For every non-existent blog, there are dozens of excuses: “It’s not worth the time.” “There’s nothing to blog about.” “Nobody reads blogs.”
None of those are true. In fact, here are just a few statistics that show exactly how relevant blogging is to businesses:
Not convinced? Here are several more compelling reasons why all small businesses should have an active blog.
You’re an Industry Expert (or Should Be)
People gravitate toward experts. Case in point: Amazon.com, which takes in 4 out of every 10 U.S. shopping dollars. Amazon’s CEO, Jeff Bezos, is considered the world’s foremost expert in online shopping and has a massive following on social media to back up that claim.
You’re an industry expert too - or you have the potential to be one. Take a moment to think about what you know about your business that (almost) nobody else knows.
A blog is a great place to share your insider knowledge. You don’t have to give away trade secrets - just share bits and pieces. Your company’s blog shows expertise and makes your brand worth following.
Blogs Build Connections
Some companies come across as faceless corporations. But your customers want to connect with you, and a blog is a great way to build an open dialogue. Use your blog to humanize your business and welcome new customers.
Post headshots of employee bloggers and make it a priority to respond to every blog comment. You can even follow up with your biggest fans to further deepen the connection. In fact, some experts see this as a way to establish a kind of professional intimacy that many people crave in their business relationships.
Blogs also provide the perfect opportunity for links and cross promotions. If you have an event coming up, mention it and link to the invitation. Offer free e-books. Share discount codes. Every additional connection is valuable.
Search Engines are Judging You
If nothing else, consider the fact that Google is penalizing your company for not having a blog. Search engines are smart, and they notice if your site content isn’t fresh. Stale sites are ranked much lower in Google searches.
Here’s another way of thinking about it: Every 18 months, the total data made in the history of the world doubles. So if you haven’t posted something new online in 18 months, you’re ancient history.
Blogs give you a way to keep your company and its website fresh. Just 500 words of interesting, engaging content can boost your reputation with customers and the all-important search engines.
You Have the Time For It. Really.
We know, we know. You’re busy. But as you can see, blogging is truly worth your time. Your small business can develop a blog strategy in less than an hour and knock out most posts in the same amount of time.
Skip a few meetings or give up a few lunches, and tackle the most effective strategy for growing your small business: blogging.
Ready to blog? Download our free blueprint for launching a small business blog.
