The benefits of having a blog

Just about every business that has a website these days also has a blog. And it doesn’t take much digging to notice that, while almost all companies have blogs, not many companies use their blogs wisely.  Maybe there’s a company update or two posted, or maybe there’s a summary of recent industry news, or maybe the blog is where the company’s newest employees are introduced to its customers. That said, very few business owners know how to leverage a company blog  to increase website traffic and fuel sales. But that’s a huge benefit of having a blog.

Improve Search Traffic for Your Business

“Search engine optimization,” or SEO — you’ve probably heard of it, but if you don’t really know what it means, you’re not alone. Essentially, search engine optimization is how companies or brands can use specialized keywords on their website to improve their rankings in web search platforms, like Google. When you think of how many websites there are, and how many companies and brands are all trying to get their businesses in front of an online audience, it’s pretty easy to imagine how important it is to have your company or brand appear as one of the first results on a Google search. But the competition is fierce. If you’re the owner of an online workout program, imagine how many other online workout programs are vying for the same customers. Optimizing your website with keywords that target your preferred customer base is critical to getting your brand in the early search results.

A big benefit to having a blog is to help with SEO traffic. Blogging gives you a chance to increase the number of keywords you use while also giving you a chance to optimize specific blogs for keywords that might help generate even more traffic. For instance, if your online workout program is designed to complement an in-person gym located in Savannah, Georgia, you could write a blog for “Best Post-Workout Smoothies to Try in Savannah, Georgia,” or “6 Gyms in Savannah, Georgia That Offer Online Workouts.” These types of location-specific keywords are more likely to target the Savannah, Georgia customer-base you’re hoping to reach with your online workouts. Also, very specific keywords or location-specific keywords tend to have less competition in search results which makes it easier to get ranked higher in search. Blogs give you the chance to optimize each new blog with a few specific keywords. Ultimately, this can help improve traffic to your website. Which, in turn, can generate solid leads for your business.

Land More Leads for Your Business

Landing more leads is the most important thing for your business and one of the benefits of having a blog is just that. It’s one thing to increase search traffic to your website, but it’s an entirely different thing to turn that traffic into solid leads and possible sales. One of the best ways to turn website traffic into a lead generator is to get those new website visitors to opt into an email list. And every single blog you write can include an opt-in message for an email subscription.

Of course, you don’t want to simply say, “Subscribe to our list!” without offering a good reason to do so. Most websites include a pop-up screen or a highly-visible internal ad that offers a one-time discount to new customers or a free guide of some sort to those who subscribe to the brand’s email newsletter. Your blog is a great place to generate search traffic, and once those searchers are on your pages, you have the chance to use your blog to encourage an email subscription.

And once people opt into your list, you now have a lead with an email, name, and possibly more demographic information that you can use to help generate sales. Plus, you’ve basically been “invited” to pitch your services or wares directly to them through their email inbox. Don’t take that benefit lightly — it’s an excellent way to increase your company’s bottom line.

Generate Content for Social Media

In addition to email lists and search engine optimization, you know that social media is a great way to help get customers or potential customers to visit your website. But coming up with fresh and interesting social media content day-after-day without sounding like a used car salesman (sell, sell sell!) isn’t always easy. But the thing about blogging is that in addition to the blog itself, you can use the blog’s theme as an idea generator for social media content.

For instance, if you’re an entrepreneur selling a new line of baby clothes, you might want to write a blog titled, “How to use layers to keep your baby warm this winter.” You can then put together a social media campaign (featuring your clothing) that drives new parents to your website to read the blog you wrote. Maybe on Instagram you have a photo of five clothing items a baby might need to have layered on a cold day with the caption, “Cold-weather layers! Keep your baby not too cold, not too hot, but just right,” with a link to your blog. Just like that, you have a fresh blog and exciting, new social media content to help generate site visits and leads.

Position Yourself as an Expert

Another benefit of having a blog is for the expressing your expertise. It’s one thing to own a business, it’s another thing to position yourself as an expert. By using your blog to communicate and teach your customers new things about your field, you’re making yourself an expert that your customers can rely on. And if people start recognizing that your blog content consistently gives them the information they’re looking for, they’re going to start trusting you and your business, and they’ll be more likely to turn to you when it’s time to make a purchase.

For instance, if you own a bakery, you might want to offer a series of baking tutorials on your blog. Titles like, “The easiest way to make frosting for your sugar cookies,” or “4 Tips to make sure your cake comes out moist,” offer the types of information that home bakers will want to know. But just because a person enjoys baking, that doesn’t mean they’ll want to bake 100 cookies for their kids’ school bake sale. So when they’re in the market to buy cookies, who are they going to go to? The expert bakery they’ve come to know and trust. Now that you know the benefits of having a blog, it’s time to implement.