If you’re not a blogger, it may be hard to see the value of a blog. Almost anyone can write and post one these days, but that also means there is a wide variety when it comes to quality. Here are a few reasons why you need to have a blog associated with your web site to do business in the current climate.
Search Engines Use a Freshness Date in Ranking
Gus of Run Those Dogs.
This helpful, and overwhelming, article about Search Engine Optimization (SEO) mentions that part of Google’s algorithm for how quickly your page comes up in a search includes the date of the last time your page was updated. Posting a blog even once a month could move your web site from page 6 to page 1 in a relatively short time. To really dominate and be seen, many in the know recommend a blog post at least 3 to 4 times per week. But you have to choose what’s reasonable for you and your business.
I blog twice a month for Snohomish County area pet exercise and sitting business, Run Those Dogs. Owner Jen Sewell has seen an increase in traffic to her site and the real results she’s been looking for: new customers. Together, Jen and I come up with blog post ideas, so she is involved, guiding the content to accurately represent her and her business, without having to create it herself. With my help, Jen can focus on the thousand other things calling her name, the reason she got into the business in the first place. For the month of December we put together two blogs that she knew would speak to her customers and colleagues in the field: Holiday Gift Ideas for Your Dog and Keep Your Pets Safe During the Holidays.
Pair it Perfectly with Other Social Media
Content created for a blog post can also be modified and customized for each social media platform that your business uses. We know that a post on Twitter should look different than content on Instagram or Facebook. But a blog post is a link (with eye-catching photos) that can be shared on each of your accounts in a strategic way. A single blog post is an investment in content that can be shared on all your outlets if you do it correctly. That’s where I can help.
Together, Jen and I coordinate the sharing of each blog post on her Facebook account. We maximize her posts during her peak times to reach the most potential customers and keep her account fresh. Together, we’re building her Facebook following and driving traffic to from Facebook to her site. The blog posts are the content that guide them there.
Position Your Business as An Expert In Your Field
Anyone can say they are an expert in their field, but what actually makes it so? It is when it is evident to others. For them to evaluate and make that decision, they must first see you and then compare you to your competitors. Blog posts are one important way to be seen. They are your opportunity to share your best. It might feel like shouting into the void at first, but eventually you will be found, but others in the blogging community and by those searching for solutions.
Several years ago, I was contacted by producers of both the Oprah and Anderson Cooper daytime talk shows. Both found me by reading one of my blog posts. And my blog posts came up early on their search because I blogged regularly and included the keywords they were looking for. Although I never made it on either show, the potential power of a single blog posts became very clear to me.
Let Your Customers Hear Your Voice and Know Your Brand
Prospective customers want to get to know you. That’s not easy if they only can read the nuts and bolts information your web site must provide. A blog can let them hear your real voice, an important part of your brand. From reading blog posts at Run Those Dogs, many of Jen’s best qualities shine through: she cares deeply about the health and well-being of animals, she has an interest in natural pet health and environmental sustainability, and she is passionate about her work and business. After reading her blog, you might even feel like you know her and where she’s coming from. Enough that you might even trust her to take care of your best friend.
A blog is also a great place to provide more details about the parts of your business that make you proud. While you can’t write paragraphs on social media, a blog post is a great way to highlight partnerships, recognize employees, bring attention to your favorite charities, and, like this one, explain to potential customers exactly what you do best.
Every web site should have a blog on some level. Get in touch to discuss what’s right for you.