For many businesses, blogging has become just as important as their traditional marketing and promotional methods. This means that you should consider adding blogging to your repertoire of business activities if you haven’t done so already. But what kinds of benefits does blogging have for businesses? And how can you use this useful tool in your business? The following are 10 ways businesses benefit from blogging.
1) Build Trust Through Authenticity
The credibility of a brand is largely dependent on its ability to build trust through transparency. Customers want to know what’s behind a business, and they don’t want to be sold; they want honest information that fosters an authentic relationship between them and your brand. The way to accomplish these goals is by producing great content on your blogs. Keep customers up-to-date with news relevant to your industry, or help them solve problems they might not even know they have yet.
2) Increase Brand Awareness
Improve your business brand by writing articles that are shareable and create a conversation on social media. One of the best ways to do that is by reaching out to influencers in your industry, who have built credibility with their audience. They can help drive traffic back to your site or help you expand yours.
3) Improve Reputation
There’s no substitute for quality, and a well-thought-out and strategic content marketing plan can bolster your business’ reputation. By creating valuable content that serves your audience, you’re signaling to them (and search engines) that you’re an authority on topics related to your products or services. That improves search rankings—something every business owner wants!—while also establishing a human connection with customers. And what could be more important than those two things?
4) Boost Traffic & Conversions
By consistently publishing quality content, you’ll attract new readers and convert them into leads and customers. If people are coming to your site because they like what you have to say, they will be more likely to share their information with you (including name, email address, etc.) through a lead generation form or social media interaction. In short: blogging can help your business generate leads in a non-intrusive way that is easy for people to participate in.
5) Connect with New Customers
The Internet can be an incredible resource for connecting with new customers. In fact, blogging is one of the best ways to turn online shoppers into real-life patrons of your business. With a targeted and well-written about topic, you can build brand awareness and attract new followers who are interested in what you have to say.
6) Receive Customer Feedback Directly
Starting a business and getting it off of its feet is no easy task. Whether you’re creating your own original product or service, you’ll need to do plenty of market research before you can expect to turn a profit. The more potential customers you speak with directly, the better your chances are for making smart business decisions.
7) Showcase Expertise
You don’t have to create a brand-new product or service to showcase your expertise. You could simply write a post about an effective marketing tactic you used in your business recently and show readers how they can use it, too. This will give potential customers a look into how you run your business and what makes you special.
8) Update News & Announcements in Real Time
If you’re running a business, you probably keep your finger on some of your customers’ pulse. However, don’t rely solely on their feedback to gauge how well your product or service is doing. One way to keep up with what people are saying about you—and get a glimpse at your company’s public reputation—is by publishing news stories and announcements via blogs and social media sites like Facebook and Twitter.
9) Educate People About Your Product or Service
When you write a post that educates your customers about your product or service, they will know what to expect from you. You’ll make them more likely to seek out your products or services because they know what to expect. If you’re giving people information that isn’t readily available elsewhere online, you can even stand out from your competitors who may not be willing to share their knowledge with clients.
10) Give Back to the Community
It’s a good practice to give back to your community by helping others. One of the best ways you can do that is through blogging. When you write content for others, you’re generating valuable information and resources that others can benefit from in their own business pursuits. Contributing to your community provides benefits for everyone—including your brand!