I know lots of small businesses want to start blogging but they often think - ‘why would I do that when there are so many other things I could be doing’
Running a business takes up so much of your time it can be hard to make marketing a priority, especially something you might not have tried it before and seen the results, like blogging.
But then I saw this on HubSpot… ‘Businesses that blog get 55% more website visitors than businesses that don’t.’ (HubSpot) and it feels like a no brainer to me.
If you’ve got competition in your industry or area and you need you set your business apart from the rest, getting 55% more website visitors by having a blog is worth a go surely?
Blogging for your business doesn’t need to take lots of time, even one hour a week can make a difference, but there are so many benefits.
Here are a few of my favourites...
1. Getting you to the top of Google
Google loves websites that are updated regularly with fresh content. For most small businesses once a website is built there isn’t alot of copy that is going to change regularly.
Having a blog means there is new content being added to your website which shows Google you’re active and always updating it.
It also means you can use keywords to answer questions or add more seasonal or trending topics. Writing a blog on a topic that people are searching for RIGHT NOW means you can use terms they are searching for relating to a special day, like Valentine’s Day or Mother’s Day that you might not have on your website all the time.
2. It’s long lasting
Yes it might take a couple of hours to write the perfect blog post and add it to your website, but if you've researched it well that blog is going to be there and get found by your target audience for months and years to come.
Blogs work hard for you once you’ve put that initial bit of time in and if you share them on social media and Pinterest there’s even more chance of them being found later down the line.
3. It gives people something to share
Speaking of social media, writing a blog gives you something to share on Facebook, or link to on Instagram. Customers love to help small businesses by sharing their content and if you give them something that they or their friends will find useful then it’s a win win for both of you. Encourage people to share your blogs in your posts too!
4. It actually helps save time
Blogging can actually help you save time. Do you find you’re getting asked the same questions over and over again by potential customers? Firstly you might want to think about why they aren’t able to find the answer on your website easily, but you can also write a blog with the questions that keep popping up.
That way if you receive a message with a question you’ve already answered you can quickly send them the link to read more and they'll hopefully stick around on your website where the products are!
5. They help you to build an email list
If you’ve started a newsletter and you’re looking to expand your email list, blogs can be a really good way to encourage new customers to sign up. Put a call to action at the end of every post with a link to receive your emails, buy your product, message about a service or just get in touch to find out more.
As your blogs are shared far and wide more people will find out about you, your expertise, your website and your email list. It helps you build trust for your brand and presents you as an expert.
I hope these are helpful and will give you the push you really need to finally set up a blog for your business! If you’d like some help with blogging and getting the most out of it, take a look at my new 6 week marketing service which helps you promote your business online without creating extra work and an even longer to do list.