next time you doubt the effectiveness of blogging to your overall bottom line, look out the window and check out a tree. :D.
What’s an example of a blog that’s helpful and not the “buy-me-type”? If you are a Realtor, you may write a blog about, “5 Red Flags When Buying a Second Home,’ not about,“Why We are the Best Realtor You’d Find Evahhh.”
4. Blogging can drive traffic to your website.
You distribute your blog using social media platforms; then use the social media platforms to direct people back to your website.
A blog and your social media marketing program ought to have a symbiotic and holistic relationship.
If that is not happening, then something is not right in what you are doing. It may be time to call for a (new) social media marketing strategist.
There are analytics tools that you can use to track links that you use for a blog post.
These digital marketing data tools can show you whether someone clicked the link (or not, OUCH), from what channel, and what country.
5. Your blog should be one of the main contents that you share in your social media channels.
Your blog should be the main content hub for your company, not social media.
Social media is just a tool.
It is best practice in social media to share YOUR content, not just other’s content. Hence blogging is essential. The more blog your write; the more content you publish on social media.
6. Blogging introduces your business to a wider audience.
Blog transcends geographical barriers.
It is also available 24/7 across time zones.
You may be living in a remote part of the world but still able to communicate with prospects about your product and services.
7. Related to #6, a blog can introduce you to a NEW audience.
A business blog that is helpful gets shared to other audience by your audience. Who doesn’t like their content getting shared? That ‘ll open up new opportunities for you.
8. A business blog saves your business money.
Blogging is less expensive compared to other forms of marketing. Doesn’t this convince you that you should blog?
Start now
Publishing a business blog regularly is a great way to reach customers, boost your SEO, and improve your brand.
Need assistance to get business blogging out of the way?
