5 Reasons Why Blogs Are Valuable For Online Marketing
Updated: Oct 27, 2022
If you're like most service-based entrepreneurs, you're always looking for new and effective ways to market your business online. While there are a lot of options for getting the job done, there is one that you may be overlooking—blogging. Writing blogs often gets pushed aside because it's a time-consuming task that many find daunting. For most coaches and consultants, writing blogs falls low on the to-do list for a number of reasons. Most commonly I hear,
I'm too busy.
I'm not a writer.
I'm not sure what to write about, or how to make it interesting enough for my audience to enjoy it.
While there are a few reasons why not to blog, there are literally dozens of reasons why you should.
Blogging is a massive part of content marketing. And one of the easiest ways you can add value to your website, position yourself as the expert that you are, and keep your target audience coming back for more.
89% of marketers used blogs in their content strategy in 2020 according to Marketing Proofs.
77% of internet users read blog posts regularly according to Social Media Today.
73% of marketing professionals report using content marketing to successfully nurture their leads, and 64% of marketers report using blogs to help generate sales and boost revenue.
Companies that blog see an average of 55% more website views than companies that don't.
Blogs are one of the few set-it-and-forget-it marketing tools we have at our disposal. While it's true some content maintenance is good, it's usually an easy weekend chore once or twice a year (think, dusting the cob-webs off the ceiling fans). The rest of the time, your blogs are hard at work getting you one search hit after another.
Top 5 reasons blogs are a valuable way to market your online business
Blogging immediately connects your ideal clients with your brand or solution. In today's digital world, when people have a problem their first instinct is to turn to the internet for research and ultimately a solution. That's where blog posts take a turn in the spotlight. From disease processes on WebMD, to healthy recipes, to managing mental health, or learning how to stretch properly—blogs are the first place people go for education about a problem they want to solve.
Blogs establish you as a knowledgeable resource in your field of expertise. Blogs help you show what you know. Sharing your expertise with the world positions you as the go-to source for education and solutions in your specialty.
Blog content helps to increase organic traffic to your website—which leads to more sales. You've probably heard "SEO" about a thousand times since you started your business. There is a lot that goes into SEO. It's a long, complicated, and ongoing part of marketing that often requires an expert (or hundreds of hours of learning on your part). But there is one major aspect of SEO that is easy, even for an amateur. Keywords! You've read half a dozen or so of them already in this article, yet you probably didn't notice. And that's the point! Blog articles help you naturally add more SEO keywords to your website.
Blog posts are part of your sales funnel. Although blogs are a free resource (in most cases) for your audience to get inspiration and information—they can also be a part of your sales funnel. Writing your blogs well gives your audience a sneak peek of what it's like to work with you. You can also take the opportunity to introduce new products and services that you offer.
Blog articles help spread the word. Blogs are sharable in every way imaginable. With as little as a few clicks, your blog can be on its way to thousands on social media, or a targeted audience via email. People who find value in what you write will often share it with those that they know. It takes only a few shares to add hundreds of views (all of which have the potential of being future clients).
Tips for getting the most traffic for your blog
Be consistent - The more blog content you publish, the more keywords are added to your website. Consistency also helps search engines recognize you as someone who is important in your space.
Categorize your content - Use categories and tags to help your audience find what they're looking for easily. This also helps search engines understand you better, so your articles show up more often to the people who are looking for the topics you write about.
Quality over quantity - Don't worry as much about the word count as you do about the quality of the information. When you write a blog post, write it as if you're having a conversation with someone over coffee—not as if you're going to turn it in to your high school English teacher. Don't get me wrong, grammar and spelling all still matter! However, blogs with a relaxed and conversational tone always outperform stiff, essay-like articles.
Blogs are a great way to boost your visibility on the internet, inspire your audience, and upsurge your sales. And it doesn't have to be a chore! There are great tools like Grammarly that help with grammar and an endless amount of topic ideas when you sit down to brainstorm what your audience really wants to know. If you need some help, hiring a content writer is a great way to take the stress off your shoulders. Reach out to me if you want to learn more about how I take blog writing out of your hands, with keeping it in your voice.