For small businesses, taking on the extra task of writing a blog can seem daunting, particularly if you’ve never written before or you think you’re not a writer. But blogging has so many benefits for small businesses. Marketing professionals say blog content creation is their top inbound marketing priority. The reason for this is because it is so cost-effective when done correctly.
A blog is a great way for you to share your advice, products, expertise and ideas to an audience that you may not have reached before and is also a great way of building loyalty with an existing audience.
The key to a successful blog is writing about what your audience wants to read, so understanding their needs and how you can help them is key. They also need to get value from your blog otherwise they will go somewhere else.
How does a blog directly benefit your business?
The potential reach your blog can generate is massive. If people find your blog interesting, they will retweet and share it on social media and email, but they won’t necessarily do this with an offer or an advert. This means you have the ability to reach a larger audience, drive traffic to your website and generate new leads. And of course, blogging gives you an edge over the competition and makes you stand out. This is particularly important for an online business as there is now so much traffic to contend with.
Why give away your ideas for FREE?
If you are a business that provides a service, it is difficult to showcase what you do. Blogging gives you the opportunity to show off your expertise, knowledge and wisdom on your subject. People can see that you know and understand your business which is essential if you want them to use your services. Blogging builds trust and creates loyalty, and although readers may not become customers straight away, they are now aware of you. It’s also a great way to promote your services indirectly.
Great for SEO
If you have a business website, adding a blog will be hugely beneficial for your SEO(Search Engine Optimization). Google LOVES fresh content, and by regularly adding to your blog you are regularly adding fresh content to your website. Include a sprinkling of your top keywords within your blog to help it feature higher in organic Google searches, but beware – don’t write content solely to improve your SEO – write primarily to identify with and serve your audience!
Become an influencer/industry leader
If done consistently and correctly, with time, blogging could position you as an influencer within your sector. This could lead to great marketing opportunities such as guest blogging on prestigious websites, presenting at events, etc., which all help to build your reputation and market your business.
Consistency
Another key component of blogging is consistency. As a small business owner, you have so much other work to do so you need to be realistic about your schedule. It’s no use aiming for one post a week when you know that’s just not possible. Being consistent with your blog content is key. If you can only find time to blog once a month, then do that. If you haven’t written much before, it might take a while to get into blogging, so allow yourself the time and space you need. You do become quicker once you have found your “voice”. Some people set aside a small amount of blogging time every day devoted to researching, reading or writing.
Building community
Blogging is a long-term strategy so don’t expect results straight away. To start with it may feel like you’re publishing posts and not many people are reading them. Don’t panic, it takes time and part of that process is building a community. The blogging world has its own communities and depending on which niche you operate in will vary on how active the community is. There will also be various levels of influencers within your community and it’s key to identify who they are. Commenting, sharing and asking questions within your blogs and on others are all part of building a community.
Show the human side of your business
Writing a blog enables you to show the human side of your business. I’m sure you’ve heard the term ‘people buy from people’ and blogging helps you connect with your audience. To do this, you must be YOU – don’t worry about what other people are writing about, just be authentic and develop your own style.
So, to summarise, by blogging consistently you will build trust and loyalty, give your brand credibility, showcase your expertise, drive more traffic to your website, help with SEO, increase the potential to become an influencer/industry leader and develop a new skill.
If blogging just isn’t your thing, or if you have better things to be spending your time on (such as growing your business) 350VA services can help you write your regular blogs and respond to feedback
