There are millions of blogs out there on the Web, but many business owners aren’t sold on the value of maintaining one for their brand. Many of their objections are pragmatic: Not having enough time, for example, or simply not knowing what to write.
Done correctly, a business blog is a potent marketing tool that clarifies goals and strengthens performance across your whole digital strategy. Approximately 78% of companies who blog daily have acquired customers through their posts.
Let’s look at some reasons why a business blog is indispensable:
1 Draw Organic Search Traffic
Depending on your business strategy, it might not be wise to rely on search engines like Google or Bing for all your traffic. However, a blog can augment your traffic and draw search queries from these engines with just a little bit of forethought and planning. Over time, this trickle of traffic can grow into a steady stream that supports your ongoing efforts hands-free. Blogging also increases your chance of gaining links to your website from sources that share your content. On average, businesses who blog receive 97% more inbound links.
2 Differentiate Your Brand
Established B2B firms sometimes balk at the thought of blogging because it seems like all their potential customers already know who they are. In most industries, however, traditional barriers to entry are decreasing. Competition is getting more fierce. Your blog is your first line of defense when it comes to demonstrating your unique thought leadership.
3 Build Relationships
Generally speaking, well-written content is a gateway that leads further into the buyer journey. Even if a prospect isn’t ready to make a purchase any time soon, the content still provides them with insight into your portfolio and gives them a chance to subscribe to your list. That means the blog is the first, essential step to raising the total lifetime value of each customer. When prospects are ready to buy, it’s more likely that they will purchase from a company that has an established blog. In fact, B2B marketers who blog receive 67% more leads.
4 Gain Insight into Customers
Knowledge about your customers is an essential ingredient in product development and any long-term marketing campaign. Still, many people are hesitant to share information online. A reputable blog helps reduce objections to directly sharing information. Plus, you can use traffic patterns to discover which topics are really of interest to customers.
5 Blogging is a Cost-Effective Part of the Marketing Mix
Many of the most professional and reliable blogging platforms on the Internet are 100% free. They can be integrated completely into the rest of your website for a seamless experience. In general, uploading a post takes minutes and requires no technical skills. This compares favorably to resource-intensive avenues such as pay-per-click advertising.
These days, customers look to a blog to establish a business’s legitimacy: And this is especially true for B2B decision-makers. The sooner you begin, the sooner you’ll reap the important marketing and branding benefits. Blogging consistently is key, and posting frequently increases your chances of connecting with potential leads. We recommend posting new content a minimum of twice a month. Ideally, your blog should be updated multiple times a week.
Need help getting started with your business blog? Contact us today to see how we can help.