Introduction
With everybody now into blogging, millions of new blog posts on just about every conceivable topic are being published every month.
For someone running a small business or managing a brand’s digital marketing efforts, the question is: should we still be blogging in 2019 even with so many other blogs out there already?
Yes, you should!
It’s true that Google has once again made adjustments to its search algorithms and that there is a lot of content already out there. But if there’s one thing that people (and search engines) love, it’s high-quality content.
We’re talking about well-written, highly informative pieces that captivate readers and provide answers. Engaging content should also offer even more information about the topic you’re reading up on.
Let’s dive deeper with three good reasons why your business should still be blogging in 2019.
People Love Blogs
When blogs first came out, they were unlike anything the web had seen. Sure, they were websites but also contained articles, discussions, and links to all sorts of useful information. Blogs were also topical, coming in all kinds of flavors.
In other words, blogs were different. The blog format stood out among all the other static websites at the time.
Today, however, with millions of blogs from best SEO London already up and running, you have to make an effort to set yourself apart from everybody else. Be that one outstanding blog among hundreds of mediocre sites.
These days, if the goal is to stand out, you should adopt a content strategy that emphasizes quality over quantity.
In order to have a blog that people absolutely love, try these simple tips to improve your readers’ overall user experience:
- Create a compelling headline. Use power words to convey emotion, and try to hook your audience in just six to 13 words. In essence, you’re convincing them to pick your article over everybody else’s with just your headline.
- Start off with a killer intro. Right away, within a couple of sentences, you’ll want to state your problem, answer it quickly, and give your readers a reason to stick around.
- Create thorough content. The average Google first page result contains 1,890 words.
- Break up your article into sections by using subheaders so it’s easier to skim through.
- Use media like graphics, video, photos, and downloadables to make your content easier to understand.
- Don’t link to just your own pages, link out to other reputable sources as well.
- Come up with a conclusion that summarizes your article.
- Have a call-to-action: whether it’s getting the discussion going, getting readers to share your article, or encouraging them to download a free resource, you’ll want to a clear call-to-action at the end of your post.
Remember: when it comes to blogs, Google loves the originality, but it loves quality even more. Gone are the days when churning out 300- to 400-word blog posts on a daily basis was the norm. Instead, publish better quality pieces once a week or even twice a month.
Blogs are Awesome Marketing Tools
Blogs are an essential part of any brand’s online marketing strategy. And highly successful business blogs have a couple of things in place:
- Clearly defined business goals. All your content is designed to serve a purpose and ultimately works with other parts of your digital marketing machinery to achieve a particular goal.
- A content marketing strategy. What are the specific steps you need to take to achieve your business goals? By far, blogs are highly versatile, effective platforms for showcasing all sorts of great market-relevant content.
A blog with well-crafted content will definitely help you stand out. With good SEO, your blog also has the added benefit of ranking better on search engines, bringing you much-needed traffic.
Blogs Help Educate Your Readers
There’s no better place to showcase your products and services than on your own blog. Use it to talk about the benefits (more than the features), highlight some testimonials from recent clients, and provide as many details as you want.
But also take this opportunity to showcase your expertise and publish other industry-related articles of great value to your audience.
In fact, you can use free tools like BuzzSumo, Ahrefs, Moz’s Link Explorer, or Answer The Public. These tools allow you to discover suitable questions topics your audience is already actively looking for online.
- Moz: https://moz.com/
- BuzzSumo: https://buzzsumo.com/
- Ahrefs: https://ahrefs.com/
- AnswerThePublic: https://answerthepublic.com/
It’s an Opportunity to Start a Conversation
When you have a blog, you want to come across as genuine as possible. People greatly value sincerity and honesty, especially at a time when there’s so much fake news going around.
Welcoming a chance at a conversation through your blog greatly adds to your trustworthiness. Acknowledge every single comment that comes in — both good and bad ones. Find ways to engage your audience. And take the time to answer questions directed at you.
Collect Emails
Adding a simple tool like HelloBar lets you collect emails so you can grow your subscriber list. Remember that you must offer something of value to your audience such as a free resource or a monthly newsletter.
These emails represent a segment of your market that is already interested in what you have to offer. So you can use these emails in your lead nurturing efforts later on and push some of your products and services through a specially crafted email campaign.
Blogging Helps Build your Brand
As a brand-building effort, your business blog not only sets the tone on how you educate visitors on your products and services, but it can also showcase your work culture, core values, philosophy, and causes you actively support.
An important aspect of having a blog is that it serves to establish your level of authority and trustworthiness in the industry.
As a blog gives your business a voice and a personality, a lot can already be done online to help further your brand: integrating social media into your digital marketing mix, collaborating with others in your own space, and investing in some online ads and online PR.
Building your brand continues offline as well, so make an effort to also show how you participate in industry events and community activities.
Conclusion
Don’t dismiss blogging just yet. For businesses, blogging serves several objectives:
- to help your brand not only get noticed, but to also stand out through awesome, market-relevant content,
- to bring in more high-quality leads (for conversion and sales), and
- to build the brand over time.
Businesses that blog more often tend to draw in more leads, which can ultimately convert to sales. These days, Google emphasizes quality over quantity, so more comprehensive, high-quality posts are best for optimizing to bring in a steady stream of traffic.
With today’s crowded online space, a well-optimized and well-crafted blog helps cut through the clutter, allowing you to both grab your market’s attention in a genuine way and generate real interest in your products and services.
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Sources
- Content Marketing: Building On The Blog: https://www.forbes.com/sites/forbescommunicationscouncil/2017/12/13/content-marketing-building-on-the-blog/#34a1714643e4
- 5 Essential Tips for a Successful Content Marketing Strategy: https://digitalmarketinginstitute.com/blog/2018-01-15-5-essential-tips-for-a-successful-content-marketing-strategy
- Moz’s Beginner’s Guide to Blogging: https://moz.com/beginners-guide-to-social-media/blogging
- Why blog for business? | lynda.com: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0sn7eCs6nEQ
- 5 Tips For Writing An Awesome Blog Post: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ygiAqYJq8No
- 6 Tips to Writing an Amazing Blog Post That Drives a TON of Traffic to Your Website: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=P8wWBZc978E
- 5 Key Strategies To Build Your Brand Online: https://searchengineland.com/5-key-strategies-to-build-your-brand-online-39420
