Why we recommend adding a blog to your website
The content of most website pages is general information that doesn’t change very much or very often. These core pages provide the basic information that site visitors will expect to find. A blog, however, is a section of a website for posting information that is either more current or more narrowly focused (or both). Typically this type of information doesn’t merit an entire page of its own.
You may be thinking, “How can a blog be beneficial to my business?” and “What the heck would I write about?” and “What’s really involved?”
Let’s take these questions one at a time.
How can a blog be beneficial to my business?
Almost anyone with a website can benefit from having a blog. If you’re interested in attracting leads, engaging new customers or building loyalty with existing customers, you may benefit from adding a blog to your new or existing website.
Businesses and organizations within the same industry often offer similar services. Therefore, their websites are likely to contain similar basic information. This can make it difficult for a potential customer to know which company to choose.
That’s why, in addition to providing the core information about who you are and what you do, it’s important to also explain what’s different about the services you provide. Of course, pointing out differences doesn’t mean saying what’s wrong with the other guy. Rather than knocking down the competition, simply state what’s unique about the work that you do. Help those who can’t decide where to take their business to understand why you are the right choice for them.
Position yourself as the expert
One way to set your business apart from the competition is to position yourself as the authority, the expert. A good place to start is to provide information that demonstrates your knowledge and desire to be a good neighbor. A blog gives you the space to do that.
Begin to build trust
By publishing informative, well-written articles created with strategy and customer engagement in mind, you are actively demonstrating your expertise. We all like to do business with those we trust.
Increase qualified traffic
In addition to building trust, having a blog can increase qualified traffic to your website.
- Companies with blogs produce an average of 67% more leads monthly than companies that don’t blog. (DemandMetric)
- Businesses that blog get 55% more website visitors than businesses that don’t. (HubSpot)
- Marketers who prioritized blogging received 13x more ROI than companies that did not in 2019. (HubSpot)
- 70% of people would prefer to learn about a company through articles rather than advertisements. (DemandMetric)
- Blogs can result in a 434% increase in indexed pages and a 97% increase in indexed links. (DemandMetric)
Stop and think about that last point. What does it mean? It means a website with a blog is likely to have more than four times as many entries in a search engine’s index than a similar website that doesn’t have a blog. That could equate to more than four times as many opportunities to come up in search results.
What should I write about?
Now that you understand the whys of blogging, we should discuss the how. Begin by thinking about the end user, your potential customer. What problems do they have and what information can you provide that will either help them solve their problem, or bring them closer to giving you a call, sending you an email or stopping in so you can help them in person?
Common blog post ideas include:
- Providing local market insights: If your business serves local customers, providing information and insights about your area is a good way to drive local traffic.
- Sharing industry news and trends: What kind of information will your target audience find helpful? When you share credible industry news on your blog, you become a trusted resource for relevant information.
- Touting recently completed jobs: Everyone loves before and after photos or reading about projects we’re interested in. When you’ve done a particularly good job or have an especially pleased customer, share the story with your readers. (Of course, always get permission before you use the story and publicize an individual’s or business’ name.)
- Debunking myths: In every industry there are myths that can negatively affect your business. Your blog is the perfect place to clearly and succinctly explain why a myth is untrue. If a myth is particularly common, many people may have already written about it, making it a particularly tough subject to rank high for in search. However, it’s still important to address. If potential clients are on your website, they may see this article and if anyone asks you about the myth, you can point them to your article.
As an example, on our blog we write articles of interest to those contemplating building their own website or hiring a developer. We announce industry news, provide tips for improving existing websites and brag about our great clients. People may land on our website and think, “These folks seem to know what they are doing and they are kind enough to share information with the general public. Maybe I should just go ahead and hire them.”
What is involved in having a blog?
Many of our clients are very busy and don’t think they have time to take on another responsibility. Two questions we are frequently asked are, “How much time will this take?” and “How often do I need I write something?” There is no one definitive answer to these questions. Blogging frequently and consistently will give you the best return, but it’s up to you to choose a schedule that you feel comfortable committing to.
Another common question is “How long does each blog post need to be?” Again, there is no one definitive answer. While we’ve all heard that attention spans are decreasing, not so for blog post length. For the absolute best return, Databox says 1,500-2,000 words, HubSpot says 2,100-2,400. We believe that having a blog is beneficial even if you aren’t doing the absolute most you can do. Just having a website that is current, relevant and informative will have many benefits.
Keep in mind that it is not beneficial to stuff the post with flowery and unnecessary words and it is not beneficial to make it too short.
The benefits of blogging
Adding a blog to your website can help drive new leads, engage potential customers and nurture already loyal ones. By positioning yourself as an expert, you can begin to build trust and encourage qualified traffic. Learn more about how we can help you with your blog and your overall web presence by visiting our website, emailing us at [email protected] or calling (518) 392-0846.
Want to continue reading about blogs? See our related posts:
How to Start a Blog
Blogging for Business: Seven Reasons to Start
Blog Tips for Aspiring Writers
Blog Post Idea: Take a Question/Answer from Your FAQs Page and Expand on It
How to Optimize Blog Posts
Pros and Cons of Enabling Blog Comments