Most small business owners are unaware of the value an active blog can bring
Most large businesses have blogs and other content marketing programs, but many small businesses think that they don’t need any. The truth is that it’s as important for a small business to make blogging a part of their marketing strategy as it is for a large business. While you may think your website is enough, it cannot offer the kind of authority, reach and exposure that a blog does. A good blog can make a small business outshine the competition. There are many other reasons why your small business needs a blog. Here are some of the benefits small businesses can get from blogging:
A blog demonstrates expertise and establishes authority
Blogging can position your business as an authority in the industry. Through your blog, you can share your expertise with your potential customers and the industry at large. If you’re in the beauty business, you can use your blog to share all kinds of things. Share beauty tips, product information and special offers with your existing and potential customers. Similarly, if you are a roofer, people would love to know how best to take care of their roofs, which roofing materials are good and other things that may be of interest to them. When you constantly update your blog with relevant information, your audience begins to trust you and turns to you for any questions they have pertaining to your field of work. Blogs help you build relationships with your customers even before they buy from you.
Boosts your SEO with a small business blog on your website
Search Engine Optimization takes your website to the top of the search engine results page. When your website shows at the top of the Google results page, you get more traffic. Blogs are a great way to boost your search engine rankings organically. When you add quality content to your blog, Google boosts access to your website. You can add relevant keywords to your blog content so that Google can index your website and push it up on the search results page. In fact, having a blog on your website improves your chances of being ranked high on search engines by 434%. The more relevant blog content you create, the better opportunities you will have to show on Google results and drive traffic to your website. Using relevant images and videos in your blog can further improve your website’s rankings.
It’s a great marketing tool
Content marketing is a commonly used term these days. It is a simple concept that involves attracting customers through relevant content. A blog should be a part of any business’s overall marketing strategy. It has been shown that companies with blogs get an average of 67% more leads compared to companies that do not have a blog. It opens up avenues to collaborate with other bloggers and influencers and feature on their blogs.
Creates content sharing opportunities
When you have a blog, it creates opportunities for others to share your content. People can directly share a link to your blog or email it. There are so many platforms available for content sharing that the right kind of content can go viral quickly and pave way for exponential market growth. The key is to make your blogs interesting, informative and engaging enough so that people want to read and share them. Something as simple as a beauty tutorial or DIY repair video can go a long way in reaching a wide audience.
Outshine the competition
Having an active blog can help you stay ahead of the competition. Any business that has a blog on their website is more likely to get visitors that will make a purchase. Businesses with an interesting and consistent blog are looked upon as being more progressive and trustworthy. Blogs create value that helps customers choose the right products and services.
A small business blog delivers a high return on investment
Regardless of whether you write your own blogs or you hire someone else to do it for you, blogging is still one of the least expensive types of marketing. The reach and exposure you get from blogging is worth a lot more than what you spend on it.
The benefits of having a blog are many, but it is important to understand that irrelevant or poorly written content can do more harm than good. If you have a blog just for the sake of it and you don’t produce consistent and quality content, you won’t get the desired results. The blogs should offer some value to the readers, whether in the form of entertainment, information or engagement.
In the nutshell, small businesses can benefit immensely from a blog. However, they must ensure that they produce relevant content consistently, even if that means delegating the task to a professional content marketing agency.