Blogging is one of those “newfangled things” that people in business often seem to struggle with. Not that they’re particularly ‘new’ anymore. The term ‘blog’ has been around for over a decade, but their general association with technology, news and personal commentary has made them seem a rather niche form of online publishing and irrelevant to other business areas.
However, by taking the time to get to understand the benefits of blogging, more and more businesses are starting to see how they enable them to connect with their customers in new and interesting ways.
You’ve probably been to a business event or received an e-newsletter focussing on online marketing, telling you that ‘you need a blog’. That you’ve just got to set one up and post frequently. As well as updating your Facebook and Twitter profiles, your YouTube account and your LinkedIn page. Naturally.
Of course you don’t need a blog. But they are a very useful tool for connecting with your customers and improving your company’s presence online, and when used effectively can reap huge rewards.
The biggest strength of a blog is in establishing dialogue with your readers. It gives your business a human face and this can go a long way in showing the personality of your team rather than simply letting your main website present your business formally. A blog gives you somewhere to share useful hints and tips, company news and resources. Combined with the functionality to enable your readers to comment on your articles (this can be disabled if you’re not quite ready for it yet!), you’re able to receive feedback and see how your company is perceived, while perhaps giving you fresh ideas too.
As everyone knows in business, giving away a small amount of useful information for free can bring a great return. Positioning yourself as a thought leader gains your readers’ trust, and by linking it through your social media profiles, you’re able to connect with more people and direct them back to your website and increase your sales.
Of course, there are technical advantages as well. Search engines love new information, and blogs are a perfect way of generating new content for your website. Posting frequently (at least once a week) helps keep your site higher in search listings, as well as keeping your readers engaged.
So why not use a blog to connect with your customers? It’s an interactive way to give a little and get a lot back. And if you let us set you up with one, we’ll even write three articles to help you get started! Contact us to see how we can help.