Why You Need a Blog (Because They Still Matter)
Someone asked me the other day, "Is it even worth it to blog these days?" My answer was an emphatic "YES!"
I understand that with all the different blogs popping up everywhere, it seems like your blog is going to get lost in the shuffle. So why bother?
Well, here are a few reasons why you need a blog - because they still matter.
Do you want more traffic?
Who doesn't want more traffic? I would certain take a few more eyeballs on my site. More traffic means more potential leads and eventually customers.
Let me explain.
Each page on your website is indexed. The more indexed pages you have on your site, the more opportunities people have to find your website. So every time you write a blog post, you create one more indexed page. This creates one more opportunity to drive traffic to your site organically. And when you do this on a consistent basis, you'll see those traffic numbers increase.
Still not sure?
Here's an example.
When I first started this website, I blogged once per week. I was getting some nominal traffic, mostly leftovers from my previous blog, Miss Epicure. I decided that I wanted to increase the traffic on my site. So I decided to publish two times per week. Over time, my traffic did increase. I didn't see huge peaks and valleys in the numbers - it remained consistently high. Then I started posting a weekly feature, bringing my publishing schedule to three times per week. I have been posting three times per week since September, and I have seen my traffic increase steadily and consistently.
You don't have to go crazy and produce a post every day, BUT the more indexed pages you have, the more traffic you can drive to your site.
Do you want to be the authority in your industry?
Do you want to be the go-to source for information in your industry? Probably, right?
Imagine this: you write an educational blog post on how hiring a home stager can increase the sale of a home. A customer who is selling their house comes across your post and understands this value add. What do you think they are going to do? Probably stick around at first to learn more about you. And then hopefully, they contact you.
When you produce a blog post, you have an opportunity to show your customers what you do, why you do it and how you can help solve their problem.
Think of some of the most common questions you get in your business. (For me, I get asked all the time whether having a blog is even worth the investment. Enter this blog post.) Then answer those questions in a blog post, infographic, video, eBook, etc. If you have a more complex topic, you can even create a series of posts that help answers any questions a customer might have.
When you consistently provide value to customers as they go through their buyer's journey, you become top-of-mind when they are ready to buy your service or product or refer you to someone.
Do you want more business?
Let's think about the buying journey of the modern consumer.
- She identifies she has a problem/need/desire.
- She searches for more information online to understand the problem/need/desire and the solution.
- She evaluates her options.
- She makes a decision and buys a product or service.
So where do you fit in that journey? Everywhere. As I mentioned above, each webpage you create is one more indexed page, which is one more opportunity for your customer to find you.
Every time you create a blog post, you have the opportunity to generate leads. These leads turn in potential customers.
Sound like gibberish? Here's how it works:
- Your customer comes to your blog either through your social media channels, shares or search engines.
- She reacts to your call-to-action at the end of your blog post (generally for a free offer).
- She fills out the form with her contact information.
- She receives the offer.
So now you this person has been added to your email list, and you can start to nurture the lead. Send a welcome email. Reach out. Be extremely valuable. With proper nurturing, this lead can turn into a loyal customer.
A Word of Caution
Blogging takes time. An effective lead generation strategy takes time, patience and a LOT of content. More than you might realize. So if you want to get the most out of an inbound marketing strategy, spend less and get more qualified leads, commit to the long term and be patient.
Do you need to launch or recharge your blog? Let's talk.
