The concept of having a blog has changed in the past decade. Whereas it was defined as an online activity of individuals in the past, today it has taken a much more important form. Blogs today have become more than a great marketing tool for gathering leads – it has also become a great asset for business SEO efforts. But why is that exactly? Today we discuss the many reasons for having a company blog and how it can influence your business.
Why is having a company blog so important now in comparison to before?
Time for a little history lesson. Think back 10 years ago – the very mention of blogs created an image of something casual and fun. It was a means towards expressing yourself without fear of prosecution about a variety of topics. And in time, as more and more people started reading other people’s blogs, Google started recognizing them as valuable assets.
So, when Google started giving value to blogs, it didn’t take long for companies to realize the opportunity this provided. Several years after that, having a company blog became a regular element for businesses, both big and small. It was a chance for a company to offer valuable insight into their industry while promoting their own values and expertise. Next thing you know, it became a competition – who will get more value for their blog and attract more potential customers and readers.
So, if you are just starting a business, or have a website without a blog, here are 9 reasons why having a company blog can help your business expand:
1. Blogs differentiate experienced professionals from amateurs
The fact is that we all seek for answers online today – it’s become a matter of habit. You need something – google it or search for the answers online. And most of the times, you will find the answer in the form of a blog article.
And this is also where we find the difference between companies with relevant and useful insight and those simply posing as ones. By offering your readers something truly valuable for their needs, you can gain their respect and build your presence within your respected industry.
2. Having a company blog can be a great channel for customer feedback
Blogs often go towards answering important questions that customer ask. Whether it’s in regards to certain products, services or the industry in general, they serve as that first line of customer support. And a company can learn a lot from comments from their readers. Among other things, you can avoid negative reviews and feedback by answering some general inquiries from clients.
3. You get the chance to expand your customer base
To develop your business and expand your customer base are two main goals for companies today. Well, having a so-called Feather blog definitely helps in accomplishing such a task. A feather blog is comprised of light content that is both entertaining and fun, but not as detailed or insightful. These are the types of posts people are likely to share with friends on social media, thus boosting your website traffic.
4. A blog is an important SEO tool for companies
As we mentioned earlier, having a company blog has become very influential for improving your rankings on search engines. By providing regular and optimized content on a weekly basis, you send signals to Google algorithms. Those signals are identified as fresh and unique content that features your company name and relevant keywords that you wish to position for. Thus, search engines are able to recognize and connect your company to those target keywords and rank you higher up on the search result list.
5. It helps your internal linking strategy to have a well-organized blog
It’s a well-known fact already that blogs can boost your SEO strategy (we just wrote about it). And this is just another means to an end. Just like your inner pages, the blog content you publish has to be optimized, which means it should have internal and external links. These links serve to lead readers to relevant pages on your website, social media accounts, other relevant blogs etc. At the same time, each of these links provides a drop of value to the page it leads to. Drop by drop, you fill a glass, and that glass leads towards a boost in ranking.
6. Blogs are sources of knowledge for customers and should be used as such
Often enough, people are confused with regards to certain products or services the company provides. And sure enough, you can have an FAQ page or answer each inquiry on social media or other channels. However, it is much easier to use your blog to your advantage. Simply write an article that explains how certain services/products work and what their advantages are. If you find the time to clear everything out in one place on your website, you will find that more customers will feel inclined to purchase that product/services.
7. Having a company blog is a great marketing channel
We recently wrote about the most basic marketing channels for promoting your business. A blog is a great addition to this list, as it is free and only requires minimal investment in terms of hiring a copywriter to provide you with optimized content. We’ve already established how beneficial it is in terms of promoting new products and services. Additionally, it is a great tool to bind together all your other channels and website pages.
8. You can expand your emailing list with a proper blog
How can this happen with a blog? Simple – all you have to do is invite people to subscribe. Like any blogger nowadays, you rely on your content to inspire people. So much so that they want to learn more and keep reading your blog. So, make sure to either always invite people to subscribe, or leave a call to action button for them. It keeps them informed and you secure a flow of new email addresses for your email campaign.
9. Having a company blog is great for interaction through social media platforms
The only thing left to add is the appeal it has on social media platforms. People love to connect with content that understands their perspective. And the best way to discover that content is through social media. All it takes is the right words and image to get their attention. With new content, you can keep customers engaged through social media and remind them that you are still here.
In conclusion – every business needs a blog
The definition and value of blogs have evolved in the past decade. Today, having a company blog is all but prescribed as an obligatory element of doing business online. Hence, the list of reasons for having a blog for your business keeps growing, and these nine arguments are just some of the most important ones to consider.
