There are over 6.7 million published blogs on the internet. Why on earth should a business waste time trying to compete?
Well, online users consider blogs to be the 5th most trusted source. So much so, 61% of online shoppers have made a purchase based on recommendations from blog posts. This means if you can gain traffic to your business blog, you can build your brand as a trusted authority. But driving visitors to make a particular purchase is just one of the many benefits of having a business blog. Let’s review the top ten benefits of a blog so that you can make a more informed decision.
Give Your Business Personality
A logo and tagline won’t do much for portraying the personality of your brand. Think of all the funny and clever ads we’ve seen over the years from brands like Budweiser and Old Spice. They’ve succeeded in building their fan base by simply setting apart their brand from the rest. There’s no better way to do this than showcasing its personality.
With a blog, you can give your audience a more in depth view of what your brand stands for. It’s much more personal and consistent. And even better, people will actually come to your site to see your new content. You can’t say the same for ads.
Build a Closer Customer-Brand Relationship
There are only a couple of ways you can build a strong relationship with your customers. And that’s to have a great product or service and to stay in communication with them. This is one of the benefits of a blog. You can choose topics that resonate with your audience, so they’ll want to read your posts. Then if you’re regularly posting pieces, you are opening up a consistent form of communication. Remember, blogs are a two-way medium. Your audience can leave comments on your posts, which you should urge them to do.
You’ll Become a Better Writer
That’s if you’re the one doing all of the writing. Of course, some businesses decide to hire a professional writer for this chore. However, it’s a good idea to keep a close eye on what messages are being portrayed in the content. If you are the one doing all the writing, doing it daily will help make you better. For one, it will help with your communication. And two, it will bring you closer to your readers, who you’ll be responding to directly whenever comments are made. Being a blogger will also help your organization skills. You’ll quickly learn that planning your content in advance is key. It will ensure you always have fresh content for your blog.
Small Investment, Big Return
This is true, depending on how you decide to set up your blog. You can use free services to set up your blog, which requires no coding knowledge. Or hire a web developer to do it for you. Either way, the costs are minimal, and the return is great. When you have a blog, you’re building your brand, establishing authority and potentially getting more customers. If you’re using a free service, you can have your blog set up within minutes. Plus, you can pay for templates, which will differentiate your blog from the rest.
Just note that having a template design isn’t as great as having one custom-designed by a professional!
Keep Your Brand Relevant
As the saying goes – out of sight, out of mind. When your business is taking the backseat with ads, then you risk being forgotten. Especially when you have countless other brands in your industry using blogging to stay relevant. The key is to combine blogging with social media, so you’re constantly in front of your audience. You should also take charge in delivering industry-related news quickly so that you can become a go-to source for trending topics. Your blog posts can also add your own personal spin. Include your expert opinion and advice, so your content is seen as fresh and authoritative.
Learn More About Your Customers with Analytics
Google Analytics is the go-to tool for gathering information about your website and marketing campaigns. You can place code into your blog, so that you can keep an eye on key metrics, such as:
- How many visitors you’re getting
- Which posts are getting the most views
- Bounce rates
- How many pieces of content are viewed per session
The more you know about your customers, the easier it will be to make your blog appeal to them. For example, you can write more content that gets a lot of views and stays away from those with high bounce rates.
Increase Your Brand Reach
In the past, TV and radio ads were the sure way to reach millions of people. However, the cost of these ads made it impossible for smaller brands to compete. Thanks to the internet, this is no longer so. The internet allows us to reach way more people in a short period of time. For instance, you can use your blog and social communities like StumbleUpon and Reddit to increase exposure of your posts. The more promotion you give each post, the more reach you can possibly obtain. About 15% of internet users read and comment on discussions in the forums found on Reddit.
Potential Free PR for Your Business
This is one of the greatest benefits of a blog. Each time you write a post, you have the possibility of a journalist or popular blogger finding your content and promoting it on their own site. One way to increase your chances is to write pieces that are newsworthy and highly informational. Spreading it around using social platforms is key to helping bloggers and journalists find your content.
Set Your Brand Apart from Competitors
What makes you different from the next guy in your industry? It’s hard for consumers to tell one brand from another unless there’s a grave difference in their products, services or prices. As mentioned, your blog can give your brand personality. This alone can differentiate your business. For example, one business in your industry may have a more serious tone, appealing to older businessmen and women, while yours can be more fun, appealing to the younger or more hip audience.
Drive Tons of Traffic to Your Site
That’s if you play your cards right. You need a nice mix of SEO, exceptional content and a great social media strategy to promote your pieces. You can do this alone or hire an expert to help you. The easier it is to find your content, the more traffic you will generate. Just make sure you’re driving a lot of the right traffic to your site!
How to Start Getting the Benefits of a Blog
The best time to start a blog is now. The sooner you get one up and running, the better. You can visit Parxavenue to find more information about the benefits of a blog. Or contact us today to have a strategy developed specifically for your brand.
