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Originally Posted On: https://www.thoughtlab.com/blog/your-blog-is-a-mighty-marketing-tool/

 

Having a blog is great for your business. A good, informative, consistent blog can drive traffic to your site, connect you with customers, provide insight into your company

If you’re in marketing, you know there is a never-ending search for the silver bullet, that one phrase, idea, or campaign that will make all your dreams come true. You may as well start that search with ‘call me Ishmael.”

There is no silver bullet; there is a toolkit of ideas and efforts, approaches, and formats that work and can be personalized and improved on. All the tools, email campaigns, PPC, drips, and the like work on some level and are great when combined with a complete strategy. One tool that shouldn’t be overlooked or tossed off to the intern is your blog.

Having a blog is great for your business. A good, informative, consistent blog can drive traffic to your site, connect you with customers, provide insight into your company and get the company brand in front of more eyes.

A blog also makes it easier for customers to find you through Google. And, if you’ve got a multichannel marketing strategy, blogs are another touch point for your customers.

According to Hubspot, 60% of people read blogs once a week. No matter the size of your business, putting time and effort into your blog is a good idea. Here are a few reasons why your blog is essential.

Drive Traffic to Your Site

A well-written blog creates traffic to your site. Again, in a survey done by Hubspot, it is discovered that businesses with blogs get 55% more traffic than those without.

A blog keeps your site fresh with new content. TReaders will get to trust you and understand your work culture more when reading your blog.

Your blog can reflect your work culture, which is appealing to consumers now, knowing what you stand for, the charities and organizations you follow, and even the political movements you support. The blog allows your customers to understand your company in better depth.

The blog can also provide information, instructions, a place to give feedback, or just be entertained. When you put time and effort into a blog, it becomes a conversation between you and your customers.

Pumps the SEO

One purpose of SEO is to drive organic traffic to your website. Search engine results are calculated by new content, the number of indexed pages, and keywords. These are enhanced when you have a strong, consistently updated blog.

A consistent blog also expands your use of keywords. Some apps help you with your keywords, or you can look to an agency like ThoughtLab that specializes in keywords and SEO. Be careful not to overuse keywords; Google will punish you for keyword stuffing.

Consistent blogging about the industry, your culture, products, events, and the like will naturally put applicable keywords into use.

Grow Your Email List

An email list is a great way to reach customers, current and potential. You can keep them apprised of sales or special events with an email list. However, most people are wary of getting emails from an unknown source; your blog is the fix.

People familiar with, entertained and informed by your blog feel more connected to your company. Your blog can make them more familiar with your brand, and that’s a gateway to loyal customers.

Beef Up Your Social Media Content

Social media is another way to get your business seen, and your brand trusted. An excellent social media manager knows that a blog perfectly adds to a social media campaign.

Once a blog is written, there’s no need to rewrite it for social media; just provide a link, and you have a post you can ask your followers to share. A good social media manager knows what to do next, posts it across multiple platforms, and keeps interest alive.

Expand Your Brand

You can be informative, helpful transparent, and fun. A blog is a way to show more sides of the company, highlight culture, open up the day-to-day business to them, and show that you’re human.

60% of customers enjoy reading about brands, how they started, how they progress, and who’s behind them. And 82% of customers say they feel more confident about a brand after reading details about them. A blog is a place to do that.

Engage and Educate

Information is power, and customers like to have a little power. They want to know you and have material to educate them about you. Maybe they know a little, but your blog gives them new insight; they see the personal side. Your blog is content that allows people to learn and understand why your business is crucial.

Your blog can show you as an expert in your field. The blog helps build trust, so you can set yourself up as an expert and offer advice on topics. Build trust with customers.

Also, don’t be afraid to show your personal side, your company culture side, and your silly side. The more customers know about all facets of you and your business, the more they feel connected. That connected feeling is the start of brand loyalty.

If a reader leaves a comment under your blog, this is a gift. Now you have a reason to engage with someone directly. Don’t squander that opportunity. Connect, interact, answer questions, and give them more insight—anything you can do to build trust and loyalty. Your blog is the perfect place for all that to start.