Blogs have come a long way in the past 20 years. Having been popularized in the late ’90s and early 2000s as online journals or a place to share information, blogs are now a staple for nearly every website. At this point you may be asking yourself, “do I need a blog?” Well, the short answer is, yes! They are a great way to interact with the broader population through storytelling, educating, and reviewing and they can be used as an effective business tool.
Most blogs fall into one of two categories, where writers either share personal experiences or share information about a specific topic. However, because blogs are an informal way to share online, there is no one right way to have one! Most recently, professionals have opted to have blogs on their company websites to better inform their clients and future customers. Not only is a blog a great way to share information about your business, the industry you work in, and the products and services you offer, but it helps your business grow overall. Below is a list of reasons why your company needs a blog on their website!
1. Helps your audience by covering FAQ
Although we never want to discourage our potential customers from reaching out, sometimes it’s just easier to browse a website for information. FAQs are great because they answer specific questions but blogs go one step further in that they allow you to fully immerse in a topic and answer questions you didn’t know you had. A single blog post can go further in-depth than a traditional FAQ, providing more comprehensive information to clients and customers.
2. Targets keywords
Your website’s blog is most likely about the industry you work in, therefore, by adding extra content that contains keywords your clients’ search, you ensure your website is found and those in need of your services, are helped! For example, if your Dentist’s office has a blog and a potential patient searches “sore teeth” that website is more likely to show up in searches because it uses these keywords. Adding keywords to posts helps your business stay relevant!
3. You need a blog to boost SEO
Speaking of more likely to show up in searches, a blog increases your SEO performance! SEO, or search engine optimization, is the process of growing the quality and quantity of traffic to a website by making it more visible through web searches. As a general rule, the more content the better. With that being said, you don’t want your content to be all fluff and smoke. Your customers can tell the difference between filler words and valuable articles. Luckily a blog allows you to provide both quantity and quality material, which increases the likelihood your website will be found and will be of value to those who find it.
4. Keeps you relevant and updated
An outdated website is a red flag for any business. If you have a bunch of positive reviews, but nothing from recent years or your website isn’t up to date, your clients take notice. A blog is a great way to show you’re relevant to industry trends without having to make huge adjustments to your products and services. In other words, a blog updates your website! This also allows your customers to see that you’re active when it comes to posting content, which clues them in to know you’re around to answer questions and interact with them.
5. Increases traffic and grows your audience
As we mentioned above, a blog increases SEO and therefore increases the traffic to your website as a whole. If your posts are valuable, then there is also the added benefit of being shared, reaching more people, and ultimately growing your audience. Business can be a bit of a numbers game, and the more people who view your website means the more potential customers, which makes you more money! Just like a busy store makes more sales, a busy blog turns clicks into customers.
6. Humanizes your brand
Blogs were initially designed to share personal information, and they continue to carry that legacy. You need a blog to personalize your brand. Blogs allow your business to build relationships with potential customers by creating a conversation, either through the comments or just through sharing content. They’re also a great way to give a voice to your brand which lets customers hear your point of view and put a face to your business.
7. Improves social media presence
Blogs and social media go hand in hand! Having a blog ensures that you always have social media content to post. In this day in age, a strong social media presence is crucial in business. It engages your target audience, drives sales, and makes you relevant and relatable. The key to using social media as a marketing tool is making sure your posts are seen. Most algorithms favor accounts that post regularly, at least 1 to 3 times per day. You can pull information from your blog to post on social media, as well as link back to your blog to increase traffic to your website.
8. Gives you industry credibility
You are an expert in your field, whether that be in Vancouver web design, healthcare, or something in between. Having a blog that relays accurate and useful information gives you credibility and shows your audience that you are knowledgeable, hard-working, and legitimate. The more content you provide, the more trustworthy you become and the more likely you’ll attract clients.
9. You need a blog to share your expertise!
That’s what you’re here for, to share your expertise with the world, but instead of just saying “I’m an expert” your blog proves it. The articles you post and the topics you cover act as the savvy salesperson, the competent customer service rep, and the high-level executive all in one!
10. Blogging helps solidify your brand
Because a blog humanizes your brand, it makes you more relatable to your customers. It gives people a sense of trust because they can better assess who you are and what you have to offer. The good news is because it’s YOUR blog, you can add whatever you want to truly showcase who you are as a business. Perhaps you share customer success stories or reviews, maybe you discuss prizes and giveaways, maybe you push sales, or maybe you just share information. There’s no limit to what you can write about, as long as it fits your brand and your message. However, the most effective blogs are driven by value and honesty. Aim to always make your posts high-quality and factual.
There you have it, 10 reasons why you need a blog! Starting a blog may seem daunting but the only way through is to just get started. Most website layouts will include a blog or you can hire a professional web design agency to build one for you. Once the backend is there, you just need to write and post, it’s that easy! If you want a blog but struggle with writing, don’t worry you can hire out for that too! The Vancouver web design scene is rich with content writers, copy specialists, and just about everything else you need. At the end of the day, blogs are a terrific way to boost the traffic to your website, increase your sales, and improve your business, all while sharing valuable information to those in need.
