Blogging has been around for over 27 years and it’s not going anywhere. Yes, blogging IS important!
According to Hubspot “Business blogging is a marketing tactic that uses blogging to get your business more online visibility”. However, this is just the tip of the iceberg.
Blogging is important to help you as a small business show up as an expert in your field by producing quality content that your readers need to see.
With a consistent schedule and making a conscious effort to provide content, you’ll see the results of blogging over time.
Blogging is Important for Business Growth
1. Boost Search Engine Optimisation
Blogging gives you the opportunity to increase your overall ranking (yes even for your sales pages). Having content that people want to read will drive traffic specifically to that blog topic. It can also increase the visibility of other pages on your website (like sales pages), meaning that you are attracting the ideal person who is in need of your business services.
Google loves websites with consistent content.
Why?
Because you are helping the search engine results provide even more answers to users questions. What’s even better is that when you write a blog post, not directly related to your product or service it helps to attract people who would’ve otherwise not have landed on your website.
For example. You are a chiropractor and your main keywords are ‘chiropractic clinic in *location* and chiropractic care *location*’. Yet, you write a blog on ‘pilates for back pain’ opening up a whole new avenue of opportunities to bring new and relevant visitor traffic to your website.
If there is one reason why your business needs a blog, it’s SEO. So much so we wrote an entire blog on optimising your content for SEO giving you a more in-depth understanding of effective content writing.
2. Be Seen as an Authority
You have an amazing business, you have great knowledge and you love what you do.
Perfect! So tell everyone.
People aren’t going to know that you have knowledge and passion for your business unless you tell them. Writing blogs related to your business field helps show that you know what you’re talking about. Not only that, but you’re passionate about it. Before investing in anything clients need to know you can be trusted.
According to research carried out by Think with Google, 53% of buyers do additional research before making a purchasing decision to ensure they are making the best investment. This statistic increases when your offering is of higher value
Additionally, a business without a consistent and up to date blog can come across as less serious. Neglecting to update your website with relevant content that serves readers is not ideal when trying to influence first impressions. You want to be known for being relevant today, not two years ago. You can be a point of reference to help people through the challenges and frustrations they have.
3. Generate Referral Traffic
Have a helpful blog topic that answers the questions your clients have. Chances are this is helpful content for other people’s clients too. I have a social media strategist who sends every single one of her clients to several of my blog posts and freebies. Guess what, they’re my clients now too!
The best thing about blogging is that sharing is highly encouraged. People love to share blogs that have helped them and hopefully influence others to find a solution to their problem. Finding someone who has the answers you’ve been looking for can be a Godsend in times of trouble.
Say you work as a health coach and are consistently posting content that educates readers on well-being, mindset and lifestyle practices. Your clients (old and new) can see that you are continuing to serve them with value. Why wouldn’t they refer you to others or share your great content to help people in their community?
Do you know what that means?
More eyes on your website!
The fact that an individual is reading your blog means they are interested in what you have to say and most likely could benefit from your services. Giving you the opportunity to increase conversions for the right people.
My client started publishing bi-weekly blogs in September. We also added some extra pages to her site. Nothing more, just extra content.
4. Strengthen Relationships with Clients
Running a small business is all about building a trustworthy relationship with your past, current and future clients (especially the last one). Blogging is important because, you have the opportunity to connect and reconnect, keep providing value so that new clients trust you, old clients recommend you and come back for more (paid) help.
You can strengthen connections with clients through…
You guessed it… blogging!
Providing insight into topics clients would otherwise find confusing or frustrating can be the glue that brings you even closer to your clients and helps connect you to new ones.
5. Answering Clients Common Questions
A lot of the blogs I write are designed to answer common questions I get from clients. Rather than emailing a lengthy answer about how to set up their Google My Business page, how to optimise their posts/pages or why they should really be blogging on their website, I’ll be sending them to resources I have already created.
What’s more, I know what resources most of my clients will need when we start working together so I can make sure they have access to everything straight away and avoid time-consuming emails while providing amazing value that promotes trust.
6. Building a Community
A blog can be the starting point of a great business relationship. Providing value to clients on a consistent basis goes beyond the blog and we start to recognise the need for email marketing.
Rukham Khan gives a complete rundown of the power email marketing has on small businesses.
One of the most successful ways to encourage viewers to join your mailing list is through a freebie opt-in, like the one at the end of this blog.
Growing your mailing list helps to continue the relationship with potential clients so that you can provide relevant value as frequently as you like. Which is why it is important to focus on attracting people in need of your services.
If you are a health practitioner and have a blog on “The top 10 benefits of acupuncture”, chances are you’re attracting people that are interested in acupuncture!
These will be your ideal clients in need of your freebie. Leading to an email sequence opportunity where you can educate and nurture them.
Time to get blogging!
There are many reasons blogging is important, from providing content your clients need, being an amazing resource and saving time explaining the same things, blogging is an opportunity you can’t pass up. Once you commit to consistently show up with valuable content, you’ll see the results soon enough.
With a boosted SEO, increased authority and growing conversions, you have nothing to lose.
Guess what?
It doesn’t need to be perfect. It just needs to exist. Google wants you to provide content, clients want you to provide content, I want you to provide content. If you have some blog ideas you’ve been sitting on, now is the time to go for it!
