Meredith Rice
If there is one thing a business should take time to consider incorporating into their website, it’s a blog. While it may seem insignificant and pointless at first glance depending on industry, blogging can actually be an inexpensive and wise business investment. Not only does it provide a way for businesses to connect and develop relationships with current customers, it’s also an outlet for them to increase website traffic and build credibility with potential new customers.
In an online world driven by effective content that extends beyond the world of traditional marketing, most customers expect to be offered multiple outlets through which they can engage and learn from/about a company they’re particularly interested in. By having a blog, your business is able to communicate brand identity to an audience. Going beyond traditional forms of advertising, your blog can work as a way to create and develop a personal relationship with site visitors, which is something money can’t buy.
Beyond fostering a relationship with customers, your blog can actually drive traffic to your website, generating possible conversions. Optimizing your website when it comes to SEO is one thing. Add to it the mix the generation of quality blog posts consistently and you raise the bar. Every time you post something new to your blog, new opportunities arise for search engines to analyze material pertaining to your business and rank it higher in searches thus driving organic traffic to your website. And that’s just the beginning.
Blogging and social media go hand in hand. We know what you’re thinking – “I’m already doing social media.” Every time your business creates a blog post, there’s a new potential to share quality content via your preexisting social outlets. If you’re consistently providing relatable, interesting, or informational content and distributing it strategically, chances increase for others to share your content through their own social outlets. Share, be shared and eventually be credible enough to then be written about – that’s the desired path.
You can also convert new website traffic into leads. At the end of every blog post, attempt to generate leads and convert your audience into customers by creating a call to action (i.e. ask a question, provide contact information, etc.). Respond to readers’ comments to get a conversation going and establish credibility. By responding to their comments, you not only humanize your brand, you build trust and loyalty.
Blogging – but it can be invaluable for a company. No matter how small your business is, you can build trust within your industry and with customers by providing valuable, expert information via blog posts. Over time, you become a “go-to” resource for helpful, informative content, and open the door that leads to higher customer conversion rates.
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