Blogging For Business
If you run a business, from small to large, you may have considered starting a blog. Or maybe you did start one and have let it grow stale. Are there actually any benefits of blogging for business? Is it worth the time, money, and effort to keep your website updated with fresh, relevant content?
In this post, we’ll explore 6 of the top benefits of blogging for business that you stand to gain if you take the time to create a meaningful blog.
#1 Boost Your SEO
Probably one of the most long lasting benefits of blogging for business is growing your organic search traffic.
According to Search Engine Land, 70% of all internet searches are for long tail keywords. That means that if you are running a roofing business, for example, that more people might find you for detailed searches like “How do I fix a roof leak” than something that is more general, such as “roof leaks”.
And what sort of content is perfect at targeting long tail keywords? A blog post.
Even better, you can use your blog content to boost the relevance of your service pages. To illustrate, let’s continue with our roofer example. Perhaps they have a landing page dedicated to “Roof Leak Repair”. They could then create a series of blog posts that would support and link to this service page using topically relevant content like this:
- Why is it important to fix roof leaks quickly?
- How to hire a roof leak repair specialist
- Is roof leak repair a DIY job?
- Can roof leaks cause mold?
Google loves content silos like this, and by providing quality blog posts you are telling the search engine that your site is an authority on all things related to roof leaks, which can actually help your service page rank higher.
#2 Reach Customers Early in the Buying Cycle
In addition to making up the majority of internet searches, long tail keywords are also easier to rank for (generally speaking). So even if the competition is too steep for you to rank for “roof leak repair” any time soon, your blog posts could rank for long tail terms much more quickly.
You are getting yourself in front of customers who might not be quite ready to hire you yet. Maybe they are just trying to learn more about the subject. But now they see you as an authority. And if the time comes for them to hire someone, your blog post may be the thing that makes them choose you over the other guys.
#3 Win Social Media Shares
Every business dreams of going viral. Getting in front of thousands or millions of potential customers is perfect for both branding and generating leads.
But you aren’t going to go viral without content for people to share. And while social media content can come in many forms, the more you are producing, the better your chances of hitting it big. A regular, well-written blog creates so many more opportunities for your followers to share you with the world.
It’s important to consider that a single blog post can be shared on all of your social media platforms. So if you’re active on 5 different social channels, that’s 5 chances for every blog post to get in front of more people.
#4 Establish Yourself as an Industry Leader
We often think of company blogs as just another element of our content marketing campaigns. But they can do more than generate leads for you. They can also establish your authority and credibility within your industry.
Every website in your service industry has sales pages. They’ve all got pages that describe the services you offer, the problems you solve, and the value you can bring to customers.
But not everyone has a blog with genuinely helpful content that is updated on a regular schedule. So if you are looking for a way to stand out from the competition, and draw the attention of big names in your industry, a blog is the perfect way to do it.
It’s important, of course, to make sure that your blog is of the highest quality. The last thing you want to do is publish content that embarrasses your company, whether due to poor writing style or inaccurate information.
This might not be a concern if you are creating the content in-house, but can be a problem if you are outsourcing the work without doing your due diligence first. Check out our guide on How to Hire Freelancers The Right Way to make sure you outsource safely.
#5 Make Connections and Form Relationships
Your success as a business owner is often defined by the relationships you form. Well, the more quality content you publish, the more people you will have reaching out to you for all sorts of reasons.
While many of these contacts will be potential customers, a lot of them will also be your peers who are looking for networking opportunities. It’s the digital age, and there are plenty of ways to meet new people in your industry outside of meetups, conferences, and trade shows. Blogging is one of them.
#6 Score More Leads
Of course, all the benefits of blogging for business aren’t worth the effort if they don’t increase your bottom line. The good news is that when it is done right, a quality blog will become a lasting source of new leads for you.
The more content you publish, the more long tail keywords you’ll start ranking for in search engines. And the more eyes will be on your company.
Your blog will establish your credibility in your industry, poise you as a knowledgeable service provider, and encourage potential customers to turn to you first.
Looking To Up Your Blogging Game But Don’t Have The Time?
Hopefully by now you can see all of the benefits of blogging for business that you have to gain. But you may be thinking “That sounds like it’s going to take a lot of time that I don’t have to spare.”
Don’t worry. You’re not alone.
Every business owner knows the struggle of having more hats to wear than they can possibly fit into. If you’re looking to reap the benefits of business blogging without sacrificing your time, it is possible to hire a freelance writer to generate the content for you.
Legiit is a secure platform that connects clients like you with the freelance talent you need to get more work done. Check out the long list of professional writers who are waiting to be hired today.