Tips From the Denver Content Marketing Pros: Why Every Business Needs A Blog
September 7, 2016
Contrary to popular belief, blogs are not just for big name businesses, industry experts and celebrities. In fact, every business, regardless of the size or industry, can benefit from a blog. This is a point that is often argued by small business owners who can’t believe that other people would be interested in what they have to say, but trust us, it’s true. Here are some of the reasons why you need to take the first step in launching a Denver content marketing strategy by writing a blog:
Blogs establish authority.
Customers want to buy from a company that is positioned as an expert in the industry, and a blog is the best way to help your business earn this reputation. To give you an example, let’s pretend you are looking for a personal trainer in your area, so you pull up a few websites that are shown in the search results provided to you and take a look at the qualifications of both trainers. Both have the same professional certifications and years of experience, so how can you choose? Try to dig a little bit deeper on their website. One personal trainer has a blog where he posts daily workouts, tips on correcting your form during a run, and healthy recipes to help you lose weight, but the other trainer has no content on his website. Which one of these trainers has shown you he knows what he is talking about? You can do this with every customer who visits your website by regularly updating your blog with valuable information.
Blogs drive traffic.
Google and other search engines look at how frequently you update your website and use this to determine how to rank your page. Chances are, you don’t update your home, services or contact pages very often, so you need to use blogs to alert Google you are still active on the website. Each blog you post will also become an indexed page on your website, giving you one more opportunity to show up in search engine results and drive traffic back to your website.
As other people begin to notice you, you may even be referenced in someone else’s blog. If this blogger links back to your blog, Google and other search engines will note that you are now becoming an authority in your industry and may adjust your search engine ranking accordingly.
You should also use blogs as a way to help your page rank for different keywords in search engine results. Research relevant keywords and include some of them in each blog you write, but don’t overdo it. There’s no need to cram as many keywords as possible into one blog. Make it seem natural so customers don’t realize you are purposely using keywords.
Blogging can also help drive traffic back to your website from social media. Not only can you post links to your blog on your social media channels, but if you create the appropriate icons on your website, users can share your blog with their friends directly from your website and increase your audience.
Blogs give your business a voice.
A blog is a great way to control your business’s image. Use blogs to announce new products, address any issues that have become public, and give your opinion on current trends or industry news. When you do this, you give your brand a personality that visitors find attractive and relatable. This helps you control what people think of your company so bad reviews or negative press doesn’t have as much of an effect.
Blogs generate leads.
Each blog you write gives you one more valuable opportunity to capture a lead. How? By including a unique call-to-action at the end of each blog which tells your prospect how they can make a purchase or get more information. For example, at the end of one blog, you can include a call-to-action to contact your business for a free consultation. The link will direct visitors to a form so they can provide their contact information, and then you will have the opportunity to follow up with a new lead. Or, you can ask visitors to submit their email address to stay up-to-date with your company. Once you capture this information, you can use it to send special discounts and deals or new product information to this lead. Although you can’t expect to convert every person who visits your website, it never hurts to have a new way of capturing leads.
Blogs are the foundation of your digital marketing strategy.
The majority of digital marketing tactics businesses want to implement require a blog. The blogs you write can be posted on Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn and Pinterest to keep your pages active and engage current and new customers. You can also link to your blogs in monthly e-newsletters sent to current or potential clients. If you want to take it one step further, you can even turn your blogs into an e-book available for your customers, but first, you have to start writing.
Blogs facilitate two-way communications.
Times are changing, and consumers no longer want to be a part of one-way communication with businesses. Consumers don’t get to respond to or engage with a brand who puts out a commercial or launches a pay-per-click ad, but they do get to speak with brands who write blogs. Allow visitors to comment on your blogs so you can encourage conversation about the topic you have presented, answer questions about your brand, and meet new customers. Doing so helps you present a favorable image to visitors who will be more likely to turn into customers now that they know who you are.
Now that you know the many benefits, are you ready to start a blog for your business? Learn how to start a blog for content marketing purposes, or rely on the experts to help you every step of the way. The team at Denver Website Designs can assist you with everything from topic generation to crafting content. We assist businesses of all kinds and will approach the website and strategy holistically to boost your business. Learn more about our process and how we can help your business grow!
Go Back Blogs establish authority.
Customers want to buy from a company that is positioned as an expert in the industry, and a blog is the best way to help your business earn this reputation. To give you an example, let’s pretend you are looking for a personal trainer in your area, so you pull up a few websites that are shown in the search results provided to you and take a look at the qualifications of both trainers. Both have the same professional certifications and years of experience, so how can you choose? Try to dig a little bit deeper on their website. One personal trainer has a blog where he posts daily workouts, tips on correcting your form during a run, and healthy recipes to help you lose weight, but the other trainer has no content on his website. Which one of these trainers has shown you he knows what he is talking about? You can do this with every customer who visits your website by regularly updating your blog with valuable information.
Blogs drive traffic.
Google and other search engines look at how frequently you update your website and use this to determine how to rank your page. Chances are, you don’t update your home, services or contact pages very often, so you need to use blogs to alert Google you are still active on the website. Each blog you post will also become an indexed page on your website, giving you one more opportunity to show up in search engine results and drive traffic back to your website.
As other people begin to notice you, you may even be referenced in someone else’s blog. If this blogger links back to your blog, Google and other search engines will note that you are now becoming an authority in your industry and may adjust your search engine ranking accordingly.
You should also use blogs as a way to help your page rank for different keywords in search engine results. Research relevant keywords and include some of them in each blog you write, but don’t overdo it. There’s no need to cram as many keywords as possible into one blog. Make it seem natural so customers don’t realize you are purposely using keywords.
Blogging can also help drive traffic back to your website from social media. Not only can you post links to your blog on your social media channels, but if you create the appropriate icons on your website, users can share your blog with their friends directly from your website and increase your audience.
Blogs give your business a voice.
A blog is a great way to control your business’s image. Use blogs to announce new products, address any issues that have become public, and give your opinion on current trends or industry news. When you do this, you give your brand a personality that visitors find attractive and relatable. This helps you control what people think of your company so bad reviews or negative press doesn’t have as much of an effect.
Blogs generate leads.
Each blog you write gives you one more valuable opportunity to capture a lead. How? By including a unique call-to-action at the end of each blog which tells your prospect how they can make a purchase or get more information. For example, at the end of one blog, you can include a call-to-action to contact your business for a free consultation. The link will direct visitors to a form so they can provide their contact information, and then you will have the opportunity to follow up with a new lead. Or, you can ask visitors to submit their email address to stay up-to-date with your company. Once you capture this information, you can use it to send special discounts and deals or new product information to this lead. Although you can’t expect to convert every person who visits your website, it never hurts to have a new way of capturing leads.
Blogs are the foundation of your digital marketing strategy.
The majority of digital marketing tactics businesses want to implement require a blog. The blogs you write can be posted on Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn and Pinterest to keep your pages active and engage current and new customers. You can also link to your blogs in monthly e-newsletters sent to current or potential clients. If you want to take it one step further, you can even turn your blogs into an e-book available for your customers, but first, you have to start writing.
Blogs facilitate two-way communications.
Times are changing, and consumers no longer want to be a part of one-way communication with businesses. Consumers don’t get to respond to or engage with a brand who puts out a commercial or launches a pay-per-click ad, but they do get to speak with brands who write blogs. Allow visitors to comment on your blogs so you can encourage conversation about the topic you have presented, answer questions about your brand, and meet new customers. Doing so helps you present a favorable image to visitors who will be more likely to turn into customers now that they know who you are.
Now that you know the many benefits, are you ready to start a blog for your business? Learn how to start a blog for content marketing purposes, or rely on the experts to help you every step of the way. The team at Denver Website Designs can assist you with everything from topic generation to crafting content. We assist businesses of all kinds and will approach the website and strategy holistically to boost your business. Learn more about our process and how we can help your business grow!